So, you gained the COVID 15 in quarantine. Guess what? It’s OK.

CharlotteFive staff
·6 min read

Netflix, takeout, work-from-the-couch fatigue, Peloton shortages and the early stockpiling of preservative-laden food have led us to where many of us are today in our collective COVID-19 journey.

Getting through our first pandemic has been no easy feat. Lockdowns turned into safer-at-home and then is anyone still at home?, the unvaccinated are becoming vaccinated and spring weather is calling us outside.

This leaves many of us suddenly feeling the spotlight on our neglected hairstyles, couch-appropriate loungewear and un-exercised bodies.

We’re supposed to leave the house now? Like this?

“We have all hit a wall,” the New York Times declared recently in a piece about what it called the late-pandemic productivity crisis. Late last month, the Times informed us that we all gained about two pounds a month during COVID-19. That math makes the “Quarantine 15” sound like a goal weight.

Here’s the truth, though — and we’ve seen it in tweets and memes throughout, but it bears repeating: It’s OK if you didn’t get in the best shape of your life over the past 12 months. It’s OK if you didn’t write your first novel. It’s OK if you didn’t create something award-worthy, figure out how to get world peace, run a marathon. We were all focused on trying to survive.

What’s next?

So, where do we start with getting back out into the world and focusing on health and wellness outside of continuing to avoid COVID-19? We have a few suggestions:

Fresh food options

It’s farmers market season, so venture out to pick up fresh produce, bread and seafood at the new North End Farmers Market, opening April 28. While you’re there, you can see what else is new at Camp North End while you sip a latte from Hex Coffee and pick up a meal to go from Chop & Chisel or Plant Joy.

Fresh strawberries are now ready for picking at the new Hall Family Farm location. Strawberry picking begins Friday at Carrigan Farms.

For a more regular supply of farm fresh fruits and veggies, consider joining a Community Supported Agriculture program. Many have baskets of seasonal produce that can be picked up in town at breweries and farmers markets.

Getting outdoors

If you can tolerate the pollen enough to get outside, you don’t even need a Peloton. There are newer sections of Charlotte’s greenway trails to try that opened up during COVID-19. Outside of town, we found a few hikes within easy driving distance of Charlotte to check out, along with quieter trails that don’t get as much traffic as the well-known spots in town.

This new section of the Toby Creek Greenway opened during COVID-19. This accessible elevated bridge takes you to the end of the trail and provides beautiful views of the forest and creek.
This new section of the Toby Creek Greenway opened during COVID-19. This accessible elevated bridge takes you to the end of the trail and provides beautiful views of the forest and creek.

You can also take a workout outdoors to your patio, yard or a park. Dozens of Charlotte gyms and studios are still offering classes virtually, with choices including yoga, pilates, strength training and more. If you’re tired of the Zoom workouts and feel ready to venture outdoors to some socially-distanced fitness classes, we’ve got some great choices for you:

We’re all looking for new ways to find fitness, especially outside.
We’re all looking for new ways to find fitness, especially outside.

Patio season

Sure, eating healthy and working out are on the list for starting to feel human again, but social interaction has also been lacking over the past 12 months and that takes a toll on our mental health. If you’re not yet ready to return to restaurant dining but you want to see your friends in a public space, patio dining or cocktails are a great happy medium.

With winter behind us, also gone (for now at least) are the days of wondering about igloo safety. Spring weather means we don’t have to wonder if a spot has enough patio heaters or if the cold wind will be too biting.

If you’re interested in patio dining, here are a few patios that leveled up their game during COVID-19:

  • Goodyear House: The restaurant was so new that it had only been open 48 days when the coronavirus hit adjusted quickly, adding roughly 5,000 square feet of exterior space to become one of the biggest outdoor spots in NoDa or Plaza Midwood.

  • Hideaway Bar & Lounge: Jay Davis, who owns Lulu’s Maryland Style Chicken and Seafood with his wife, Miketa, opened Hideaway during COVID-19 as a place to kick back and relax with upscale bar food and specialty drinks.

  • NoDa Company Store: Owners Joey Hewell and Scott Lindsley pivoted during this crisis, again and again and again. If you haven’t visited the Co. Store since the coronavirus outbreak began, you’ll be surprised to find that it has been redesigned to make you feel as if you’ve escaped to a tropical island, where time has no meaning and the hustle and bustle of city life has paused for a moment.

  • Supperland: This Plaza Midwood newcomer with family-style dishes offers first-come, first-serve patio seating to enjoy baked brie bites and a slice of strawberry pie.

  • Toucan’s Lakefront: This newly opened Mooresville restaurant with waterfront views of Lake Norman underwent three years of renovations that included hand-painted murals and planting palm trees for you to enjoy while sipping a frozen drink and munching on coconut shrimp.

DON’T MISS: Our series on Charlotte patios launched recently, beginning with 30+ places to eat and drink outdoors in NoDa.

Get out of Charlotte

Travel was canceled in 2020, and we all grew tired of walking the same sidewalks outside of our homes, day after day. Now, armed with a double vaccine or a J&J, we are cautiously optimistic in our abilities to take baby steps back out into the world. CharlotteFive reporter Jennings Cool has a great list on five places in driving distance where you can soak in some of that fresh mountain air.

That’s gotta be good for the body and soul — whether you have a Peloton waiting for you at home or not.

The Chalet Shiloh A-frame offers a view of Grandfather Mountain.
The Chalet Shiloh A-frame offers a view of Grandfather Mountain.

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