Why You Shouldn’t Give AF About Gaining Weight

If you Google “gaining weight during coronavirus,” there are an alarming number of articles about how to prevent it….as if that was the end of the world. Ok, fine, it’s all relative and our problems are our problems…but if gaining weight is your biggest issue then count yourself lucky. Being plus a couple of pounds is better than minus loved ones, health, jobs, income, etc..

Listen, I get it — working from home in close proximity to my fridge has made pants my worst enemy….and we were never on good terms to begin with. There are only so many times I can tell myself that my clothes are tight because I’ve put on weight…in muscle #morecushionforthepushin

Gaining weight in general, let alone during a pandemic when we already feel like our lives are out of control and falling apart, does NOT feel good.

But what’s worse than gaining weight is letting yourself be convinced that your worthiness is measured by a number on a scale or size on a label.

More important than a rockin’ bod, is the relationship and mindset that you cultivate with and about your body. A lot of body issues stem from a state of mind and toxic beliefs that we’ve incepted.

When I gain weight or go up a size, I can either punish and starve myself or I can re-evaluate what beauty and wellness means to me. Instead of letting outside forces dictate how to feel about gaining weight, ask myself: Am I healthy? Do I feel good in my body? Am I doing what I can to take care of my well-being?

“Everyone is thinner/more fit than I am!”

The other day, I was scrolling mindlessly through my IG feed (as one does) and the longer I scrolled, the worse I felt about my body.

Some of the bodies I saw were SO THIN, like, missing some internal organs-thin. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that area around the bodies were distorted, evidence of having been tampered with some kind of IG filter wizardry.

What we see on social media is — for the most part — NOT reflective of reality or the myriad of shapes and sizes that exist. It’s an illusion. A beautifully curated, colour-coordinated, face-tuned, healthy glow filtered highlight reel AND THAT’S OK. Just be aware and if it starts to affect your sense of reality and self-worth, just press the “unfollow” button.

“I can’t fit into my clothes! I have to go up a size.”

Like age, size is just a number.

Think about the purpose of a clothing label (*hint* it’s not to make you feel like sh*t about gaining weight). Other than providing useful information — washing instructions, brand name and material — it serves as a point of reference so you know approximately where to start. Otherwise, the process of trying on clothes would be a helluva lot more tedious and time-consuming. Even then, sizes vary from brand to brand.

Since you’re the only one who’s going to know what size you’re wearing anyways, isn’t it better to find clothes that fit you? The alternative is a) squeezing yourself into items that are too small that emphasize (and create) areas you’d rather camouflage (hello muffin tops!) and b) constantly worrying that that one false move is going to make you hulk out of your clothes.

Size labels are meant to help you find clothes that FIT you, not the other way around.

“Other people are going to think I’m fat.”

I can’t believe I’m quoting someone from reality TV but it’s a really relevant quote:

“No one has ever impacted me by being beautiful or having a perfect body. It might get my initial attention or even be inspiring, but it’s never been the reason I remembered them. I’m impacted by people for their kindness, their loyalty, their patience, their generosity, their vulnerability, etc.

I’ve never said, ‘She changed my life because she was pretty and skinny.’ We spend so much time worrying about the thing that means the least to people.”

— Becca Tilley

If you want those washboard abs and those rock hard buns o’ steel because it makes you feel good, GO FOR IT! But dieting and working out in an effort to control perception is an exercise in futility.

Plus, if someone is so ~~shitty~~ superficial as to judge you for gaining weight or for daring to have a lil’ cellulite, why would you want them in your life anyways? Give their lettuce-eating asses a good view of your robust junk in the trunk as you strut away from their hungry selves.

“Ugh, I hate my body.”

The mind is more powerful than the body. This means that we need to choose our thoughts as mindfully as we pick lottery ticket numbers and which flavour of ice cream to get🍦(a.k.a. with extreme care).

More important than a number on a scale is the relationship you cultivate with your perception of your body. When you look in the mirror, instead of haranguing yourself for your wobbly arms be thankful that they allow you to hug your loved ones. Be proud that your strong legs allow you to execute killer roundhouse kicks instead of despairing over the absence of a thigh gap.

Think of it this way — would you tell your friend that they’re fat? If someone ever said that to me, I’d punch them in the throat. Like, straight crush their windpipe 👊🏼 effectively ending our friendship. But even without that obvious deterrent, don’t say that….to anyone, especially yourself.

“My body is a useless lump of fat!”

Albert Einstein said “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

When you’ve had the good fortune to be whole and healthy your entire life, it’s easy to take for granted. But what’s more miraculous than how our bodies work? You can wiggle your fingers and toes, smell fresh cookies baking, see the full spectrum of the rainbow — all with little effort and even less thought! That’s crazy when you really think about it.

When my thoughts start to get a little critical of my reflection, I think “This body has allowed me to climb mountains, surf oceans, leap off of waterfalls (sorry Mom), salsa the night away, hug my loved ones”…and on top of all of that I require it to be skinny as well 🤦🏻‍♀️?? A little perspective can go a long way.

“Look how thin and healthy they are!”

Thin is NOT synonymous with being healthy, in body OR mind.

We’re so hung up on appearances that eating poorly and a sedentary lifestyle are acceptable as long as we’re not *gasp* gaining weight.

But a lean physique isn’t a get out of jail free card for diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease, whether due to a poor diet or genetics. There’s even such a thing as working out TOO much which can lead to a range of health issues from infertility (affecting hormone storage) and decreased immunity to osteoporosis, malnutrition, electrolyte imbalance and anemia.

Not to mention all of the associated eating disorders and mental issues, including lesser known and harder to diagnose ones like orthorexia where people develop an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy.

The point of this post is not to absolve you of the responsibility of leading a healthy lifestyle so you’re free to eat McDonalds and lie on the couch all day. Nor is it to dictate how you should feel about gaining weight. You feel how you feel and that’s ok…just try to remember to be kind to yourself. You are human. You are imperfect. We all are and you’re not the only one who is struggling to muster the motivation to put on pants — stretchy or otherwise.

More important that being fit and thin is having healthy perspective and relationship with your body. It’s all about making conscious decisions and finding balance in your life.

If you’ll look for some more ninja moves for the mind, check out these negative mindsets to dump about being single.

Keep your stalking game strong and follow me @teriaki if you aren’t already!