5 Ways I’ve Learned to Love My Body After Gaining Weight

I admit it, embracing a bigger me has been hard. I was slim and petite up until my twenties, but as soon as I hit thirty, the numbers on the scale have been on a steady climb.

At first, I tried hiding a fuller figure by wearing flowy tops and dresses, but you can only camouflage the weight gain for so long. Fifty pounds and ten sizes later, it became inevitable that I was a fat girl.

Despite the weight gain, there was a part of me that felt like I could fall back into a smaller body at any time. I held on to my size-two and size-four clothing for as long as I could, making getting ready in the morning harder than it needed to be. Worse, I would compare the person I am today to the person I was years ago, avoiding things like taking pictures, meeting up with old friends and even seeing family members. I held on to a lot of shame until I decided- NO MORE! One day, I began to cope with my body by improving myself while accepting the person I am today.

I have to admit, I am still struggling, but here are a few things that are helping me along.

1. Get rid of your ‘goal’ clothes

Over the years, I found that there is no benefit to holding on to old clothes. They add clutter to your home and bring in negative feelings about your body. I usually feel pretty bad when I try something on that fits too tight, so every time a new season comes along, I do an inventory of my closet and donate anything that makes me feel anything less than fabulous.

2. Surround yourself with body-positive people

There is a body-positivity movement making waves in social media. I follow curvy bloggers and body-positive accounts on Instagram to not only find girls that look like me but to also get ideas on how to dress a fuller figure. As I surround myself with beautiful people of all shapes and sizes, I continue to see the beauty in what makes all of us so different and unique.

 

3. Play Dress Up

I have one or two outfits at the ready for when I need to prove to myself that I still got it. I wash my hair (I usually rock my curls), put on some makeup and get as fabulous as I can be before stepping out into the world. I’ve learned that people don’t pay much attention to weight when you look fab. I've also learned that confidence is more powerful than looks alone.

4. Say Cheese!

I take pictures all the time, not only because I need them for the blog, but also because I like to see myself the way others see me. Every time I take a picture, I get acquainted with the person I am today. The more pictures I take, the more familiar with myself I become.  

5. Be kind to your body

It's natural- when you beat yourself up about your weight gain, you forget to give your body the love it needs. Lately, I’ve been trying to nourish my body inside and out by doing simple things like taking long walks, dancing around the house, trying a new cream, going out for a mani-pedi, eating more vegetables, and many other displays of self-love.

You can't control your weight gain, but you can control the way you feel about your body. I try to be thankful for the body I have today because as the old saying goes- tomorrow is not guaranteed.

Words & Images: Nidia Serrano