Quarantine 15: Are You Falling Victim?

Gyms are closed, people are housebound, grocery-store and restaurant deliveries to your doorstep are a mere phone call away, and stress eating is on the rise. It’s all added up to what’s being dubbed the Quarantine 15, similar to the Freshman 15.

As the number of coronavirus cases and deaths continues to soar, some find comfort in food. There’s just something about a double-cheese pizza, a half gallon of ice cream, and greasy potato chips that soothes the soul — at least until you have to button your pants.

All this comfort good all adding to ever-expanding waistlines. That could be a future boon for WW International Inc., according to Morgan Stanley.

There are ways to avoid the Quarantine 15. Plan your grocery store trips and stock up on nutritious foods, according to the American Society for Nutrition. The organization said bread, grains, sturdy fruits, hardy vegetables, sauces, soups and broths, juice, milk, eggs, cheese, beans, nuts and seeds, chicken, seafood, beef and flavorings will stay fresh for a week or longer.

“The healthiest meals emphasize whole grains, vegetables and fruits — serve them in the greatest amounts,” ASN said. “Meat portions should be smaller — this will save money and help keep dietary saturated fat in check.”

Staying active, whether it be going to the gym or for a run around your neighborhood, is always a sure-fire way to stay healthy, but that isn’t possible for everyone during the pandemic. Marcia Johnson of Livea Weight Control Center, told KNSI walking up and down stairs and doing squats while brushing your teeth are some ways to stay active indoors.

And you don’t need a gym to stay in shape, anyway. Planet Fitness is offering live workout videos every day on Facebook. Gold’s Gym has more than 600 audio and video workouts for free until the end of May. Peloton is offering its full library of yoga, meditation, strength, cycling and running tutorials free for 90 days.

Los Angeles personal trainer Matt Williams told Rolling Stone his go-to for at-home workouts are squats, lunges, bicep curls, crunches and twists.