Over the last few months, you may have heard the jokes or comments about putting on some extra pounds during lockdown. For many, the closing of gyms and other public spaces has put a serious strain on their health journeys. It’s much harder to eat healthy and stay in shape when you’re confined to your home—and obesity becomes a concern.
Obesity, or an excess of body fat, has been heavily linked to a wide variety of health issues, including cardiovascular strain like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. While it’s common knowledge that obesity can be harmful to your heart, researchers are now looking at the impact obesity has on a person’s chance against a new enemy: COVID-19.
The Link Between COVID-19 and Obesity
It is especially important to watch your weight now, since there appear to be several ties between COVID-19 and obesity. From the early data we’ve received, it looks as though obese people have a higher likelihood of becoming more seriously ill with the virus. In fact, severe obesity, which is classified by having a BMI of above 40, has been officially cited by the CDC as a risk factor for mortality from the virus.
Eating Healthy at Home
It can be hard to eat healthy during a crisis, such as the current global pandemic. All too often, we gravitate toward unhealthy comfort foods for some emotional fulfillment—or we fall into the convenient trap of frequent takeout. These types of dietary choices can lead to the consumption of excess calories, fats, and sugar, which takes its toll on our overall health and can easily bump up our numbers on the scale.
Try cooking at home as opposed to ordering out or going through drive-throughs. Cooking at home is a great way to control everything going into your body. You’ll know exactly how much butter, sugar, or fat you’re adding to the meal. Restaurants can often put a lot of hidden salt, oil, and other ingredients into their food, but these hidden devils can easily ruin your goal of a healthy and balanced diet.
Try More At-Home Workouts
While gyms are still closed in many places, the lockdown is an excellent opportunity to explore new types of fitness activities. At-home workouts are a great way to get a good sweat in while staying safe and sanitary. Cardio exercise is recommended for people looking to combat obesity because it burns a large number of calories and helps avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Since lockdown, there’s been a surge of YouTube content directly catered toward this goal. There are even apartment-friendly ones to minimize noise and disturbance for your neighbors!
Overall, taking proper care of yourself is more important than ever. You want your body to be in premium condition if you’re to encounter the virus; this starts with maintaining a healthy weight. While it can be challenging to fight obesity during a chaotic period of time, it’s an investment in your future health and wellbeing. CVG can help you achieve the best, most heart-healthy version of yourself. We have a useful blog and a qualified team of doctors who can help you achieve your health goals.
