4 Ways to deal with a Negative Body Image during a Pandemic
I was working at the front desk of a gym when it was announced that San Francisco residents must shelter in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
That afternoon we were swamped with calls from people asking if we were going to close our doors due to these orders. When we answered yes the response from many of the members was: anger, frustration, and in some cases panic
Now what am I going to do?
This is ridiculous! How will we exercise?
Do you think you’ll reopen in 2 weeks?
People also rushed in to purchase what little workout equipment we had left and voiced frustration and anxiety about exercise equipment being sold out nearly everywhere.
In the face of a pandemic with a new, contagious, and deadly virus it may seem odd to some that people were so worried, upset, and anxious about gym closures but I wasn’t surprised.
I had worked in the Fitness Industry for 15 years and I knew that for some the gym closures weren’t just an inconvenience, the gym closures brought anxiety and stress about: missing workouts, loss of control along with uncertainty, and fear of weight gain and struggles with negative body image.
