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:

Check in with how you feel (not just how you look)
Remember your body is a process - not a finished product
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

Articles tagged "covid-19-impact"

Articles tagged "covid-19-impact"

Body Image & Self-Acceptance During COVID-19