Ashley Graham has been one of the most talked about fashion models in recent years not just because of her beauty but mostly because of her size. With Ashley’s arrival on Sports Illustrated and other fashion magazines, many had hoped that there would be a shift in the fashion industry toward inclusivity. But as we know that still hasn’t happened. Ashley is the “plus size” equivalent to the one lone Black and Asian women on the runway. Ashley got married a couple of years ago, started her own podcast, and last year she gave birth to her first child right before the pandemic. As most of us have experienced this last year, the pandemic hasn’t been kind as it pertains to weight gain and loss, mostly gain (at least I have gained 20lbs, but whatever). Ashley is on the cover of the Wall Street Journal Magazine this month. In her profile, Ashley said she doesn’t wish to be known as “plus sized,” and that doesn’t know anyone who has lost weight during quarantine. She also wishes there was more representation in the fashion industry. Below are a few highlights via People:
“I hate that I constantly have to discuss my body, because I don’t know any man that has to do that,” she told the magazine. “But what motivates me to continue to talk about my body is that I didn’t have someone talking about their body when I was young.”
Graham added that the lack of representation in her industry is what motivates her to “keep it real” on social media.
“This is why I don’t post like the ‘perfect’ Instagram photos,” she said. “I keep it real and raw constantly because I want [people] to know that there are women with cellulite, with back fat, with stretch marks…. There are a lot of curvy women, plus-size women, fat women, whatever you want to call them.”
The supermodel opened up about starting her career at 17 and being told she needed to lose weight in order to succeed.
“My self-esteem plummeted, and I had my agents telling me if you don’t lose weight, then you’re not going to work,” she said. “The lowest part of realizing that I didn’t get a job because I was ‘too fat’ actually gave me the courage and the ambition to go and fill a void in an industry.”
“I am a full-fledged 16. I haven’t been a full-fledged 16 since I got married,” she told WSJ. Magazine. “I have like 25 pounds on me that I still have from before I was pregnant. I don’t know one person that actually lost weight in quarantine. So then to go and try to lose baby weight in quarantine is an epic fail.”
I really like Ashley. Not only is she beautiful, she is quite thoughtful. At least from what I have seen of her (I swear every time I say I like someone, some f*ckery they have done comes to light). I love how she says that she is tired of being known as the “plus sized girl” especially since 70% of American women wear a size 14. I also love how she says that she decided to fill a void in an industry that consistently rejected her because of her size. That my friends is grit. If they say “no,” find another way. I find those sort of the stories the best. Ashley basically became what she needed. I am sad to hear that she struggled with her self esteem. She works out and eats healthily mostly therefore her size is natural and healthy for her. While I do not think the fashion industry will be changing any time soon I love how designers like Christian Siriano and Zac Posen are filling in the gap between sample size and average size women.
In the meantime, I will be watching Ashley and the trajectory of her brand. I do enjoy Ashley’s podcast and Youtube channel. I also love how she promotes health and loving yourself. I am happy that she decided to push through her low self-esteem and create a space in an industry made for women that don’t look anything like her. I feel a lot of these young women need to see someone who looks like Ashley being comfortable in her own skin and living her best life. Now, to go find a meal plan to get rid of this 40lbs that has found its way onto my waist, hips and thighs. Pandemic be damned. But before that, let me go make these lemon blueberry muffins.
photos via Instagram
I know she doesn’t know me, but I have lost weight during quarantine. So did my daughter. Our appetites have evaporated and we take lots of walks.
I’m in Ireland so our lockdown is quite extreme compared to the US. But most restaurants are open for takeout or delivery, but we’re still not tempted.
I feel the same way. Being stuck at home has meant I finally had time to get consistent with exercise. Also, I’ve been driving my car less, and I learned something about myself. When I drive my car, my brain thinks it’s time to eat junk food! In the US, we have every fast food option under the sun, and all of them can be accessed from my car at a drive through window. Without really realizing it, I had gotten into the habit of driving through somewhere for junk food snacking. Now, I’m just not exposed to it as much. 😀
My weight has been pretty stable throughout this whole ordeal, though I am ordering in more than I used to – our restaurants have been mostly closed aside from a few weeks over the summer last year, so I am trying to help them out by getting delivery since I don’t have a car (it’s about once per week or so.)
I find it helps cheer me up to give myself a little treat, plus I’ve been lucky in that I was never the type to stress-eat, so I have been relatively okay in terms of my weight.
Me too. I had surgery, which made me lose weight, and I’ve been working out a lot (not much else to do!). Plus I used to snack a lot at work out of boredom. Now that I work from home, that’s not a problem anymore.
Anyway, we have different bodies and have all coped with quarantine differently. No need to feel guilty whether you’ve lost and gained. Best thing to do is just to focus on your wellbeing and self care.
I had a baby in April, so yes, I lost quite a lot of weight too. not that I tried to. not enough sleep, breastfeeding and not having enough time to eat is a wonderful diet.
Congratulations! Me too. Gained 57 pregnant and lost 59 😉
I have lost a ton of weight. Turns out, pandemics induce anxiety, and anxiety kills my appetite.
I also lost weight! Because I’m terribly depressed.
Yeah, I gained weight but my in-laws lost a ton of weight–they stopped going out to restaurants and started taking long walks.
I lost relationship weight…all 180lbs of him….xD
Ha!
I lost weight too! Having my gym the next room over and not keeping snacks in the house has been helping, since I stress eat 🤣
I get her point. Means well but myopic. I have a terrible health issue w endometriosis and I have lost weight. I haven’t been able to get regular health care appointments w Covid. I’m sure orhers are in our boat. So I’m thinking broadly and compassionately for others
Same. I lost five pounds. Just not interested in snacking any more. More walking, fewer food temptations/impulse buys (and I don’t cook, or bake).
Poor Ashley Graham, all us awesome people out here that she doesn’t know. 🙂 I lost weight too. Still losing it. All because I can rarely get restaurant food and its extra salt, sugar, and fat, and ridiculous size.
I wonder if famous women (and men, to some extent) are always so worried about their weight and trying to be more skinny that with the pandemic they are actually gaining weight to get to something healthy from a different direction than a non-famous person like me who weighed too much before.
She looks like Sophia Loren in that black and white photo. She really is beautiful, and I am really happy she is still trying to push the fashion industry on their obsession with only making nice clothes for more slender people.
She is stunning and yes she does resemble SL. I read an article a few weeks back that designers made their spring line more in tune with COVID (meaning relaxed and/or roomier). I am sure there has been a decline in clothes outside leisure wear.
I take many more walks, and have more time to put thought into what I eat, and chop myself a salad more often. I do know people who have lost weight, especially men with obesity who realised they were of higher risk.
Same! Lost 18 lbs. I also know a lot of people who lost weight from cooking their own food.
I for one have definitely gained weight, and not just a bit. I’m having an actual belly for the first time in my life and I seem to be unable to get rid of it. I eat super healthy, absolutely no sweets, and I do all the sports which are available during lockdown here (so basically just walking, jogging, weights, yoga at home). I should be losing weight like crazy, but the opposite is happening. I think being tired, bored and lonely does that to you.
@Sojaschnitzel, yes to what you said. All three also add to depression which makes it harder to lose weight. I need to lose a handful of pounds and cannot get it done. The kids are constantly eating and I am constantly cooking dinners. If I decide not to eat a heavy dinner they question why. I am hoping once things open up maybe things will change.
I gained around 15 to 20lbs in the past year, mostly in the 1st 3 months. I hate it, but it is what it is. I’m a good cook and stress eat and not being able to bring leftovers at work to share with my colleague and the trainees means that, well, I’m the only one eating it all. I don’t have a car; most of my moving around is by foot/biking and lab work involves a lot of walking but since there’s little to do, that our institute was closed for 3 months and resumed to 50% capacity, I move less than usual. My weight has stabilized when I went back to work; a couple of friends and I try to go for a walks/snowshoeing in one of the big city parks once a week, but it’s still not as much activity as I would do while my appetite hasn’t changed :/
Soja: you might not be eating enough! the idea that there must be an extreme calorie deficit to lose weight is not true, you may need more calories. The deficit should exist but it should not be extreme a la the 1200 calorie diet. Your body holding on to body fat is a normal, protective process. This can be disrupted by a medical issue, medication, or by an imbalance in exercise/calorie use and calorie intake.
Also, 2 key vitamins can hamper the entire body process: b12 and vitamin d. These are very easy to have deficits of, especially in a pandemic. Vitamin b12 is actually a bacteria that we need to be healthy. It is possible to get some from animal products, as animals eat the grass where the bacteria colonizes but it is not a secure source. Most animals eaten by humans do not free graze and ingest the b12 that humans then ingest via their byproducts. Secondarily, a lot of animal processing involves washing the animal products to remove other contaminants so the b12 gets washed away. Most people should supplement with b12 as it is hard to get through industrialized food.
Vitamin D can be hard to get because you exposure to the sun, doesn’t have to be direct sunlight but the more filtered the sun is through clouds and rain and other weather, the longer it will take for you to get the right dose. UV also comes into play here, wearing sunscreen to protect against UV means that vitamin d cannot get in, so it becomes a key vitamin that is hard to absorb naturally. Most people need vitamin D supplements as well.
I definitely recommend talking to your doctor and a dietician that supports intuitive eating. Restriction is not always the answer!
I’ve lost weight during quarantine, but its not through an intentional improvement of habits: I can’t get shitfaced out with my friends anymore, so I barely drink – its just boring. And I am so sick of cooking and washing dishes, ugh. I’m usually a voracious eater but I’m just so over it all. I’ve moved on to redecorating so I don’t lose my mind
This!! I’m so fucking sick of dishes!!!
All I really want is for someone else to do the damn dishes. They just never end!
I too am over drinking. Holds no appeal. Especially without my girlfriends. Bought a sewing machine, over that. Started some small redecorating, over that. I still have to cook and I too am over dishes. The kids are tired of being in virtual school and want to see their friends.
It’s been almost a year and i have reached my point of “I’m over this” The only fact that gives me some solace is that I have reached this point almost a year later when I heard others pissing and moaning a few months in.
Spring cannot get here fast enough (as I look at the ice and snow that came down over night).
I lost weight in quarantine. I gained a sizable pooch at first but then quickly changed my whole lifestyle to suit our new way of life. I learned how to cook and not rely on access to any gyms, but rather do workouts at home over zoom with friends (or solo) and go for long walks. But really, teaching myself how to make nutritious yet delicious food was the best gift I could have given myself in 2020. It fills up the extra time I now have, while allowing me to feel like I’m treating myself to an amazing meal that previously I could only get at a restaurant. I love eating and could never deprive myself in order to lose some pounds. That has never worked for me. All that being said, I don’t have a baby to take care of so I can’t judge other people’s choices or lifestyles. Ashley is beautiful and I love her fierce confidence.
Ugh thanks a lot for the reminder. I’ve gained weight and hate it. Mostly due to situational depression. I’ve also hurt myself in quarantine, tripping, on steep steps, dropping a heavy object on my foot, a bicycle accident meaning my daily walks have been curtailed for weeks. In view of others struggles I feel whiney about saying I miss my family so deeply, my kids and sisters and brother are my best friends. Haven’t even met my daughters fiancé yet, theirs has been a whirlwind romance starting a couple months before lockdown and she’s never been happier. Also need new clothes that fit, esp bras and underwear. Thx for letting me rant.
I bought a peloton and lost 15 grad school pounds. I think a lot of people suddenly have time for exercise (2 hours shaved off from no makeup or commute) so I’m not sure how true this is (I know she doesn’t know me or my friends but she made a sweeping statement so so will I)
I lost 17 kg since the whole corona mess started. I stopped eating take out, started exercising and doing some intermittent fasting. I use to have really bad heartburn, but I worked crazy hours in tourism (which is pretty much dead in Italy) and had no time or desire to cook when I got home so take out it was. Corona has been a blessing in disguise for my health. At least there is that.
Same. I’ve lost sooooo much weight It’s not fun. I can barely get anything down It’s like the pandemic and anxiey got rid of my appetite. I don’t know how to get it back and nothing fits.
This is what happened to me. Anxiety kills my appetite.
Anxiety increases my appetite *cries*
This is me too. I see a therapist about it. But not being able to eat and losing weight because of anxiety is so hard. And since its culturally more acceptable to be skinny, there aren’t as many resources for those of us that can’t get food down. Hope things turn around for you!
Thanks! I think i’m gonna try therapy hopefully it helps. I hope it get’s better for you too.
Thanks, A. You too.
I’m feeling comforted to hear others’ anxiety stories that have done the opposite of putting on weight. I normally eat like a football player and was actually fine at the beginning…..but it all just got to me leading up to the election so that suddenly the IBS that has sporadically plagued me since childhood went into full gear. Panic attacks out of the blue that send me running to the loo, nights and mornings the worst, weird dreams that wake me up nauseous or gassy – ugh!! It’s really put me off food – plus I’ve been walking 16 miles a week because that’s one of the few things that helps calm me down.
During March-July I gained a lot of weight and from August on I lost a lot of weight. The gain was because of stress and the ensuing lack of sleep, lack of relaxation etc. The loss because of tackling the way I deal with stress and getting a really good sleeping pattern and getting some solid walks in. I find I’m now gaining again as my sleep went of the rails when my husband got seriously ill and into hospital late December. Sleep and being in a relaxed state are pretty huge for me apparently.
Well, she doesn’t know me and I’ve lost 15 pounds during quarantine. It’s actually been nice working from home the past 11 months. I’m now able to walk the dogs twice a day and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. Plus, I’ve found my appetite has decreased because I’m more focused on getting my work done with no one here to distract me.
Lizzie I gained the 15 pounds you lost – and I’ve been at home for 11 months too. I think your 15 pounds floated over to me…
I’ve lost weight, but mostly because I don’t go out to bars (and eat like crap after drinking) anymore. I 100% miss the social aspect, but overall quarantine’s been pretty good for my health.
I was stuck at home, without going out, for 9 months. We weren’t allowed walks and all I did was go to the grocer’s nearest to me which meant walking 10 mins a week.
I’ve gained 12 kilos (I think that’s around 20-25 pounds?) and it’s so demoralizing. I don’t recognize myself and I swear my arms are as big as my face.
I was super fit before this started so I’m double mad at myself but I just can’t get to that “eat well, train hard” mindset I used to have; it has disappeared along with my waist.
Why weren’t you allowed to go for a walk? I think people really need to try to get fresh air throughout all of this . I live in an apt with no outdoor space, if i didnt get outside for walks I’d go insane
Our Government issued a nation wide quarantine in March when we had like 10 positive cases (all from people who had returned from abroad) and we couldn’t leave our houses for months unless you could prove you were an essential worker.
By August we were allowed to go out between 8pm-12am depending on your last ID number but by then it was winter, it was cold and nightfall is around 6 PM. By October things started to get better and were allowed more “freedom” like driving, getting a latte at a cafe, etc.
I basically spent 7 to 8 months in my apartment and managed to go out for a walk around October, when I felt safe I could do it and not get into trouble with police enforcement.
Wow that is really rough. I hope you are able to get outside more now 🙁
I lost weight. The pandemic has severely curbed my tendency to get take out. I only cook at home now which is mostly healthier.
Same!! I ate all home cooked food and learned how to cook better. I looked up free recipes for Whole 30 on Pinterest.
Well, the unrelenting stress of the pandemic and all it entails has made my depression, anxiety, and panic attacks so bad that I’ve lost a significant and worrying amount of weight, but go off I guess, Ashley.
I feel like people are reading a bit too much into Ashley’s comment. A lot of people gained weight at the beginning of the pandemic. And then to be pregnant on top of that…of course it’s going to be difficult to lose the weight. That’s all she was saying.
That said, I do have to point that a lot of people are eating less due to food insecurity and financial issues. That’s an important issue as well.
I’ve lost around 10 pounds and I’m quite proud of it. I started doing yoga consistently, eating less sweets, and barely drinking alcohol. Mental health-wise it has been a tough year, but it has been a great year for me physically.
I lost weight. Didn’t realize how burnt out I was from spending hours commuting to work everyday. Now I WFH so I can sleep a little later and the times I usually spent on a crowded bus or train, I exercise or go for a walk. I also cook all my own meals save for once or twice a week. That being said, this is getting boring and I miss happy hours, dining out lol
I used to travel every week for work to disaster zones. I didn’t realize how much eating out and having less time to exercise made such a difference. Sounds obvious right? Living alone I’ve lost and kept off about 35 lbs give or take 10 depending on the month. For others riding this out solo I empathize with you. It’s lonely and there is no one to share a hug with or to do the dishes after you cook. I’ve lived alone for over a decade but this has been brutal.
It’s so lonely! I’m so lonely. I did adopt a cat so that helps. But being home by myself, I get caught up in my thoughts and can get depressed. I’m in FLORIDA so you can go out anytime anywhere but I’m trying to reduce my possible expose to COVID.
I was truly hoping she had gone away. Those of us who are plus sized and don’t hate ourselves are so tired of this chick and all of her internalized fatphobia. Even if we ignore the fact that she “doesn’t want to be defined as plus sized,” she gladly profited off of being white and ‘acceptably plus’ while taking all of the space and the shine from the black women and models who started this movement and have now been pushed out. And if her worst outcome during a freaking global pandemic is gaining weight, instead of, you know, dying, she is a sadder person than I thought.
I thought she had gone away as well. Shucks!
I started running in April – Couch 2 5k program – and lost 35 pounds. I managed my Covid anxiety by trying to control it by being as healthy as I could possibly be.
I have stage 2 hypertension (luck of the genetic lottery, unfortunately, as I have a genetic mutation called MTHFR, and it really IS a mothereffer), so last year I started walking an hour a day. It helped, and I lost some weight. When the new school year rolled around, and I was homeschooling for the first six weeks (New Orleans was still under very tight restrictions, so schooling was virtual) AND working from home simultaneously, I gave up. I gained it all back.
After Christmas, I noticed my resting heart rate was high…which means my blood pressure was also in dangerous territory, so I holistically overhauled my diet and activity levels. Now my resting heart rate is 68 and I have lost 16 pounds. My VO2 has increased, too.
All of this is to say: I’m privileged. I have the ability to work from home right now because I’m high risk. I have a supportive partner who will walk with me, cheer me on when I’m struggling through planks and donkey kicks, and eat a really healthy diet (he’s inadvertently dropped some weight in this process, too).
And I’ve still had a couple of pieces of king cake to mourn Mardi Gras, so there’s that. In some ways, not being trapped in my tiny office 12 miles away has meant that I have an opportunity to prioritize myself, and hell if I’m not going to take advantage of that. I don’t want to leave my kids without their mother, you know?
I didn’t lose too much, but I actually didn’t gain at all, which was a relief. Rest of my family did, though. Lots of stress eating. It’s mainly that you had to stay active, so I feel for people in places where they couldn’t do that.
I’ve gained about 10 lbs – but that’s been since August. I was holding steady the first 5-6 months and then in the past 5 months the weight has just piled on. I dont eat terribly – some days i’m healthy, some days less so – but I track on MFP and usually 5/7 days I’m well within my calorie range. And I exercise regularly, but I know overall i’m definitely more sedentary than before – even when I used to go to the office I would have to walk from my car to my building, walk around the building, pick up the kids at daycare – all those extra steps and extra movement that I dont have anymore.
That said, I think the real killer for me was when the kids started virtual school in the fall – in the spring they had school work but no live classes and we were going for walks or hikes almost every day, but their schedules starting in September dont align enough that we can do that, so we havent gone on a walk in forever – and while I’m still exercising, its a lot more 20-30 minutes on the bike instead of 45 minutes to an hour, bc I need to be off to make sure they’re logging in when they’re supposed to be etc. Plus its winter and cold.
I also know that I was drinking too much wine in the fall (boxed wine is dangerous lol) so I have been making a conscious effort to scale back in that regard and to pay better attention to my diet, so I’m hoping I can at least shed the quarantine weight before the summer.
I dont hate how I look, but my face is a little puffy currently lol and my jeans dont fit, and I dont want to buy all new ones, ha.
At first we gained weight by eating our feelings and drinking wine most nights. I started to buy chips regularly because who knew when we’d be able to get groceries again? Now the grownups in the house are doing intermittent fasting on weekdays and try to only drink wine on weekends. Our kids are watching us and I don’t want them to deal with stress this way. We still eat some ice cream and bake brownies, but it’s toned down a bit from last spring. My husband has lost around 15 or 20 lbs and I’m down a few, but it’s mostly about better sleep and modelling good habits for me.
She doesn’t know me but I’ve lost 25 kilos thanks to the lockdown so far.
Ireland is pretty extreme with the restrictions so less food, no alcohol, running/walking are my onle pleasures at the moment.
And my two boys – hubby + 5yo – they’re the reason I’m alive happy and not depressed….yet 🙂
I can’t go near the scale or I would weep for days. I estimate about 40 lbs in nine months. I held it together until May but fell apart. I think I thought that this was it forever and no one would ever see me again, so I might as well enjoy, almost like a pregnancy. I don’t drink alcohol so food was my drug. Literally NOTHING fits that has a button or zipper. For the first time in years, I can’t button things across my chest. I have been wearing the same black turtleneck for every show that I do. yippee.
My mother lost weight from the stress and I gained a few at the beginning with the stress eating. We are still in quarantine because there’s no cure, the vaccine is still rolling out and masks are still mandatory (at least in my state).
At the beginning cheese puffs were my go to munch even though my stomach couldn’t handle the cheese. The quarantine went in several stages IMO, at the beginning it was the paper hoarding, then food (because we were told that there was going to be a food shortage), then bread making, then liquor etc. I don’t know what stage we are in now.
I miss being able to scooter around the neighborhood, it’s a push scooter and non electric so I did get some exercise on it. My scooter hasn’t budged in almost a year and now it’s board is being used to hold the boxes of my outdoor shoes.
I lost weight too! I was at home almost every day last year from April. I was comfort cooking and eating and not doing much exercise but I have social anxiety and it was so peaceful not seeing or speaking to hardly anyone. I have realised the anxiety must have been taking a huge toll on my health even though I tried so hard to be out and about and not hide in the house all the time. I was 35 kg overweight and I lost around 20.
I lost weight but also lost muscle because of lack of exercise. My job requires me to be at the computer for long hours and I also was ill during the fall. Now that’s it’s below freezing here, I can’t even take my bike out to run out for groceries once or twice a week which I usually do as long as it’s 20/25 degrees F or higher. That was my only exercise and living in a small space full of my work materials, it’s hard to find space and motivation to exercise at home. I know I should because I’m also noticing other health issues related to lack of exercise and muscle atrophy…sigh…We can only do what we can do. I’m happy to be alive this morning and the sun is shining.
I’ve lost a lot of muscle as well! My arms in particular are really weak and I’ve become more prone to repetitive stress issues. I’m slowly trying to get back into exercising at home, but I agree it’s hard to get motivated.
I like her. I think her and her husband (who is super hot) have been married over a decade now which is pretty crazy for how young they are and being in the spotlight. My weight has gotten pretty low from stress get a quarantine and parenting a toddler. I think most people are either stress eaters or stress non-eaters and I’m a non stress eater.
I lost about 5 pounds because I’ve had more time for healthy, home cooked meals. I alternate between running and YouTube HIIT workouts and I find that very effective to stay in shape.
I do miss alot of things like happy hour, museums, galleries and being able to TRAVEL.
On the positive side I like WFH, extra sleep, the fact that I have my health and more quality time with my boyfriend.
Like a lot of people here in the comments, I lost a lot of weight during this pandemic. Without all the hours I spent in traffic get to and from work I finally have the time to be consistent with my exercises.
I walk almost everyday and took up yoga (check out the youtube channel Boho Beautiful, she has many wonderful videos and honestly they changed my life, I’m so much better now physically and even mentally).
I also finally started taking into account the amount of calories that each food have. Nothing extreme, but it’s really good to have an idea that some things might be healthy but are actually quite high on calories. But the best part for me in all of this is that my new lifestyle also allows me to eat my treats everyday while just diminishing the quantities (I love baking so I can’t go without my treats).
I lost 20+ pounds (and continue to lose weight) during quarantine. Stopped drinking alcohol (8 months ago), started running 5 or 6 days a week (I work from home now and use the treadmill at lunch) and just started eating better overall. Oh, and I haven’t been in a restaurant since March of 2020 and rarely order takeout. It can be done.
I lost weight initially-I was not eating due to anxiety and making time for yoga and the Peloton spin classes to try and help manage my moods. In June, our sweet Great Dane puppy dropped dead in our kitchen-and it put our entire family into a total emotional meltdown. Dealing with grieving teens, covid, my own sadness and fear over the pandemic and our puppy-I put on about 45 pounds from emotional over eating. For the last 2 weeks I’ve been back on healthy eating and working on my own feelings/thoughts-and I’ve lost 5. I have a ways to go-but I see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I gained at first, spending all day at the computer with reports and teletherapy which makes for so much more documentation. I was a bundle of stress trying to make sure I was doing everything right and was so uncomfortable from sitting all day. I took the summer off and enjoyed walking (very rural area here, although I am on a paved road I can walk for miles w/o passing a house) and gardening but still wasn’t eating right. In September, my school went hybrid (so all of the teletherapy hassle PLUS all of the exposure). I am more scared of some of my coworkers than the kids because I see their antics on Facebook. So I took a leave, doing a little per diem when there is something that I can do remotely. So then I made the focus taking care of myself, eating better and making sure I was exercising more and have lost the weight I gained and a bit more but still have a lot to go. I’m going back in May when a co-worker is going out on maternity leave and am worried that I’ll be too tired to continue taking care of myself, but at least it will be daylight when I get home and I can walk and eat clean.
I support her and what she is saying, but I have lost weight. Like 30 pounds. Turns out I am not a stress eater, but a stress food avoider :-/
Oh man, I lost weight. A lot. I was having trouble eating back in March due to the pandemic (my anxiety was out of control). Then I gained most of that back after my brother died unexpectedly. Now I’ve lost 10 pounds since January 1 due to even more stress/anxiety (not pandemic related). I can’t keep food down now but I hope that eventually I can get back to normal eating and normal exercise.
I’m so sorry about your brother.
I Also lost weight but that was because I got covid on mar 15 last year from my hubby who got it from a guy he had a meeting with!
It wrecks your appetite and I dumped out 3 perfectly good bottles of wine bc I thought they were corked before I realized I had lost my sense of taste. Such a waste.
and while I was scary skinny for a while i have gained back enough to feel ok.
I don’t recommend covid as a diet plan. Zero stars.
Now I’m learning to surf and play tennis and subscribed to the dance classes on steezy to build back my endurance and muscles. Bc covid killed my lung capacity for a good six months. Still am not drinking much wine tho.
Gain weight/lose weight I hope everyone in celebitchy world stays healthy and strong!
My naturopath is super pro the vaccine (and she’s typically not in board w much of western medicine) so I’m hoping everyone who wants it can get it.
I lost weight and I’m looking pretty fit too! I’ve been running around 45 plus miles a week and lifting twice a week. But working from home helps me get my fitness in.
I’ve been loosing weight at a Very slow pace without dieting. I Just eat mostly healthy food when I am hungry, exercise regularly, and practice stress management ( meditation, journaling, short mental health walks, warm cups of tea). It works for me, but it means that I will be in large, soft body for many years, and perhaps forever. Other people need to deal with that. In our culture, there are people for whom I never was and never will be thin enough. I also suspect that I personally, and this WONT be true of everyone, but I suspect that one of the reasons I personally gained so much body fat was that I used to diet, and I internalised a lot of fat phobia and fat shame. I mean that I think the shame-fuelled dieting backfired for me, and I lost weight initially, but ended up with more body fat in the end. So I am trying something radically different: rather than planning my lifestyle for fat loss, I am planning my lifestyle for healthy behaviours, so any fat loss for me is a byproduct of a healthy lifestyle, not the main goal. It is difficult, but I wont be motivated to keep making healthy choices everyday, if I beat myself up about being fat,. So the main challenge for me is to dig deep and accept my big soft belly. seeing women like AG celebrated for their beauty really helps me to meet that challenge on a daily basis.
I lost 11 pounds. Didn’t need to. Trying not to lose more but I am really tired of cooking my own meals, tired of restaurant food and don’t eat fast foods.
I did. First I gained 10 pounds and then lost 15. 🙂
I get plenty of exercise, don’t overeat, and actually make an effort. Haven’t had any issues🤷♀️
Very happy to hear about all the celebitchies that lost weight when the pandemic hit….. but that does not reflect my experience.
We went into lockdown & my job stayed the same but I lost all my breaks because I was working for home & morphed into a grade 6 teacher, grade 9 teacher & grade 11 teacher. I was exhausted and had no time for myself. The only joy I had for weeks on end was a lovely carb and a big glass of wine. Lots of which food to smash into my face between zoom calls, science experiments & going to the grocery store.
Financially we boomed during the pandemic. But I have had to change all of my pants. I have a constant anxiety about bursting out of the Gaps last size.
I am grateful that gaining weight has been been one of the only horrible things to come out of this global sh!t show….
I lost weight when I had Covid last April. I felt horrible for months afterwards, and felt like I was in a fog. Then I gained 10 pounds when I got my appetite back, and was stress eating because I lost my job. I have another job now, and stopped stress eating to comfort myself. Covid is stressing everyone in different ways. I mostly worry about my mental health, my children, and my marriage. When I put on 10 pounds, no one even noticed. Everyone is just trying to stay sane & healthy.
If the conversation is going to change, the women being interviewed have to say, “That’s none of your business.” Or, “Let’s talk about your weight. In fact, let’s ask that cameraman there, and the dude at the computer, ask him how much frakking weight he juggles, or jiggles, month to month.” Quit complaining about the conversation and change the conversation. Maybe I’m being naive, but it seems to me, we’re at a precipice, and a lot of people are simply not taking much shit anymore. There’s a cult half in charge of leading this country who aren’t afraid to say that cannibal pedophiles are eating our children, but we’re tired of weight questions and issues? Don’t answer the questions.
As for the quarantine ten to 20 lol, I suffered, but I’m getting control of it. I quit drowning my sorrows in soda and ice cream. I’m already feeling better lol.
I actually lost 15 pounds last year due to emotional anxiety. Around the time of the protests, I just lost my appetite for food almost completely. It wasn’t just about the pandemic and social strife, but a lot of family drama stuff that got stirred up because of it. We all react to stress and uncertainty in different ways.
I did!! I lost 18 lbs. of fat during quarantine by preparing all my own meals (Whole 30/Paleo) and did free YouTube workouts!
She’s so lovely. I hope she has a career that last for years and years.
That said, I have lost weight during this lockdown starting this past summer. I had to – my doctor said that I had to cut back on sugar and carbohydrates before I developed diabetes. I not only cut back on sugar, by cutting back on sweets for the most part, but I started using sugar alternatives in place of sugar, like monkfruit, coconut and even Stevia. We got an exercise bike and I have trimmed down quite a bit, but still have a ways to go till I hit my goal. The alternative is to develop a chronic illness, so I am keeping at it for the long term.
It’s 10 year old data that says the average is 14. The average American woman is actually size 16 to 18 now.
Is it messed up that this makes me so angry?! I’ve lost weight. Why? Because I had goddamn covid. I’m also still experiencing so many symptoms. She should be grateful. Must be nice.
She knows nothing outside her smug opinion…I have l Iost 36lbs during this nightmare of a pandemic. Some of us have the ability to control ourselves!
I lost almost 70lbs last year. Most people I know gained though.
I’ve lost weight too due to health issues and meds during the pandemic. I’ve been working out at home and we’ve been cooking at home more/eating out less, but overall, it’s due to my health and medications. Top that with stress and anxiety and it’s a perfect recipe for weight loss. Everyone is going through some personal battle during this pandemic and we’re all just trying to get through it.
I gained 10 pounds during the first nine months or so, on top of other recent weight gain. Then I saw a photo of myself with all of the extra weight and started counting calories using the Lose It app. I’m now down 22 pounds, 3 pounds to go (but the hardest!). I agree that cooking at home helps control exactly how many calories you are putting in your body. We used to eat out a lot and not only is it expensive you are given too much food! I also started walking nearly every day. The pounds just dropped off.
I’ve lost weight during quarantine. Approx 55lbs (25kgs) and am still going. I lost 88lbs (40kgs) a few years ago but then my thyroid tried to kill me and it took 6yrs to convince Drs that no, I wasn’t just sick because I was ‘fat’ and had I tried going to the gym or anti depressants? By the time they took it out it was sitting in my chest and cancer cells had started to form.
Recovered now and just decided to get back to a healthy weight, not skinny – healthy.
I’m sure she doesn’t know anybody who has lost weight in quarantine, but I’m afraid her experience is hardly representative, and there are many, many people who have not only lost substantial amounts of weight during quarantine, but done so patently as a result of diminished or entirely disappeared appetite in times of depression and anxiety, lost income and ability to prioritise food as an expense, and so on and so forth. Our culture treats losing weight as an inherently difficult but desired achievement, but really, it is often an easy, undesired effect of being too poor, tired, sad or ill to function.
I’ve gained. When I’m stressed/depressed I eat. I’m not obese or anything but I could lose about 20 lbs 😔