How did you all do through the stay at home (if you were in a state that required that)

I have wondered how everyone was doing with the stay at home guidelines for some states. I found myself struggling daily and just wanted to see if others wanted to share their struggles or what they did to stay on track and if they were able to continue losing or if they gained or stayed at the same place, weight-wise.

I was battling regain before thi**** I gained about 8 lbs during our time. A lot of that was stress eating of course and I had the urge to bake, a lot. I also struggled in finding protein (meats/eggs/cheese) because our stores were out and inventory was limited. I did resort to eating a few frozen meals like Power Bowls from Healthy Choice that have cauliflower in them, but I also had frozen meals not ideal for a wls patient. The increase in carbs is showing and I am feeling sluggish and very bloated. I feel like I need a good cleanse now from processed foods.

How did you do?

Did you lose/gain/stay the same?

What did you learn from this experience in being stuck inside without resources we are used to doing daily to help us with our weight loss?

Still having to stay home here due to caregiving duties. I am finding it very depressing without outside interaction and not being able to do my own shopping. It has been more than two months since I stepped foot into a store. I have been able to get the protein I need thanks to relatives dropping off groceries on the front porch but my appetite hasn't been that great. I haven't weighed myself but feel I have lost weight.

I completely understand the struggle and I am sorry you are having such a hard time. Not getting out has shown us just how it can affect us negatively. I was able to do my own shopping, but we lacked items I needed to stay on track, that was frustrating. At least you do have relatives that are bringing food by. I have seen some families start to get back in contact but maintain social distancing by going to locations where they can set up chairs/tables and maintain a 6ft distance. It has said to help many who were struggling with a lack of seeing family members and getting out. Maybe doing something like this will help you. My only excursions were to the store and that was no more than 20 mins at a time due to most stuff being unavailable. If you live in a state that is warm and sunny, just go sit outside. The sun will do wonders for you. :)

notdamomma,

This whole thing has been a good deal depressing, especially when the weather was bad. I agree, just getting out in the sun a bit now is helping lift my spirits. I'm still pre-op and was waiting until the dr office got their telemedicine deal set up and now I finally have an appointment in two weeks with the RD. Food wasn't too much a struggle for me at this time since our stores were out of many of the items I shouldn't be eating such as pasta and rice. We had plenty of meat selections for a long time and lots of fresh produce which is better for me to eat anyway. I miss my older kids and their families since the are in a state that is more strict than ours right now. We've been following the rules for sheltering, just going out for groceries, wearing masks and gloves.

Now that the weather is a bit warmer, hubby and I take longer drives to unpopulated areas where it's no problem to distance from people, just outside the town several miles. Sometimes we drive through a local spot and get an egg burrito and just park where there are trees and scenery and eat in the car to get out of the house.

I hope everyone starts finding themselves feeling a bit better about everything soon! Are there actually states who didn't have some kind of orders to stay home for a period of time?

Sounds like things are progressing for you with your surgery. That is great. It was crazy but where I am at we had meat and regular staples like rice and beans in shortage and of course everyone was running for the ramen. I had to buy fresh produce daily because it just did not look great one some days and I wasn't spending that much for what they offered. I was able to eat salads and put canned chicken (packed in water) on top for protein but the hardest thing was finding variety. Food boredom set in which then lead to me wanting to bake. :(

Your long drives sound nice and relaxing. We have that ability where I am but not with a 6yr old in tow. From what I understand Arkansas was one state that did not have orders to stay home. They did close businesses which forced many to stay in but no official order by the Governor. They did have some of the lowest rates though so that could be why.

Good luck on your upcoming visit with the RD.

California is technically still "Stay at Home" but on May 4th, it is up to local gov't to slowly implement reopening but with VERY strict guidelines.

I have left home twice to get my prescriptions at CVS. My husband is an essential worker so he has been the one to pick up our online ordered groceries from Walmart or into Costco. He showers before giving anyone hugs and I make him strip in the garage and he puts his clothes in the washer on his way in.

I am doing alright, minor regain, about 5-7 pounds, but for the most part, keeping on track. There are days I just want carbs and those are the days that I struggle the most. In the beginning, I actually lost weight so I was happy about that but it was because I wasn't eating.

I have learned that even more so, I need to meal prep and plan what I am going to eat because standing in front of the fridge is way to easy now.

Boredom lead to my regain issue during this time and I was prepared to stay inside with nothing to entertain but movies/tv shows. That lead baking and carb craving. It was early on but the damage was done. We had to go grocery shopping in person most times due to lack of inventory. I have been meal prepping for a bit now and its helping for sure. I can pull a meal out of the fridge and it is all measured/weighed out and ready for me to reheat or eat immediately. I will keep on this path again. I am praying we have no future shutdowns should a second wave hit. Currently our state has a few stores that require you to wear a face mask and gloves if entering their store. Others do not. It is so odd.

I've gained 4lbs since the beginning of March. I've worked really hard to keep it this low and could very easily have gained 20 or 30lbs like my hairdresser has! She's never dieting in her life, bless her - this has been quite the shock for her.

Weather is lovely here, so early morning 4 mile walks with my dog are helping and I feel great. I'm sure the extra lbs will go in the next month or two as I'm already starting to eat lighter

It sounds like you had everything well under control and it helped you considerably. I too have friends (not wls people) that put on a great deal while confined. Mostly because they were drinking nightly and now they are wanting a quick fix to lose the weight. You must live in a lovely area to walk 4 miles. It is hard to walk out and about here we usually have to go to the park and those were off limits. I know you will get your regain off but good luck anyway I am sure we can all use it right now. :)

I've lost about 2 lbs (it's hard to tell because my weight can fluctuate by 2 or 3 lbs, but it seems like *on average*, I'm about 2 lbs lighter than I was in March). I've really been trying to watch what I eat because it's so easy to overdo it when I'm home all day. But for the most part, most days I've done OK with that. I'm not exercising nearly as intensely, though. I used to do Zumba or water aerobics at least four or five times a week, and do weights a couple of times a week, but now I just walk. I think I probably could have lost another pound or two if I was exercising as intensely as I was pre-pandemic. But it is what it is. My gym opens again next week - but will offer limited services - but at least it's open and I can do more "things" than I'm currently doing (btw - I'm in maintenance and have been for 3.5 years - just trying to (still) knock off a small regain from awhile ago (5-7 lbs) - so I knew it would be slow going no matter what. It was so much easier to lose five or ten pounds when I weighed almost 400 lbs!)