Though the dieting industry teaches us to avoid putting on pounds, the truth is that our body weight fluctuates naturally throughout the day, the week, and the year. So, during a time of year when many are resolving to lose weight, a personal trainer known as janelledfit on Instagram wants us to instead embrace our holiday weight gain.
In a video, she flexes her arms and stands in different poses while POE's "Fly Away" plays. "Sure it all matters but in such an unimportant way," the lyrics go.
She echoes them in her caption. "The things that seem important, usually aren't. We are all a work in progress. We all have flaws. I gained 9 lbs over the break. Big whoop. Here it is. And I feel great, because i'm busting my ass in the gym and in my nutrition," she wrote. "And I will NOT compare myself to anyone but myself. ... How you FEEL over perfection ya all!"
Additionally, it's good to keep in mind that the idea that we gain weight during the holidays actually doesn't have much scientific evidence. On average, we gain about a pound between Thanksgiving and New Year's, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.
But if you do notice the scale going up or your pants fitting more snugly come January, that's nothing to worry about. And, as fitness blogger Sara Puhto pointed out over Thanksgiving, neither is a "food baby." Wellness can't be measured in pounds, inches, or any number, and a healthy attitude is just as important as a healthy body.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
7 Things Your Doctor Wants You To Stop Lying About
16 Super Achievable Fitness Goals That You’ll Feel Awesome About