Whether we notice it or not our bodies are constantly changing. Some periods of our lives bring on more changes than others. As we grow from children to adults our bones get bigger so naturally the rest of our body follows to support us. With growth, comes weight gain. 

 

Still in society today we see fatphobia present around weight gain which is often associated with negative thoughts. I have heard these negative comments from other individuals far too many times. Weight gain is often seen as unhealthy or that someone is not taking care of themselves when in reality it is the exact opposite. The research actually tells us that you are at a greater risk for illness at a lower body weight.

 

Weight gain is not something that should be frowned upon and instead should be celebrated. Weight gain can mean:

• Recovery
• Growth
• Healing
• Or just someone living their freakin’ best life!

 

With body changes comes this grieving process of letting go of the body that we used to have and developing an appreciation for our new body. In this time we try to acknowledge that our body has changed with a neutral attitude. A helpful step in this process is getting rid of clothes that no longer serve us. It is unrealistic to be in the same size shoe our whole life so why do we expect to be the same size jean? It is time to donate the clothes that you have that are too tight and uncomfortable and instead buy clothes that are comfortable and provide you with confidence. 

**Remember: clothes change to fit us; we do not change to fit into clothes!

Loving and accepting your body after it changes is not easy however with time, it is possible! Changing your mindset is the first step in doing so. Changing your mindset involves letting go of the unrealistic body standard that society has engraved in our brains for years. This means unassociating weight from health and worth and learning to embrace health in all shapes and sizes. There are so many ways to assess health aside from weight. Taking the weight out of health and prioritizing your health through self-care is so much more beneficial for our mind, soul, and body. 

 

A huge part of self-love after body changes is surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals. Those who do not engage in diet talk or comment on others’ bodies. For some reason, women often comment negatively about other women’s bodies when we should be empowering other women to feel confident in their unique bodies. If you are around others who are engaging in diet talk, do not engage. Try to steer the conversation/change the subject and if that doesn’t work simply walk away. Part of caring for your new body is protecting it’s energy. Just as we outgrow clothes, we can outgrow people in our lives that no longer serve us.

 

Lastly, remember that body acceptance takes time, and the journey is not linear. There will be days when learning to accept your new body is harder than others and that is okay. Also, remember that you do not have to go through this alone and that working with a dietitian can help!

 

How We Can help!

Our dietitian collective here at Food Ease have completed body positivity training and body image supervision training. If you or someone you know may be struggling with negative body image send us an email to schedule a FREE 15-minute discovery call to see if our services could be right for you.