Working from home is great—I can literally get up five minutes before my “shift,” I can wear pajamas all day if I want, and I gained 30 pounds. Wait, that last thing doesn’t sound like a positive, right? Wrong. Putting on weight didn’t freak me out, it helped me love myself and it was a total blessing.
- I was really self-conscious about my weight growing up. When I was younger, I struggled to put on weight. I should’ve been grateful for having a fast metabolism but at that time, I was frustrated with my inability to put on pounds. Body shaming definitely goes both ways and I was constantly being ridiculed for my super thin frame by family and friends. I started to feel like something was wrong with me. I even went as far as drinking protein shakes with every meal with the intent to “bulk up” but nothing seemed to work.
- After starting to work at home, I gained 30 pounds in a month. Yes, you read that correctly—I went from 120 pounds to 150 pounds in just over a month. Endless treats were at my fingertips all day, so how could I possibly resist? Going from a strenuous commute that included a train, two buses, and walking at least a mile to trotting back and forth from my Keurig made a huge difference in my activity level and aided in my rapid weight increase.
- Two words: stretch marks. They literally popped up overnight, covering various parts of my body. I wasn’t freaked out about them, though—to me, they symbolized growth. My body was growing and changing and these were the markers of that change. In a weird way, it was almost satisfying. This was one of the first physical changes that made my weight gain more apparent.
- I feel more womanly these days. I know this is the physique I’m supposed to have right now. The cankles, well-padded stomach, and broader thighs make up my body. The confidence that came with the weight made me feel more like myself than ever before. My body has blossomed and that insecure little girl no longer exists.
- I’m actually able to donate blood now. As someone who worked in healthcare for years, this was huge for me. I was never able to meet the weight requirement for my height and it would always devastate me. There are several other factors than just height and weight that come into play when donating blood, but this requirement was the one I could never get past. Now that I ‘ve packed on a little extra fluff, I am able to donate whenever I want and it’s so fulfilling.
- Cuddling is even comfier. Cuddle sessions are a good time regardless of your weight and body type. The thing that changed the game for me was the added cushion. Pillows aren’t even necessary at this point because they’re now built-in. Because of this increase in comfort, I almost never make it to the end of the movie.
- I no longer want a boob job. And I wanted one for years! When you gain weight, it’s very possible for a portion of that weight to go to your boobs and that’s exactly what happened to me. It’s like I have permanent period boobs without the aches and pain. I went up two whole cup sizes and the twins have never looked better.
- Eating is even more guilt-free. The pudge and rolls have set pretty comfortably. I know not to go overboard, of course, but I do indulge a little more now and I don’t feel an ounce of regret about it. As a woman, there’s so much pressure on us to be conscious of what we eat and how it will change the way our bodies look and I’m not here for any of that. There’s a number in my head I’d like to stay away from for the sake of my health, but I’m enjoying this new body and I like to reward it with yummy treats.
- I was forced out of my comfort zone. I’ve always been a creature of habit. Once I find something I like, I tend to stick with it. This goes for my style and types of clothes I gravitated towards. Of course, the change in my body means I grew out of a lot of my old clothes, so I had no choice but to buy new things for my shape. I was able to try out a bunch of different looks and was more than pleased with the outcome. Things I would’ve never taken a second glance at were now in my shopping cart coming home with me. The switch up in my style gave me an internal boost and solidified why I was embracing this change.
- I wouldn’t be opposed to another 10 pounds. At this point, I’m pretty open. I’m not saying I’m forcing myself to eat loaded potatoes every day (those do sound really good right now), but if the weight were to appear, I’d be fine with it. At some point down the road, I might decide I want to lose the weight and that’s completely up to me. Focusing on how my body makes me feel and not what standard it complies with has been just the thing I needed.
