Conquer Body Image Anxiety and Take Back Your Summer
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Maybe you’re excited for the warmer weather with fun trips to the beach, backyard grill outs, hiking outside, and lots of sunshine. But maybe you’re also dreading summer.
Pulling out the swimsuits, shorts, and tank tops from the back of your closet can feel intimidating. Lighter clothing can often highlight more of our personal insecurities.
Have you ever missed out on summer activities because you didn’t think that your body was “good enough”?
The shame we feel about our bodies can ruin our summer plans, and we end up making sacrifices like passing on swimming at the beach or skipping the tank top even when the heat calls for it.
You DESERVE to enjoy summertime without your body image anxiety stealing all of its potential.
Let’s get into what got our society started with the pressure we feel to attain a “summer body” and tips for you to navigate this.
*Please note that I’m aware it may be easier for me to speak about this topic because of my thin privilege, living in a straight size, able-bodied body. Not everyone has the same experience because people get treated differently based on their body size. My hope is that regardless of the body you occupy, you know that you’re worthy of a fun summer just as you are.
The “Bikini Body” Is a Marketing Tactic
Summer is another chance for the $72 billion dieting industry to maximize profits. We’ve all seen the advertisements and commercials bombarding us with juice cleanses and “swimsuit ready diet plans.”
Here’s the deal. The term “bikini body” is only a marketing scheme.
A new weight loss company called Slenderella developed the term “bikini body” in the 1960s to use in their campaign tagline.
Marketers wanted to amplify women’s insecurities during the summer months as a fast and easy way to increase sales.
Magazines and newspapers gave priority to showcasing unrealistic and fabricated “bikini bodies” on their covers to attract women’s attention.
The pressure we feel to meet society’s standards of an “ideal body type” is a result of marketing tactics like this one, which are STILL used today.
If you’re feeling insecure about your body this summer, try asking “Who is profiting from this insecurity?”
Are You Self-Conscious Around People You Haven’t Seen in a While?
It can be difficult to face seeing people after it’s been a while, especially if you know that your body looks different than the last time they saw you. Here are some thoughts about this.
If someone is judging your body, it says a lot more about who they are as a person rather than who you are.
Those who are genuine and care about you, don’t worry about what your body looks like, they just want to be with YOU!
People are usually too busy worrying about how their OWN bodies look instead of worrying about yours.
Tips for Conquering Body Image Anxiety
Prioritize Your Here-and-Now Body
No matter what your body looked like in the past or how it might look different in the future (because hello, our bodies will change throughout life) the key is to honor your CURRENT body with clothes that fit.
If you’re finding that your summer clothes feel too tight or you simply don’t feel good in them, they need to go! Negative body image thoughts tend to increase when our clothing distracts us.
Wearing your appropriate size that feels comfortable and suits your style helps you think about your body a lot LESS and allows you to be MORE present in your life!
Thrift stores are awesome for donating old clothing and finding a variety of new clothes on a budget too! Remember, steer away from the mirror and avoid looking at the tag too much, focus on what feels best.
Choose Your Own Pace
If you would prefer not to wear certain summer clothing, there’s no need to force yourself. But if you’d like to incorporate summer clothes that feel challenging to you, you can always ease into it.
Small actions like these can help manage your body image anxiety while also pushing yourself towards your long term goals regarding summer clothing.
A coverup over your swimsuit can help you get used to wearing a swimsuit if you don’t want to make the full leap yet. The fact that you put a swimsuit on and went to the pool could be a win in itself! Focus on the victories!
If you’re wanting to wear a pair of shorts, but showing your legs feels overwhelming, a light sweater tied around your waist can help you become more familiar with wearing shorts.
Take advantage of comfortable settings where you can practice wearing clothes you’d like to get accustomed to. Wear your tank top around your house or on some errands that you need to run. Practice helps!
This is your journey and YOU get to decide how it goes and what works for you! Whatever type of summer clothing you choose, you deserve to rock it.
Pay Attention to Body Diversity
Sometimes we need to take the focus off ourselves and notice all the shapes and sizes around us. You’ll see that there’s tons of different people in tons of different bodies doing summer activities!
The people lounging at the pool, walking in the park, eating yummy food, and enjoying summer gatherings with friends ALL have diverse bodies!
Let go of the belief that you have to have a “perfect summer body” in order to participate in the fun. A certain body type is NOT a prerequisite to enjoy yourself.
Summertime can also be a great opportunity to clean out and diversify your social media feed. Becoming aware of the body diversity around you as well as online can make a BIG difference in helping you rewire any beliefs that you might have about bodies.
Practice Body Acceptance for a Life that You Value
If you’re consumed with body thoughts, you’re going to miss out on all the good things that summer has to offer!
Letting your body simply BE, without scrutinizing it or judging it, will free up your thought space for things that you value like people, experiences, conversations, and making memories.
Rather than thinking about what your body looks like at the beach, think about how your body allows you to float in the salty water and feel the ocean breeze.
You don’t have to love your body, but you can choose to accept it right now, regardless of its shape or size, and give your attention to what’s important to you.
Do You Feel Stuck with Body Image Anxiety this Summer?
As a registered dietitian, I often see that a complicated relationship with food goes hand in hand with body image struggles.
My virtual 1-on-1 coaching will give you the tools you need to develop into an intuitive eater as well as support for improving your body image. Apply here to get started, I’d love to start this journey to healing with you!