It's called
craving
, it's not a novelty but a
bad eating habit that
became customary during the pandemic.
The English word indicates
the sudden and uncontrollable desire to take food
.
After a first boom in home-made food, with the rediscovery of traditional homemade dishes, food habits during these months have gradually changed for the worse for many people: more food, larger portions and above all continuous snacks and snacks between meals. , mostly packaged and consumed perhaps during smart working.
A food routine that is the result of boredom, stress, the need for consolation, anxiety, the search for tranquility.
More sugars and carbohydrates were consumed (+ 59% the Italians who made, for the first time or more often, homemade bread and pizza) it is not surprising that almost half of the compatriots have increased on average by 6.5 kg according to what emerges from a research commissioned by Allurion Technologies.
The awareness of having gained extra kilos are and have been among the first sources of stress for Italians during the last year and still emerging from the lockdown today. Weight does not fit is a reason for dissatisfaction. According to the research, the share of unhappy or very unhappy Italians with their weight is 40%, reasons for unhappiness are also the scarcity of social relations (37%), the quality of the same (35%), worries about the financial situation (34%), mental well-being (32%), health status (22%).
And if half (49%) tried several times and unsuccessfully to lose weight with "healthy" diets during the pandemic, but 8 times out of 10 without success, with summer just around the corner, the relaxation of restrictions and the desire to go out, 40% declare the need to be supported by a nutritionist, 22% instead would prefer to invest in a personal trainer to reach the desired waistline.
More sedentary lifestyles consolidated by restrictions in place at least for the foreseeable future make it difficult to lose weight just by increasing exercise, so
decreasing food intake
is essential for anyone wishing
to shed
excess pounds.
“Combining the new lifestyle and above all smart working with a correct diet is not easy” explains Alessandra Freda, nutritionist “
the first rule to contain portions, craving and weight is not to do multiple things at the same time
. When you eat it is good to switch off, concentrate on the meal and avoid eating it in front of the computer, write emails, talk on the phone. Being distracted is equivalent to not having the perception of having eaten and therefore you will have more incentives to consume snacks between meals. Another tip is to slow down,
chewing snacks calmly
is a way to perceive the sense of satiety earlier and more intensely ", finally concludes Dr. Freda" it is good to
consume the two main meals complete
with proteins, vegetables, cereals and
deepen the knowledge of foods
in order to avoid schematic diets and instead be aware of how, when and how good it is to eat to control one's health and weight ”.
Often the feeling of hunger is difficult if not impossible to manage: this is the first problem to face when trying to follow a diet and control your weight.
According to Allurion Technologies, a US brand pioneer in weight loss technologies (it also patented a gastric balloon, whose positioning does not require endoscopy, anesthesia, surgical removal but is naturally expelled after 4 months) 75% of all those who have gained weight during the pandemic they would have been able to change their approach to food if only they had felt a sense of satiety.
