Image by danielsampaioneto from Pixabay
Welcome to the “summer is here panic mode” season. The warm weather calls for less clothes, more parties, and even more selfies. It’s the perfect breeding ground for fad diets, transformation exercises, and of course “wellness plans”. The weight loss industry and “wellness influencers” are well aware of this “summer body” panic state, and use it to make you feel even worse about the way you look:
“Ready for summer????” “How to get a summer body!” “5 simple steps to achieve that dream body!” “Call now!”
It’s so enticing, and that bronze slim (and of course reaaaally healthy) body seems so achievable! But when inspiration is rooted in body shame, it’s never going to help you achieve what you truly want: knowing that you are enough.
The good news is that you don’t need to believe these lies! You don’t need to continue to struggle summer by summer with the bikini-body bullshit. Enough is enough! You are a precious human, and you are beach-worthy every single day. Here are a few ideas to help you navigate this and every next summer from now on.
- Build a shield against diet culture. Protect yourself from these lies. Read books, listen to podcasts, follow inspiring people, unfollow unhelpful ones. The diet and fitness industry keep operating on really outdated body ideals, but we are waking up! Join the revolution and free yourself!
- Shift the focus from weight loss to weight-neutral self-care practices. Eating well and exercising are of course important aspects of health, but they don’t have to be focused on shrinking your body. Choices that are rooted in kindness, compassion, and respect for your body will last and will become part of your life. Choose love not fear. Your body is unique, it’s yours, only you can find what self-care looks like for you.
- Embrace your summer fashion. Clothes should fit your body, not the other way around. That’s their job, to fit you! So forget about the number on the label and find clothes that feel comfortable to your beautiful and unique body! Use leggings for chafing, choose light materials, wear loose clothes, or tight ones if you feel like! Have you been dying to wear crop tops? Now is the time! Do you love horizontal stripes? Wear them! You are in charge of your style and fashion, not the magazines, not Instagram, and definitely not diet culture! And please …wear the swimsuit!
- Practising feeling confident. Confidence is way more than how you look.. It is a mindset. It’s in the way people carry themselves. Practicing walking proud, even if you don’t believe it today. There’s nothing to hide under that beach towel! You are a unique expression of the human race, believe it! But don’t forget the sunscreen!
- Order that ice cream. Ice cream is the best, no further explanation needed.
Happy summer!
