PORTLAND, Maine — Some folks have lost weight during the COVID-19 pandemic while others have put on extra pounds.
A recent survey of about 2000 people by Nutrisystem found that more than two thirds of that number gained an average of 15 pounds during quarantine.
Some of the struggles people said they were dealing with were eating healthy and keeping a consistent sleep schedule.
But experts say there are ways to stay motivated and shed pounds while at home.
Instead of a summer bod -- a lot of people are focusing on getting a 'post quarantine' body.
With the cupboard and fridge only steps away, some folks ate more than usual working from home. Juggling a career and online schooling also made it tough to find time to do online workouts on a regular basis.
"Some people have really struggled with it and other people have found in some ways it's easier to exercise more consistently," Brian St. Pierre said.
St. Pierre is a certified sports nutritionist and a strength and conditioning specialist. He is the director of performance nutrition for Precision Nutrition, one of the world's largest online nutrition and healthy lifestyle coaching companies.
Gyms and fitness studios are reopening but a number of folks may not be ready to go back just yet. St. Pierre tells clients who don't have gym equipment to use what they have around the house.
"You could use water jugs, a backpack anything to create a resistance and do resistance training," he said.
Kids are out of school -- but a number may not be in camp or on play-dates due to the pandemic, so many parents may not be able to carve out an hour to exercise. St. Pierre says spreading out short work outs throughout the day -- will still pay off.
"If you could do some push ups and body weight squats, some jumping jacks for five minutes over here and they accumulate and add up," he said.
As for that ice cream that's calling your name in your freezer? St. Pierre recommends making the food you tend to over indulge in while plugging away on your computer less accessible in your home.
The pandemic changed so much of how we work and socialize so it may take some time to get good habits of diet and exercise back on track. Experts say setbacks are okay and it's important not to be hard on yourself.
Information about healthy eating for healthy weight from the Centers for Disease Control can be found HERE.
Tips for healthy weight loss from the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics can be found HERE.