Body Image & Self-Acceptance During COVID-19

How COVID-19 Impacted Body Image and Self-Perception

The pandemic meme "Drink water. Get sunlight. You're basically a houseplant with more complicated emotions" resonated deeply during lockdowns. Research shows COVID-19 significantly affected both physical health and body image:

• Increased eating disorders in UK and North American studies
• Rising sedentarism due to reduced activity
• Heightened body ideals: women desiring thinness, men seeking muscularity

The Pervasiveness of Body Shame

Even elite athletes face body image struggles:

"I spent my entire freshman year hating myself" - Callie Smith, former Division 1 diver

Jessamyn Stanley, yoga teacher and body positivity advocate, notes:

"Our bodies are how we show up in the world - your skin color, your body size, where you were born"

3 Mindfulness Practices for Body Acceptance

Stanley recommends these steps to break negative thought cycles:

1. Check in with how you feel (not just how you look)
2. Remember your body is a process - not a finished product
3. Return to your breath as an anchor for self-acceptance

The Power of Intuitive Eating

Key principles from anti-diet experts:

• Reject diet culture's "life thieves" (Christy Harrison)
• Focus on how food makes you feel
• Trust your body's natural hunger cues

Developing Self-Compassion for Your Body

UCLA's mindfulness research suggests:

• Loving-kindness meditation reduces self-judgment
• Focus on what your body can do vs. how it looks
• Start small: send kindness to one body part you appreciate

Mindfulness Techniques to Try Today

• Use the phrase "May I be at ease" during self-talk
• Notice thoughts about your body without judgment
• Appreciate your body's constant state of change

Conclusion: Embracing Your Ever-Changing Body

As Stanley reminds us:

"The body is not everlasting. And that—that's OK"

By practicing mindfulness and self-compassion, we can:

• Reduce negative body talk
• Improve mental health
• Find joy in our bodies' capabilities

Further Reading on Mindful Body Connection

• Getting Started with Mindful Movement
• How Tuning Into Your Body Builds Resilience
• Mindfulness Practices for Body Awareness