When you have endometriosis, it is not uncommon for your body to change because often times it causes you to lose or gain weight. People often praise weight loss because it is often believed to always be good, and criticize weight gain. As a disabled person, I never make body comments even if I know someone very well, because you never know if someone’s weight loss is healthy or not. Noticeable body can be hard to accept because no one likes to see themselves gain weight, but when you have painful conditions such as endometriosis and can’t do as much exercise, often times it’s happens. Exercise can be hard when you have endometriosis because it can trigger pain, and sometimes you can’t be as consistent with exercise as someone without the condition can. What can you do if you have endometriosis and notice your body changing? In this post, I am sharing a how you can cope with body changes when you live with chronic pain.
Don’t go on a highly restrictive diet– People who have gained a lot of weight often will go on highly restrictive diets to lose the weight they have gained. There is nothing wrong with starting a diet if you think it’s going to improve your health, but it can be harmful when you restrict yourself as a form of punishment. Some people with endometriosis will gain weight and may struggle with body image, and you are only going to make things worse when you hate on your body and get into a diet culture mindset that you need to restrict yourself. Healthy eating can support endometriosis pain, and it is important to find a diet that works for you that doesn’t feel restrictive. Restrictive diets don’t last, and when it comes to pain, you want to find a program that you can stick to long-term.
Ignore body comments– When you have noticeable body changes, often times people will bring extra attention to it and make sure that you are aware of your body changes. Most people mean well when they compliment weight loss and think that they are helping you stay motivated, because they are stuck in diet culture and don’t realize the harm in body comments. I have gotten tons of body comments throughout my life and used to be bothered by them, but now I ignore them. You can’t stop people from making body comments, but you can choose not to let those comments bother you.
Don’t obsess over the number on the scale- It is good to have some idea of what your weight is because sometimes you need to know these numbers for medication you take. We live in a world surrounded by diet culture, and if you are struggling with body image, one of the worst things you can do is obsess over the number on the scale. If you are unhappy with your body, one of the best things you can do is stop weighing yourself multiple times a day, because when you weigh yourself often, it sometimes causes you to become more obsessive. Weight is something that a lot of people talk about because it is often believed that weight equals health. It is okay to set boundaries for yourself and ask your friends not to talk about it if you’re triggered by that conversation. I am no longer impacted by the number on the scale, but if you are, you can always ask your doctor not to weigh you, or stand on the scale backwards and do a blind weight. Obsessing over the number on the scale often fuels your body image issues, and not weighing yourself every day sometimes is the only way to improve your body image.
Do movement that feels good- When you have gained weight, oftentimes people will exercise as a form of punishment. Exercise helps improve endometriosis pain, but it can be hard to stick to a routine when you are in debilitating pain. Exercise is a form of self-care and should never be used as punishment, but often it is. If you have endometriosis, it is important to move as much as you can, but at the same time, you want to be engaging in movement that feels good. Regular exercise can help improve your body confidence and can support endometriosis if you are doing the right kind of exercise. There are a lot of different exercises that can support endometriosis pain, and not everyone is going to benefit from the same routine. Listen to your body and engage in movement that feels good, and if all you can do is a few stretches, that is okay. Exercise looks different for people with chronic pain, but it can help improve your body image if you can, because even ten minutes of exercise has benefits.
Pamper yourself- When you are struggling with body image, oftentimes people will beat themselves up, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to practice self-care. Pamper yourself with a massage or buy a new outfit that fits you better, because it’s more important now than ever that you unlearn negative body image thoughts and focus on taking care of yourself. Body changes often happen when you have chronic pain, but it’s not your fault, and sometimes you just need to pamper yourself to start feeling better about your body.
Body changes sometimes happen when you live with painful conditions such as endometriosis, and often we beat ourselves up over it and feel like a failure. It is completely normal to experience body changes throughout life, especially if you live with chronic pain. Body changes are not always, but often, we convince ourselves that our weight gain is from a lack of willpower and is our fault. It is so important that you practice self-care when you are struggling to accept your new body and don’t listen to people who make body comments. People sometimes are going to make negative body remarks, and you can’t stop people from doing that. You can set boundaries for yourself and ask your friends not to talk about your weight. Body changes are something that happen when you live with chronic pain, but it is important to remember that it is not failure. How do you cope with body changes? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
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