Healthy Self-Care: Overcoming Obesity Denial, Depression, and Anxiety

Now people are coming back to life after 12 months of COVID lockdowns and life adjustments, and now it is time to be overcoming obesity denial, with purpose and without shame. Let’s be honest, there’s nothing like a global pandemic and major lifestyle interruption to screw up our healthy living plans, and many of us were doing so well just before COVID hit. Meanwhile, others thought about losing weight and never really thought too much about obesity until it was on the nightly news, a comorbidity increasing the risk of serious COVID illnesses or death. Hopefully, obesity awareness is something to come from the pandemic, and more will lose weight and stop the silent killer.  

As we all pick ourselves up and get back into our habits and routines, we should all spend some time thinking about self-care and mental health. While most people admit they have been sad, lost motivation, and felt anxiety and depression symptoms over the pandemic, fewer wonder if they’ve recovered. Nobody is alone, having thoughts like, “I just can’t seem to get back to my old self.”  

Here at Smaller U Weightloss, we know how major life events affect the ability to meet weight loss goals. Of course, COVID triggered those old stress releasers and few are alone in regretting a few too many to-go margaritas and appetizer samplers. Next door, the neighbor couldn’t go to the gym and could only mow the lawn and walk the block for exercise. Things looked pretty bleak for many, but now it is time to get back to health and weight loss goals.

Self-Care is Critical for Health and Lifestyle Habits, Despite COVID-19

Self-care is critical for good health and lifestyle habits. To get back and stay on track, it is important to focus on depression, anxiety, and overcoming obesity denial. Obesity and weight problems became especially challenging during COVID-19 as many suffered depression, anxiety, and denial, affecting their self-care.  

Take a holistic approach to health and wellness decisions when you are focused on losing weight and living a healthier life. Self-Care is defined differently for unique individuals, and everyone has action items that help them maintain good physical and mental health. Feeling good physically is important to people who also want to feel good mentally. There are many social and psychological factors affecting good mental health. For example, the positive praise among peers motivates us to continue earning praise, for whatever reason. When something like a pandemic prevents people from spending time with one another, we suffer a temporary loss.  

CDC: COVID-19/Coping with Stress

COVID-19 Shutdowns, Health Concerns, and Family Stress Affects Self-Care

How is anyone expected to keep a smile on their face, maintain a weight loss plan, and continue with positive affirmations in a completely disrupted world? COVID-19 has made it extremely difficult for many people to function since mid-spring 2020. Over a year later, many families still struggle to get back on track, before being the road to success had a surprise detour.  

Everyone can decide whether they let COVID rule their life and dictate self-care. While some people saw the onset of the pandemic as an excuse to coast for a while, others said, “No, I am not going to let this derail my life!” So, even though it is jokingly okay for some to give in and make unhealthy choices, the people committed to their self-care found a way to exercise and eat right despite the global pandemic and its physical, mental, and emotional challenges.  

Addiction Help Guide: Self-Medicating Depression, Anxiety, and Stress

Being Aware of Depression and Self Esteem During a Pandemic Crisis

Depression is a serious medical illness, that without proper attention, can overtake one’s routine, habits, and daily activities. In certain forms, depression is diagnosed by a doctor and can be treated with proper medication. Anyone with serious concerns about severe depression and thoughts of harm should seek the care of a mental health professional. Depression, in common forms, can be treated by focusing on what is making the person feeling sad and why they are losing interest in normal activities. The lingering lack of motivation can be caused by all kinds of situations, including COVID its impacts on society.  

Losing weight and living healthier takes work and commitment. When we reach our goals, we want to show people how good we look, and those compliments are important reinforcers that the hard work is worth it. Meanwhile, during a global pandemic, half the world is joking about living off takeout food and delivered alcohol.  

Being Honest About Food and Cultural Preconceptions About Obesity

A big meal always makes it better, right? Ever noticed going out to eat and having a cheat day seems to be the way people celebrate as well as grieve? Breaking bread together is an important part of many cultures and traditions. Another cultural tradition is stress and anxiety eating. Anyone who has watched more than a few episodes of the Golden Girls knows that whenever something serious happens, the ladies have a ceremonial sit-down in the kitchen with ice cream, a pie, or some sort of sweet dessert, making some of us at home hungry ourselves.  

Denial vs. Self-Care Following Years of Protecting Obesity

• In our family, we are just big boned
• Jimmy plays sports so he is a good eater

• She’s about to hit a growth spurt as her sisters did
• John has that thyroid thing, you know it’s in his family

For generations, we have made excuses for being overweight, fat, and obese. Those who want to still say big-boned, that is fine, so long as they understand it is killing them. Over 70.4 percent of Americans are obese, which is a contributing factor to heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, cancer, and more. To practice self-care is to work at being fit in healthy in all ways, especially in weight and body mass.  

Meanwhile, our little sayings, excuses, and all the ads on television make it easy to excuse and ignore weight and obesity. We hear about and focus on serious diseases, but we tend to ignore obesity as an underlying contributing factor. But who wants to remind someone of their weight and COVID risk?  

“A respected physician once said to me recently, when he is seeing an obese patient, he rarely directly discusses the patient’s weight. If he does, he knows he may never see that patient again. Obesity continues to kill. Obesity is associated with significant physiological and psychological consequences including increased depression, anxiety, and decreased self-esteem. It can also lead to disordered eating, avoidance of physical activity and avoidance of medical care.” Valerie Maclin,Smaller U Weightloss Founder

Use COVID as the Opportunity to Stop Excusing Obesity and Denial

Obesity is killing us. A global pandemic immediately makes people aware of their health and ability to fight mortality. The thought that a novel Coronavirus could kill us or a loved one was unthinkable not long ago. COVID-19 put health in the spotlight and focused on respiratory health. Meanwhile, obesity caught needed attention for often being a comorbidity source factor. People with obesity were at a greater risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

We do not want to talk about it, but we know if we are overweight. Imagine having COVID complications from being obese. What if you watched a friend or family member suffering because of their weight and difficulty breathing? If COVID is the needed wake-up call, good. It may be difficult losing weight and staying motivated while the world is uncertain, but it is doable, and the Smaller U Weightloss Program results can be forever.  

Learn to Live Self-Care at Smaller U Weightloss, Through the Life-Changing Program

Trust us to break the fall when it all gets to be too much. Instead of thinking about that breaking point, think about that break-through point! Being on the Smaller U Weightloss Program, a personal counselor is there to facilitate a new lifestyle of better eating habits, improving quality of life. The educational tools we use help make it easier to overcome even the biggest life challenges. Take advantage of the Smaller U Weightloss Program tools and education to unlock a lifetime of weight loss management, keeping the weight off, and keeping the self-esteem up. Overcoming obesity denial is the first step to real self-care with a healthier and more fulfilling life.  

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