Obesity and coronavirus

[Banana0pancakes]

Going to preface this by saying I'm morbidly obese, bmi is 43. I've always been healthy otherwise and it hasn't impacted my health yet. I'm 30 so still young and actually quite fit, do 45 min hiit workouts up until I chickened out of going to the gym because of the virus a few weeks ago.

Would it be better to do a crash diet now in the safety of home to try and shift some weight so that if I catch it down the line it might not be as bad? Or would a crash diet impact my immune system too much?

I don’t think you should crash diet no, they are not healthy at the best of times.

However dieting, eating a healthy and appropriate level of restricted calories, whilst doing exercise you can cope with, and building up stamina would be beneficial, even without corona virus.

I would use this time to try and lose some weight. Act like you have no choice but to ration.

I would but I am 36 weeks pg so am just not stuffing my face like I was in the lead up

Good luck OP!!

I'd not be doing a crash diet.
I'd be eating healthy, nutritious foods with plenty of vitamins and minerals to keep my immune system strong.
Losing weight will be a secondary benefit naturally.

Dont crash diet. You will fuck up your immune system. Just stop eating junk food.

No to crash dieting.

Yes to making a healthy eating plan.

Don't worry too much about missing the exercise. If you can get some in then all well and good. But losing weight is more about the food intake.

OP, crash diets are extremely unhealthy, and the pandemic is already here, so you would be unlikely to lose more than a few pounds before potentially becoming ill.
I’d advise you to self isolate as much as possible to avoid infection if you can, and eat healthy foods with plenty of vegetables. Take a vitamin D supplement to boost your immunity.
Weight loss should be a steady long term goal, and you could start gently with aiming for a couple of pounds a week. Restrict processed food - especially refined sugar products such as biscuits, cakes, sweets.

The WHO have advised "Coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms and complications in people with obesity related conditions".

However, a crash diet can cause many stress on your body which would be counter productive. I'd seek advice where possible from a relevant health professional.

It's a good question OP. If you have a nutribullet, or smoothie maker, you could throw in frozen spinach and berries with oats plus almond milk or coconut milk to make a regular daily meal replacement. I'll be doing that when my fresh veg runs out. I need to lose 2 stone and am looking at this self-isolation period as an opportunity to do that. Without socialising, access to coffee shops and alcohol, it should be easier.
Good luck 💐. I agree that keeping yourself isolated with only online deliveries sounds like a good strategy.

Crash diets are never a healthy or sensible idea, and your body needs nourished as normal.

Your safest bet is to eat normally / healthily, practice social isolation, and wash your hands rigorously and regularly.

Yeah the advice from the WHO has really scared me. I'm a classic comfort eater so feeling on edge over this has got me wanting to reach for the junk food, oh the irony. I'm gonna look at some hypnotism stuff. No idea if it works but I've got time on my hands!

"If you have a nutribullet, or smoothie maker, you could throw in frozen spinach and berries with oats plus almond milk or coconut milk to make a regular daily meal replacement. I'll be doing that when my fresh veg runs out."

There is no benefit in making sugary liquidy meal replacements. Just eat a balanced diet of veg,lean meats and fish, nuts and some fruit/rice/potatoes etc and cut out processed shit. In fact its counter productive drinking your meals because they get absorbed quicker and so you feel full for a lesser amount of time.

Don't do meal replacements or a crash diet. Just don't buy junk. Eat lots to keep you full and nourished- fill up on fruit, veg, lean protein and whole grains. Don't leave yourself hungry - it will make you much more likely to give in to the siren call of the junk!

@Banana0pancakes

Try and eat low fat filling foods and plenty of fresh fruit & veg to snack on.
I have found eating like that has actually curbed my apitite and i have lost 2 stone so far , few more to go tho sadly.

My BMI's a bit lower but still in the obese category. I've joined Slimming World online and have lost 4 pounds since Monday. I'd recommend it although know I might have to stray from it if I can't get hold of the right foods when self-isolating.

Notdisclosedtoday - regarding the almond or oat drink - it was a suggestion for using frozen spinach/avocado/berries to get nutrition in one hit. No sugar or high sugar ingredients mentioned. Frozen berries are a low carb fruit and full of antioxidants. When most of us are living from the freezer, or tins during a long self-isolation it's important to be creative and practical with what we can get. I wouldn't normally eat spinach, avocado, berries and oats together in one meal, would you?
1 meal per day like that is my plan for using some freezer fruit and veg. Almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk are all long life.

Thanks I hadn't thought of online slimming world, I'll have a look!

This is a question I've asked myself.
This period I'll be rationing the food we do have.
Instead of this killing me, I'll emerge a butterfly. Xx

Good on you OP. I don't know if you'd be interested in reading this article btw. I found it very motivational:

edition.cnn.com/2020/03/10/opinions/improve-chances-against-coronavirus-opinion-phillips/index.html

I'm with you in the obese category. I think although eating healthy is always good it is people with obesity related conditions, you sound otherwise fit and healthy so Try not to stress as that will lower your immune system too :) if you had high blood pressure, heart disease etc it would be a little different :) just look after yourself and take sensible precautions 😁

You’ve reminded me to get back on oat smoothies DianaT1969. I’m breastfeeding and need to keep eating well with limited options.

I started low carbing a couple of moths ago.
It is working well now as I am not eating pasta, rice bread etc so there is more for the kids. I am in Australia and I am still getting my fruit and veg delivery box. I am eating a good variety of low carb veg. I don't have a weighing scales but I am definitely losing weight and I have more energy which is good right now as I am a nurse.

I'm going to start couch to 5k to increase my lung capacity...