When Panic Over Weight Gain Hits, Read This

You’ve been learning to trust your body again. You’ve stepped off the hamster wheel of dieting and started to honor your hunger, your fullness, and your satisfaction. You’ve made peace with food—at least most days. But then, it happens: the jeans are tighter, the number on the scale is higher, or you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror—and suddenly, the old panic sets in. Maybe you start Googling the fastest ways to lose weight or wonder if it’s time to go back to counting macros or cutting carbs.

If your first instinct is to “fix it” by dieting again, pause with me for a moment.

Because what you’re feeling isn’t failure—it’s fear. And that fear? It’s a normal, predictable part of unlearning diet culture. It doesn’t mean you’re going backward. It means you’re healing.

Why This Feels So Intense (And What’s Really Going On)

We’ve been conditioned—our entire lives—to see weight gain as a moral failure. That’s not your fault. Most of us were raised in a culture that equates thinness with worth, health, and discipline. So when your body changes, even slightly, it feels like an alarm bell going off inside you.

But here’s the truth: weight changes are normal. In fact, they’re often a good sign—especially when you’re coming out of years (or decades) of restriction. If you’ve been dieting, your body has likely been in survival mode, bracing against famine. When you stop restricting, your body breathes a metaphorical sigh of relief. The weight shifts you’re seeing might simply be your body recalibrating—finding safety, balance, and nourishment again.

This doesn’t mean intuitive eating isn’t working. It means your body is doing exactly what it’s designed to do.

Want to explore this more? I wrote about the deeper layers of grieving the body changes that come with quitting dieting here.

Dieting Creates the Illusion of Control

It’s tempting to run back to dieting when you feel out of control. The rules, the structure, the sense of doing something—they all feel like relief in the moment. But here’s what most people don’t realize: dieting is what got you here in the first place.

Restricting food triggers biological responses that make you think about food more, slow your metabolism, and often lead to binge eating or regaining even more weight later. Your body isn’t broken. It’s protecting you. And that’s why the idea of control that dieting sells us is an illusion. What you’re really doing with intuitive eating is building something better—a sustainable relationship with food, rooted in trust and respect.

What If Your Weight Keeps Going Up?

This is a valid question. Yes, some weight gain is expected for many people when they stop restricting—but it’s not unlimited or uncontrollable. In fact, for most people, your body will eventually settle at a stable, healthy weight range (also known as your set point weight). If you’ve been honoring your hunger, fullness, and satisfaction for 6 to 12 months and your weight is still rising steadily, it’s okay to get curious—not judgmental. Ask: Am I truly connected to my cues? Are there emotional needs showing up through food? Are there other factors (like perimenopause or medical conditions) at play?

You don’t have to blindly accept endless weight changes. But you also don’t need to micromanage your body. Curiosity and compassion are key.

The Meaning We Attach to Weight Gain Is the Problem

Let’s say your dog needed a haircut. You’d notice it and schedule the appointment. No spiral. No shame. But when you gain a few pounds, that neutral observation turns into a crisis. Why?

Because of the meaning we attach to weight. You’ve been taught to believe that gaining weight means you’re lazy, unattractive, undisciplined, or unhealthy. But those are beliefs—not truths. And you get to question them.

In fact, let’s do a thought experiment. Imagine we lived in a world that celebrated weight gain and saw thinness as unhealthy. If the number on the scale went up, you’d be excited. That’s how powerful the narrative is.

To explore how these cultural messages shape our emotional responses, check out this blog on feeling judged for eating intuitively.

How to Ride the Wave of Body Image Panic

So what do you do when the panic hits?

Start by breathing. Seriously. Deep, intentional breathing can calm your nervous system in just a few minutes. Then, name the feeling: “I’m feeling scared about my weight,” or “I feel shame about how my body looks today.” Naming your emotions helps you separate from them.

Next, get curious: What story am I telling myself right now? Is it true? Where did I learn it?

Shift toward neutrality. You don’t have to love your body today. Just try saying: “This is the body I have right now.” And dress in something comfortable. Clothes that fit your here-and-now body are not a luxury—they’re a necessity.

Avoid body checking, comparing, or doom-scrolling through diet culture content (yes, that includes “SkinnyTok”). Reconnect with things that bring you joy. And remind yourself that this feeling won’t last forever.

You’re Not Failing—You’re Feeling

This journey isn’t linear. There will be days where the shame hits hard. There will be moments when the old beliefs whisper, “Just lose a little weight and you’ll feel better.” But what’s waiting for you on the other side is so much bigger than a smaller body. It’s peace. Freedom. Energy. Mental space. Confidence that comes from within.

You don’t have to figure this out alone.

Come to the Free Masterclass: What’s Weighing On You

If you’ve been wrestling with weight gain after quitting dieting—or if you’re scared it might happen and you don’t know how you’ll handle it—I created a free masterclass just for you.

Join me for What’s Weighing On You on Monday, May 12th at 6:00 PM Central. We’ll talk about:

• Why weight gain happens when you stop dieting
• How to find your body’s natural set point weight
• What to do when fear and shame start to take over
• How to feel better in your body—without dieting

Save your seat here. A replay will be available if you can’t attend live.

🎧 Listen & subscribe:
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Referenced Episode: Ep. 183 – Before You Panic About Weight Gain, Let’s Talk About What’s Actually Happening

Looking for more support on your journey to food freedom and body acceptance?

Save your spot in my FREE masterclass What’s Weighing On You

Explore the self-paced mini-course Stepping Off The Dieting Rollercoaster

Listen to episode #119: Grieving the Things You’ve Lost to Diet Culture with Erin Kinzel

Join the Intuitive Eating Made Easy Facebook Group

Grab my FREE Daily 3 Body Kindness Journal Pages

Intuitive eating education on the blog.

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