Since I have experienced a challenging health diagnosis, I've put roughly 25 pounds on a once-lanky frame. I went through the "7 Stages of Grief" solely over my weight, but am now learning valuable lessons as to how to not only accept my body, but to love it during the transition back to health!
For those of you healing from a health crisis that landed you in a sedentary lifestyle (for months or years), I'd love to share my tips to shed the layers of weight you might have gained after a health crisis.
1. Change your perspective.
Practice gratitude for your returned functionality and what your body is enabling you to do again—whether that be walking, jogging, shopping, sitting up, socializing, etc. Rather than berate and criticize your body for its change in shape, celebrate your progress and thank your limbs for what they're able to do again!
2. Be patient.
This one is hard (I know!) but you truly need to be patient while your body is slowly gaining momentum....particularly your endocrine system. Your adrenals, thyroid, hormones, and neurotransmitters have most likely taken a significant hit leading up to your illness and when your downfall in health occurred. It's a lengthy process your body has to undergo to find its way back to healthy.
3. Eat a primarily whole foods, plant-based diet.
Let go of processed food, sugar, soy and gluten. Help your body along in the healing process and fuel your body with large servings of greens each day, which will aid in digestion, increase metabolism, and help stabilize your emotions.
4. Make a list each day of what you love about yourself and include what you love about your body.
You must love some physical feature, whether that be your legs, eyes, smile, or skin. Accentuate what you love the most! (Wear skirts to show off your legs, pull your hair back to showcase your glowing skin, etc.) Celebrate your body and how far it has come!
5. Visit an integrative physician.
I'd visit an integrative physician in your city to do lab tests to determine whether or not your body's functionality is being railroaded by some aspect of what it has gone through. This could be an issue with your thyroid, hormones, or something else entirely.
This the only body you have so you are stuck with it. Please love yourself and feel blessed at how lucky you are to be able to run and play in this glorious sunshine!
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com
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