Since Lockdown I have gained about 10kg, Actually, that’s a lie, since the end of the first Lockdown I’ve gained about 10kg.
There’s lots of reasons, gym closures, changes to routine, changes to work patterns, personal things going on this year, anxiety medication changes, injuries. All in all it’s created a perfect storm where my once fluctuating but generally sitting in a quite comfortable range for me body is bigger and heavier.
In itself that doesn’t bother me. What bothers me are the changes to me shape (like around my mid section), a few new stretch marks and the fact it’s just so much harder to run when you’re carrying an extra 10kg.
I want to be body positive about this and say it’s all ok. Because if I was happy with it then it really would be. I’m by no means overweight and even though I’m not as fit as I was I’m actually still fit, healthy and strong.
But I’m not happy with where I am and admitting that doesn’t make me a feminist traitor, slave to diet culture, hypocrite or anything else. Because I believe people should be able to strive to be what they want to (within the realms of it being safe and not harmful), so if that means losing weight, then so be it, because telling people to love and accept their bodies when they aren’t happy isn’t any more liberating than feeding people diet culture.
I’m on a commitment to myself now to lose some of the weight- not all of it, I think I’d be happy a bit bigger than I was, but enough that running doesn’t feel like I’m carrying a weight vest. It isn’t all weight based though – I’m not actually bothered by the scales, I want to look in the mirror and think ‘yeah’ again rather than ‘noooo’. I also want to be able to lift what I could lift before and enter a half marathon without training knowing it will be painful but I’ll get round. Really what I’m saying is I want to feel more like me again.
I think when people talk about gaining weight or other changes and how they want to reverse that we so often prescribe the idea of it being a bit shallow to the thought, actually most of the time we’re just trying to get ourselves back after tough times and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Heather Sherwood Fitness 
Great post. As a “victim” of gaining a few pandemic pounds (aka COVID chunk), I have similar thoughts. I probably gained about the same amount as you, but in pounds. 😉 For instance, when I low key complain about the weight that I’ve gained (even before the pandemic), I get the whole you are not fat. While these sentiments are supportive, the problem is that I do NOT feel comfortable with this extra “luggage”. Here’s the funny thing: folks will tell you that you are fine with extra weight. BUT, we all know that once you drop 10, 15 pounds, they will say things like you look AMAZING.
Here’s to your fitness journey.
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This is totally true! And regardless of whether we look ok – it’s how it’s feels and we don’t feel great!
You too – we’ve got this!
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Thumbs up. I’ve started (technically restarted) Beachbody’s 21-day fix, which is supposed to promote cleaner eating with portion control.
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