One Woman Explains Why Weight *Gain* Is an Important Part of Her Fitness Journey
In a world where weight loss is usually the ultimate goal, putting on a few pounds can often be a source of disappointment and anxiety—that’s not true for influencer Anelsa, who recently shared why she’s wholeheartedly embracing her weight gain.
“One of my followers asked me if I liked the weight I am now or the weight I was before and it’s a question I’ve been asked before,” she recently wrote on Instagram alongside three photos of herself.
In each photo, Anelsa appears to be a different weight. While most photos like this are all about physical transformation, Anelsa’s post explores her mental shift. In the caption, she revealed how she’s found value in each part of her journey. “I truly love my body the way it was before and the way it is now simply because I got to understand my body at all its different stages and phases,” she wrote. “It also allowed me to educate myself and fuel my mind at every stage of my journey.”
That journey has led Anelsa to where she is today—maybe a few pounds heavier, but much more in tune with her body and mind. “If I’m to pick one, I love my body now because the journey leading up to my weight gain has taught me a lot about myself,” she wrote. “It has allowed me to focus on my body holistically versus just one aspect of it which was my outer appearance. It also allowed me to be vulnerable and share transparency with others and resonate on a deeper level with women just like me that looked at their weight gain as a struggle and a defeat.”
That isn’t to say that the road has been easy. “Don’t get me wrong I’ve experienced that same defeat on my end but I made a conscious choice not to stay defeated but not everyone can find the courage to do so,” she wrote.
By being honest about her changing body, Anelsa has found a community of women who’ve been through the “same exact fear, struggle, and defeat” that comes with weight gain, but have chosen to learn from it, move forward, and continue to strive for the best version of themselves. “This [is] why I changed my training style to show you all that fitness is attainable,” she wrote. “Though I sometimes go to the gym just for the human socialization and to utilize equipment I don’t have in my home you do not need an expensive gym membership to show up for yourself daily and develop your best self.”
Anelsa’s post is a great reminder that not every fitness journey is the same, nor is it linear. There are bound to be ups and downs but it’s the desire to grow from those experiences that makes all the difference.
Source – Shape
Kudos to her for appreciating her body after those rigorous routine.