Depending on where you live, I hope and pray whatever lockdown applies to you will be coming to an end soon. 

But if these last six weeks have taught us anything, it’s that being quarantined and weight gain go hand in hand!

If I’m singing your song, then listen up—because there are ways that you can stop the quarantine weight gain cycle and get back on track toward a healthier bodyweight!

Here’s how:

Know the forces working against you

When it comes to over-snacking, over-eating or downright bing- eating during a quarantine, it’s important to know the forces that are working against you.

Because when you know what you’re up against, you can take measures to counteract those influences, and make it that much more likely that you will be able to put on a bathing suit before November.

Here are the four main culprits and how you can fight back at each:

1- Refined carbs and sugars

When you eat refined carbohydrates like cookies, chips, crackers, candy, pizza, bread or pasta, a series of reactions takes place in your body.

First, your pancreas releases insulin.  In addition to regulating your blood sugar, insulin also decreases your bloodstream’s concentration of amino acids—except for tryptophan.  Well, this resulting higher tryptophan level eventually reaches your brain, which triggers the brain to produce serotonin, creating a soothing, calming sensation. 

Refined carbs also trigger increased releases of dopamine and norepinephrine, and as your brain becomes indulged with these neurotransmitters, a feeling of euphoria results and a craving for more refined carbohydrates is stimulated. 

Plus sugar in and of itself is extremely addicting!  It’s been compared to cocaine in terms of addictiveness…and each time you eat it, it will cause you to crave more.

How to help:  Purge the refined carbs and sugary foods from your cupboards, pantry and refrigerator.  Avoid getting takeout from restaurants where you will be tempted by bread, fries, pasta or desserts—opt for those where you can get chicken, steak, fish or a burger (without the bun) and veggies!  At home, prepare protein foods, vegetables and salads for snacks and meals. 

2- Lacking nutrients

Nothing causes your inner dinner bell to clang louder than being undernourished!

And trust me, if you’ve been relying on unhealthy takeout meals, eating a mountain of frozen or processed foods and/or have had more than your average share of alcohol (be honest), chances are great that you may be running low in essential nutrients.

How to help:  Eating a variety of wholesome real foods will provide nutrients to help keep your entire body in tip-top shape.  Emphasis should be placed on fresh vegetables and fruits, plus meats, poultry, fish, healthy fats, dairy and eggs.  

In addition, to help make sure all of your body’s nutritional bases are covered, Super Core multi vitamin and mineral formula can pinch hit where you may be lacking.

Super Core provides a health-supporting blend of crucial nutrients, plus you get the added benefit of its antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, which can fight disease-causing free radicals and ease any sugar-induced inflammation you may have going on!

3- Stress

It’s an understatement to say that the average person has been dealing with incredible levels of stress over the last 6 weeks…and believe me, my prayers go out to ALL of you.

Stress is another factor that causes us to overeat and reach for sugary, starchy foods and here’s why: 

Stress triggers the release of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol in your body. These hormones raise your heart rate, dilate your blood vessels and mobilize fat and carbohydrates stored in your body for quick energy for a "fight or flight" reaction. 

Once the stress ends, adrenaline production subsides, but cortisol stays around to help refuel your body and bring it back to balance—and it does this by making you hungry.

But when stress becomes serious or chronic, this can lead to the familiar “stress eating” of carbs, since your body is repeatedly following the instructions of cortisol and looking to refuel itself. 

How to help:  Do whatever you need to do to minimize stress, keeping in mind that regular exercise gives you a triple punch—it not only helps reduce stress, but it also raises your level of feel-good endorphins and helps you take off weight!  You can also try massage, deep breathing, prayer, meditation and yoga.

Stress also takes a tremendous toll on your gut microbiome which in turn weakens your immune function, making your more susceptible to COVID-19 and all other viruses and infections around!  Be sure to keep your supply of helpful gut bacteria in tip-top shape with Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula. 

In addition, I can’t emphasize this enough:  TURN OFF THE TV!!  Stop feeding into the mainstream news media’s agenda of fear-mongering.  Remember they are largely funded by the pharmaceutical industry, and frightening you is the perfect way to get you to line up for their toxic vaccines and drugs.  If you want REAL journalistic coverage of COVID-19, check out The High Wire with Del Bigtree, Sharyl Attkisson and Jefferey Jaxen.  They are real news reporters without an agenda or pharma funding, and they tell it like it is—nothing but the facts.    

Plus lavender essential oil has also been shown to be helpful, especially if stress is keeping you up at night.  Check out our line of Holistic Blends Essential oils that features lavender and nine other scents to choose from.

4- Boredom

It’s very likely that your routine has changed dramatically and boredom is setting in…so now is the time to use your imagination to busy yourself instead of using eating as something to do or for comfort.

How to help:  Here are some things you can try to overcome boredom:

Talk walks around your neighborhood, or whatever public places are available.  I’ve been doing long runs here at the Erie Canal in Upstate NY, and the feel of the sunshine on my face and the fresh air is so helpful to my state of mind.   

Try making some new (delicious, healthful) recipes!  My Great Taste No Pain and Want to Lose Weight? Stop Dieting! programs both contain a boatload of delicious, nutritious recipes you’ll love!  And right now, you don’t have the excuse of not having the time to cook.

Call an elderly neighbor or church parishioner to make sure they are OK.  I’m sure you’ll brighten their day more than you could ever realize.

Participate in online activities.  Zoom is a tremendous tool to help you keep in touch with family and other groups.

Catch up on reading that you normally don’t have time to do.

Know this:  We will get through this situation, and now you are armed with strategies to help curb the binge-eating and shed those extra pounds you may have put on.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia