Back in July 2020 I wrote a post about body image/weight changes during Quarantine and my own personal experience with it. Note some of the content has been updated:
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As an RD I don't think I've gone a singe day without hearing my clients, friends, or family speak negatively about their bodies or confess how awful they feel for indulging in their "guilty pleasure" food. Little do they know that it truly breaks my heart hearing these kind, funny, amazing people reduce their self worth to a number on a scale or the way they look. Which is ironic because I have not extended that same compassion to myself.
Most of my life I had a fast metabolism, active lifestyle, and lived in close proximity to my mom's healthy home cooking. So I never worried too much about my size. I didn't even know what cellulite was? I absolutely do now. However, for the past few years I have struggled with my body image really bad. Especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. As of now I am the heaviest I have ever been in my life. After some reflection I have a thoughts I wanted to share.
1) It is unrealistic for me to expect to stay the same size as I was in college. I have grown so much emotionally and intellectually, my body is allowed to grow physically too.
2) Even when I was at my smallest size I always though negatively about my body. The only time I ever was somewhat satisfied was when I had achieved it through super unhealthy methods that were unrealistic to maintain.
3) I now realize I was always disappointed because I compare myself to Eurocentric beauty standards. It doesn't help that a large portion of my friends (or the general population of the cities I lived in) fit these standards. Which is totally fine that they do! I just will never achieve that standard, and that is totally fine too!
4) The whole nation collectively went through this trauma that most of us could not predict. We were exposed to failures in our food supple chain, people struggled and still are struggling to make ends meet, and it was unsafe to go to gym/fitness studios. So it was completely normal to eat more processed/comfort food during that time.
5) With that being said, the bad habits I had even before the pandemic started began such as emotional eating, ignoring my bodies satiety cues, staring at my phone all day are not healthy either. Making it a point to move my body daily and eat healthy balanced meals helps mental health and energy levels.
6) I fucking love food. It is a big part of my identity. I love living in a city with an amazing food scene. I can always buy bigger clothes, but I won't always have my favorite restaurants around the corner.
7) I need to stop criticizing everything wrong with my looks and start to stay positive affirmations until I believe them
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The past few years have given me insight on how to improve your relationship with food and your body image. Set up an appointment if you are interested in going through this journey yourself!
