Drew Barrymore details intense struggles with emotions and weight while in quarantine

"It's a learning curve, and, hopefully, this is all happening for a reason."

July 9, 2020, 12:04 PM

As many have discovered, staying in shape while in quarantine is a challenge. In fact, the phrase "COVID-15" was coined because of how many people gained weight during the pandemic.

One such person is Drew Barrymore, who opened up to InStyle, as the magazine's August cover star, about her weight struggles while in lockdown.

"I have to work so hard at not being the size of a bus," the "Blended" actress joked, adding that she feels zero shame. "And it's OK. That is just my journey. That is my karma. I don't know, maybe I was thin and mean in a past life."

Barrymore also touched upon the additional challenges presented by the pandemic -- like taking charge of her daughters' education, which left her feeling "very overwhelmed."

"It was weird to be a mom and a teacher and a provider and a friend. I felt sad for a while that I was all I could offer my children," the 45-year-old -- who shares daughters Olive, 7, and Frankie, 6, with ex-husband Will Kopelman -- explained. "Then I realized that I had to get out from under it."

How she found her way around it was to remind herself that quarantine is temporary.

"I tell my kids that too. It's not normal; it's the new normal. It's a learning curve, and, hopefully, this is all happening for a reason. Timing is everything -- and this is not a time to get lost; it is a time to be found," she added.

Her new mindset during the pandemic is to remain optimistic.

"You can't be fueled by negativity," she noted. "That's why, to me, what's happening now in the world does not feel negative; it feels overdue."