Survey: How Has COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Your Diet & Fitness Habits

Throughout the many rounds of pandemic lockdowns, we have been forced to switch from the real world to the virtual world. This switch hasn’t been easy for a lot of us.  

With many online meetings, virtual classes, and binge-watching of different shows, how have we really been doing when it comes to exercise and nutrition? 

I’ve decided to conduct a survey of 2,398 women from the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom to try and answer this question. Here’s what I found out. :)

Weight Change

This question had very different responses based on where the women were from.

Women in the US found that their weight did not change much, while women in the UK and Australia answered that they noticed a small weight gain (up to 10 pounds).

Conversely, 26.1 percent of the women who took this survey said that they managed to lose weight during lockdown (these women were mostly from the UK), since they had more time to focus on exercise and proper nutrition. 

Additionally, 30.8 percent of women from the US claimed their weight stayed about the same, 27.9 percent gained up to 10 pounds, and 18.4 percent lost up to 10 pounds.  

Nutrition

When it comes to nutrition, 25.3 percent of women from the US along with 28 percent of women from Australia claimed that their diet had been less healthy because of more frequent snacking. Bad snacking habits can really affect your weight loss journey, so it’s very important to try and avoid them!

However, 28.4 percent of women from the UK reported that their eating habits were much healthier, since they had more time to cook their own meals while working from home. I think cooking is a great way to maintain a healthy relationship with food.

Exercise  

The survey also revealed that the biggest difficulties of exercising at home were lack of motivation (25.3 percent), managing to maintain an at-home routine (22.3 percent), and low energy/negative thinking along with loneliness (12.1 percent). 

When asked if they would go back to the gym after lockdowns, surprisingly 49.7 percent of the women said that they would not return as they enjoy online classes and programs from home. 

Also, 21.4 percent said they would not return, but because they fear places with too many people. 

In these difficult times, it’s very hard to stay motivated and on track when it comes to your fitness and health journey. And that’s understandable!

What’s important is that you are safe and comfortable. Not everything works for everyone. I’d suggest experimenting and seeing what works best for you.

If you think it’s best to go back to the gym once it’s safe to, then go for it! If you think working out at home is better for you, then do that! The same can be said for your diet too, try experimenting and see what you like.

It’s important to have a good diet and workout routine, but don’t feel guilty if you can’t keep it up at all times. The future of fitness is unknown, but you just have to try your best.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below and I’ll be happy to answer!

Love Rachael xx