Expert on how to keep motivated and maintain weight during COVID-19

When it comes to weight gain, Professor Riebe notes, "Weight and weight gain is very complex, but to simplify, it really boils down to energy in, energy out, or what you’re taking in as food, and your physical activity.  So, again, we had an obesity problem prior to this social isolation and staying home. So again, I think people really need to be very mindful about what they’re eating. When they do get out and go to the grocery store, be very mindful about what they’re purchasing..."

"And being mindful of just how many hours that they’re being inactive, particularly with no breaks, and really thinking about maybe scheduling physical activity, some structured physical activity into their schedule, so they make sure that they’re doing it every single day. Self-monitoring is important anyway, we know that from studies that have been done with people that have been able to maintain large amounts of weight. Most people that lose weight regain, but there is a small percentage who actually maintain their weight loss, and we know that self-monitoring is actually quite important for their ability to maintain weight loss." 

Biography:
Deborah Riebe, Ph.D., obtained her B.S. degree from Springfield College in Physical Education, her M.S. degree from the University of Rhode Island in Exercise Science and her Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut in Exercise Physiology. She is currently Professor and Associate Dean of College of Health Sciences at the University of Rhode Island.

Dr. Riebe is a Fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine and served as President of the New England Chapter of American College of Sports Medicine. She is currently the Chair of ACSM’s Committee for Certification and Registry Boards and was recently elected to the Board of Trustees representing education and allied health. Dr. Riebe was recently appointed Senior Editor of the tenth edition of ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. She has received research funding in the areas of weight management and physical activity promotion from the American Cancer Society, the National Institutes of Health, and the Champlin Foundations. Dr. Riebe has authored over 50 articles in refereed journals and book chapters.

Dr. Riebe’s research centers around physical activity interventions for a variety of populations including apparently healthy adults and those with common chronic diseases, older adults, and individuals who are overweight or obese.