Energy balance

Extended home confinement during pandemics causes significant body weight and fat mass gain in adults, primarily driven by energy surplus from increased consumption of energy-dense foods and reduced physical activity.

Home confinement creates a 'perfect storm' for weight gain by increasing access to comfort foods and decreasing activity. To counter this, you must actively recreate structure: schedule your meals and exercise, limit access to energy-dense comfort foods, and find non-food ways to manage stress and boredom. Daily self-weighing is recommended as a tool to monitor and prevent gain.