Dealing with the Discomfort of WEIGHT GAIN

Hi all. SO - I wanted to touch upon a very uncomfortable topic that truly doesn't appear easy for anyone. After a recent Instagram post of mine (picture included below), I received several questions about how to mentally cope with the physical changes that occur during growth phases. Whether gains are being made for reasons of restoring health, OR simply to increase muscle mass after hard work in the gym - I'm not convinced that increasing in size is comfortable for anyone.

The changes are subtle at first. Think about it... YOU spend the most time with yourself and it may take you longest to notice an increased size without of course monitoring the scale. Gradually, your clothes begin to feel more snug... you feel fuller/fluffier in the mirror and in pictures... friends may notice, family may mention something... believe me, I've received every comment from "wow, YOUR BOOTY IS POPPIN' GIRL" to "you looked better smaller".

Over the course of 3 years, weight gain has been a constant pursuit of mine. Initially it was a very quick and uncomfortable process in the stages where my health was most at stake. I felt severe bloating pain each night from an immense increase in calories I desperately needed. Flash forward 1-2 years, and my goals of gaining are much more relaxed, gradual, and actually a challenge I have grown to enjoy. My caloric increase is rough and estimated, and I view my progress in the gym as a result of increased food intake. My body fat % has certainly increased but with that has come solid muscle mass due to hard work in weight training.

SO, what exactly did I do to make this transition more comfortable?? A few things.
1. I put the damn scale away. NOW, this is definitely a controversial move and I do agree that there can be a time and a place for a scale to have its purpose. Those with positive relationships with food or those in bodybuilding/figure competitions may truly utilize a scale as a helpful tool, for both gaining weight and cutting. However, I became obsessed over readings of my scale each morning and I formed a toxic relationship with the numbers I saw. If I were over a certain number (by 0.1 mind you), I wouldn't allow myself to "cheat" that day with any foods that weren't wholesome, nutritious, raw, or organic. Essentially, the silly numbers on the scale controlled my mindset and prevented me from gaining weight that my body was pleading for. If this is something that could also be holding you back, give it a try. Give it ONE WEEK... See how you feel. I promise the weight gain will become easier.

2. I WENT SHOPPING. Okay, first of all I have a slight shopping addiction. HAHA so this step of the journey was one of the easiest for me.😂During the underweight stage of my life, I did purchase quite a few new items because of how loosely everything else began to fit. As the weight gain began, I gave away all of the shorts, tops, dresses, bras, and bathing suits that were only eliciting extreme uneasiness whenever they were squeezing too tightly. THIS was the difficult part, but re-stocking my closet with new and improved items was a blast. I bought new jeans and workout apparel that were comfortable again and even provided stretch to anticipate a further weight increase.

3. I kindly asked loved ones to avoid weight-related comments. You seriously might think I'm kidding... but I'm dead serious. In the first stages of my weight gain, comments were REALLY difficult to receive. I rationally knew I was too thin at the time, but every time I heard "Wow Colleen, you're looking great", or "Your hard work really shows!", I took those to mean I'm appearing larger to those around me. The comments were nowhere near malicious but my distorted mindset twisted them to be painful to hear. However, I'm now at the point where the booty gain comments are nothing but flattering HAHA I've certainly passed the point where weight gain is excruciatingly uncomfortable and I can appreciate now that people notice the hard work I put in.
LOL my mom is still too traumatized to say anything... each time I see her, she comments on my hair and/or makeup to avoid any potential discomfort. I'm always like MA c'mon check my tri's doe jeez.

4. I became comfortable with being uncomfortable. Lastly, I accepted the fact that gaining weight will never completely be a fun process, at least for myself. Seeing and feeling myself increase in size might always be a struggle for me, and that's perfectly OKAY. I used to be so hard on myself for feeling discomfort and shameful, BUT I AM HUMAN. DISCOMFORT IS NORMAL. I've come to realize that progress is only made when you push yourself outside your comfort zone, something I now do very often. It used to feel safe for me to eat ONLY if I had burned enough calories during the day, so that was what I would allow myself. I used to only feel content in my body if I had been a certain weight on the scale or size in jeans, so I would restrict myself within those limits. And where did this mindset take me? RIGHT BACK TO THE SAME DARN SPOT. No progress was ever made within the bounds of a comfort zone.
I now push myself daily, especially in consuming more calories. I logically know that higher calorie options and the feelings of fullness will only fuel my goals. I STILL experience uneasiness and I'm unsure when that will completely fade, but I am currently much better equipped than I used to be in coping with the discomforting sensations.

In conclusion, I believe that properly dealing with gaining weight is such a mind game and may differ among all individuals. I commend and congratulate those that have an easy time with it mentally, because I know myself and so many others struggle with thoughts of weight gain on a usual basis.
I hope these few simple tips of mine serve as helpful to those working through a similar situation. If you take anything away from this, please remember that discomfort is okay and totally normal. Feelings of uneasiness show that hard work is being done outside your comfort zone... and results will come.

Hope you enjoyed the read, and that you return for more very soon!😊
Comments and questions always welcome.
XOXO - Coco