Obese and alcoholic. If you don’t get the corona virus, “experts” warn you could come out of the pandemic with a few extra pounds and a big thirst. It shouldn’t be a surprise.
Many of us are working from home or are self-isolating with time on our hands. We aren’t used to staying inside, no matter how spacious and comfortable our residences are. We can go out for walks but that’s not the same as picking up a latte, meeting someone for lunch, or even following the routine of work.
We’re inside with all that food we stocked up on. With the best of intentions, we made sure the supplies of flour, yeast, and other non-perishables were topped up. Vegetables and fruits occupy fridge shelves and yet, the siren call of snacks is hard to resist. And I don’t mean the carrot and celery sticks that provide a satisfying crunch. I mean the Cheezies, the chips, the hickory sticks. They crunch and they are made with the optimum fat and salt for that flavour explosion. Suddenly, a person working from home can mosey out and munch away as he/she contemplates these new challenges. The self-isolators know they’d be having ‘something’ with friends.
If you have a sweet tooth, there are the chocolate bars, the Smarties, the cookies and doughnuts. You’re working, right? It is important to maintain energy and the brain runs on sugar. The self isolator needs a reward for cleaning that cupboard or just clearing the snack plates from the night before.
The whole pandemic thing is stressful. Some people have elderly parents, grandchildren in other places, or relatives and friends sick with the virus. Some are front-line workers, some are married to front-line workers, some have friends who are. There is the background level of concern as the media reports on one thing. The latest numbers- how many have died, how many new cases there are, how long this pandemic will last. A lot of the questions the news media raises don’t have answers and the absence of answers only adds to stress.
Be easy on yourself. Eating soothes you right now. Indulge a little and be kind to yourself if you succumb and as someone said on Twitter, “I just ate a whole apple pie.” Times right now are tough so don’t add to the stress by beating yourself up over a ho-ho or ding-dong. And when the sun shines, go for a walk.
themildsidelinda 