Getting Back in Shape After Divorce

Overview

Divorce can be devastating, especially when you don’t see it coming. When you don’t spot the warning signs, or there aren’t really any warning signs to see, your spouse telling you that they want a divorce can feel like getting hit by a truck that you never saw coming. You can feel destroyed and have trouble figuring out what happened.

If you’ve suddenly found yourself in this unfortunate situation, you’re going to have to heal and move on eventually. However, the mental and physical toll of divorce, especially a sudden one, is going to take time.

If you’re looking for solutions to help speed up the healing process, one of the best ways to begin getting your life back can be to start by reclaiming your body. Here’s where to start…

Do It for Yourself

The main thing to focus on after a divorce is your children if you have any. For those without children, or after you have seen to your child’s needs, the most important thing to worry about is taking care of yourself. One of the primary necessities you may feel after a divorce is the need to get back in control.

Control

The end of any relationship that you didn’t choose to end can feel like a complete loss of control. You didn’t get to decide to end the relationship, and you most likely can’t do anything to stop it. Sure, there are people who get dumped who are able to persuade their partner not to leave. However, these cases are not the norm, and most of the time, when this does happen, the relationship is unable to go back to what it was before and eventually ends anyway.

A divorce can make you feel like your life is spinning, and you need to grab onto something to stabilize. Often, the easiest thing to take control of is your body. After all, you have 24-hour access to it, and you have sole control over it. Sometimes a person has a route to quickly take control over other aspects of their life, such as their career. However, usually, that is not something that can quickly be controlled and relies on cooperation from others.

Changing your diet and exercise habits can quickly begin to show results. A week or two after changing things up, you may start to see real results with a solid drop of a few pounds on the scales and looser fitting pants. Reaching that first noticeable result can be an amazing feeling and push you to strive for more. While everything else is falling apart, you have taken control and begun to improve one area of your life.

That one improvement can help to give you hope that you can eventually regain control of the rest of your life. That hope can make you feel like you have hit the bottom and begun the climb back up to a better future.

Depression

During a divorce, it is very easy to slip into an uncontrollable depression. Life can feel hopeless. You can feel like you wasted your best years with the wrong person or that you have forever lost the right person and will never find what you had again.

Exercise can help fight your depression and anxiety. Your body and mind are connected in many ways, and improving the function of the body can help to boost the mind. Exercise releases endorphins that can help improve your mood. It also works as a good distraction that can keep your mind focused on your body rather than your other problems.

In addition, exercise can help you to gain confidence as your body improves, and you are able to do physical activities that you might not have been capable of in the past.

Divorce is often stressful, and we tend to carry a lot of our stress in our bodies. Exercise can help you to release that stress and reduce your blood pressure. It will definitely help you focus, which can really come in handy during a divorce. Divorce planning is of higher importance in a contested divorce. Because of this, you will want to be on top of everything, and exercise can give you the drive you need to do just that.

Do It for Revenge

Everyone has heard the old adage, “the best revenge is living well.” This might not seem like a very good revenge strategy in all situations. However, it certainly can be effective when it comes to divorce. While the guy who cut you off in traffic, probably won’t feel the pain of your getting back in shape, an ex-spouse very well might. There are even cases where your ex-partner could try bullying you.

A spouse who left because they felt like there was someone better out there may feel that they have made a mistake when they see how good you look. Especially because with the other benefits of a healthy diet and exercise, they will notice more than just the fact that you have gotten in shape. They will be able to see that you exude more confidence and that you have a better outlook on life.

Since there is often a ripple effect from improving your health, there may be other improvements in your life that will make your ex jealous. Your higher confidence levels may have given you the courage to ask for a promotion at work, and because of your improved energy, your boss may feel it is warranted.

The Bottom Line

There are many ways in which you can get your life moving in the right direction after a divorce, and proper diet and exercise are a great way to start. You may make your ex forget why they ever wanted to leave you in the first place as you move on to a better life without them.

About Theresa Duncan

Originally from Detroit, MI, Theresa has been offering health and fitness advice for the last 30 years while working as an engineer. She decided to turn her passion into a profession, and finds nothing more satisfying than helping others reach their health and fitness goals.