There’s no way around it, this past year of pandemic living has been hard. Like, really hard.
It’s been a year of neverending stress, masks and hand sanitizer, social distancing, and not wearing real pants. And let’s face it, it’s starting to show.
Because many of us have been coping by eating our feelings. And it’s been A LOT of feelings. It’s a literal feast of feelings. And chocolate is comforting dammit.
I don’t know about you but for the past few months, I’ve been systematically avoiding looking at myself in the mirror. If I don’t actually see the “quarantine 15” do they really even exist? And also, stretchy leggings are life now.
But it’s not just us common folk who have fallen victim to packing on the pandemic pounds as we seek comfort in carbs. It would seem that no one is immune. Even those with bank accounts the size of small countries who can afford personal chefs, personal gyms, and personal trainers.
Because celebrities? They’re just like us. Apparently.
Will Smith recently went viral on Instagram for keeping it ALL THE WAY real when he posted a pic of his pandemic bod, and it may possibly be the most relatable post EVER.
He captioned it with:
I’m gonna be real wit yall – I’m in the worst shape of my life.
Same dude same.
Smith is known for his fit Hollywood movie star physique. Remember Ali? Or I Am Legend?
Here’s a little refresher:
But not anymore. This time Smith is showing off his softer side and “gettin’ jiggly wit it.”
His latest photo shows him, jacket unzipped, sporting a typical “dad bod” and it’s definitely a departure from his ripped and chiseled Bad Boys days.
The post received more than 6M likes and nearly 96K comments and has garnered praise for its honesty:
“This is the most amazing post in the history of social media,”
And:
“Thank you!!! Aren’t we all after this pandemic?”
(Yes, yes we are.)
The 52-year-old followed up the initial IG post with a second, even more revealing, post. One that lets it all hang out. And we love him for it.
It’s a welcome reprieve from the perfectly curated insta-photo-shopped-world where self-confidence goes to die. But it also gives us a welcome reminder to appreciate our pandemic bodies.
Smith acknowledges his own body for getting him through the past few months and gives it the love it so richly deserves.
This time he states, in part:
This is the body that carried me through an entire pandemic and countless days grazing thru the pantry.
I love this body, but I wanna FEEL better.
And OMG, could he be any more relatable? But also, a million yeses. His body has carried him through a deadly public health crisis that has infected 33,276,988 people and killed 592,456 in the United States alone. And so has yours.
Even if you don’t contract the virus, it’s already taken its toll, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
We should all be celebrating the hell out of ourselves, extra love handles and all.
We are surviving a pan-de-mic. We are doing things we never imagined we would have to do:
- Living in lockdown
- Being with family All day. Every day.
- Separated from friends and extended loved ones for months on end
- Feeling lonely while never being alone
- Social distancing
- Wearing masks
- Excessively disinfecting and hand sanitizing
- Surviving a toilet paper crisis
- Working from home
- Virtual Schooling
- Working from home WHILE virtual schooling
- Taking on multiple roles and responsibilities
- Losing jobs
- Losing businesses
- Losing our villages
- Losing our minds
- Worrying if our kids are okay
- Worrying if we’re okay
- Worrying about our health, our finances, our future, the world.
It’s all that AND a bag of chips. (Literally with the chips.)
This shit is tough. We have had to pivot, readjust, and pivot again. And just when you think things are going to get better, wham, we’re hit with another tidal wave.
We are beyond exhausted. We are flooded and barely treading water. Sometimes we fear that we may drown.
And the weight that we have been carrying on our shoulders has gone straight to our hips.
Hellooooo comfort food. Goodbye jeans.
There’s a reason they call it “comfort food.” Because it’s comforting.
And if there was ever a time that we needed comfort, it’s during a global pandemic. And clearly, Will Smith agrees.
But now he’s ready to get up and put the midnight muffins down.
He ends his post by saying:
No more midnight muffins…this is it! Imma get in the BEST SHAPE OF MY LIFE!!!!! Teaming up with @YouTube to get my health & wellness back on track. Hope it works!
He is teaming up with YouTube to recapture his pre-pandemic body glory days.
And we applaud him for it. If he’s ready and wants to shed his pandemic pounds, by all means, go for it.
But don’t feel like you have to. Those jeans that no longer fit you? They don’t define who you are. That number on the scale? It doesn’t measure your worth.
Your body, with all its jiggly bits, has gotten you here. 14 months later. Over a year after the world shut down and our lives were irrevocably changed. It has gotten you through a dumpster fire of epic proportions.
And it deserves all the love.
Instead of beating yourself up over gaining some weight, try remembering what your body has gotten you through. I think a notch or two on your belt is worth it, don’t you?
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