If you’ve gained weight over the pandemic (like me) and just don’t feel great about yourself, read this post.
Many of us are returning to the office or socializing for the first time in two years and may be feeling anxious about our physical changes.
Quarantine weight gain is not something to be ashamed of. It’s normal that your body may change when life changed in such a drastic way.
I knew I had to take action when I was avoiding seeing people not because I was afraid of Covid, but because I didn’t want them to see that I had gained 10 pounds.
Here are some ways to feel better about yourself despite any Covid-19 weight gain.
Exercise self-compassion
We all feel self-conscious about our bodies sometimes. Don’t beat yourself up, this was a super stressful time.
Release shame and guilt
When you’re unhappy with your current weight or not feeling the best about your body, it’s easy to get trapped in a cycle of guilt or shame. Let it go. Be kind to yourself.
Realize that you aren’t the center of attention
It’s important to remember that people are wrapped up in their own lives and insecurities and don’t really care how you look. If people are quick to judge you, ignore them.
Buy clothes that fit and flatter you
Not fitting into your pre-pandemic clothes sucks. It’s important to find clothes that flatter your body – regardless of this temporary weight gain. So buy a few things that fit and don’t care about the size on the tag.
Throw out your scale.
It is easy to get obsessed and depressed about the number staring at you on the scale. So remove it. You know your body better than a scale in terms of the way your clothes fit. Weighing yourself every day will only make you feel bad.
Find your true priorities
We are still in a global pandemic. Put your focus onto the things that matter most, instead of worrying about how your body looks.
Curate your social media
We’re constantly consuming content, so if you can make it positive, it will have a massive beneficial impact on your mental health. Delete. Unfollow. Mute. And repeat as necessary.
Quell the unkind voice in your head
If you’re feeling bad about how you look, ask yourself: ‘Would I say this to a friend,?’ If you wouldn’t say it to anyone else, why would you say it to yourself? The things we say to ourselves are often shocking and go unquestioned.
Practice gratitude
So many people have suffered during the pandemic – they have lost loved ones, or their jobs. Have gratitude for your body, especially if you’ve had Covid and recovered from it.
Be grateful for your body. Shift your focus away from what it looks like, to what it does for you.
As we adjust to our changing environment, it’s important to remember how much our lives have been altered over the past two years.
Change is hard and nothing about transitioning back to whatever the new normal is not easy.
So if you want to have a drink or a cookie (or three), do it. This post isn’t about denying yourself anything. It’s about reminding you and me that we need to give ourselves grace – especially after all we’ve been through.