Summer Body?
As the weather gets warmer, the noise surrounding ‘summer bodies’ starts to get louder. It seems like every platform, whether it be social media, news articles, magazines, etc. starts to bombard us with comments on how to get ‘summer-ready’, before and after photos, ‘clean eating’, detoxes, and diets.
This time of year can feel overwhelming regardless of how peaceful your relationship with your body and food feels. Often feelings of comparison or urges to ‘fix’ your body start to creep in and can feel all-consuming.
Why this time of year can be so difficult
Spring and summer often come with increased exposure: more time outside, different clothing, and perhaps more social events.
But it’s more than just that, we see a surge in messaging that equates thinness with worth, health, or confidence, often promoting idealized body types that can reinforce body dissatisfaction and disordered behaviors.
So if your brain feels louder right now, it makes sense. This kind of messaging is getting louder too.
The “summer body” myth
To be clear: a “summer body” is not something that you earn. You do not need to shrink, tone, detox, or ‘discipline’ your body to deserve to exist in warm weather, wear certain clothes, or enjoy your life.
The notion that your body needs to change for a specific season is not something you have to buy into. Your body is already allowed to:
- take up space
- be seen
- be nourished
- experience joy
How to deal with the noise
The noise will inevitably continue to show up, so instead of pretending it isn’t there, use some strategies that allow you to be intentional about how you respond to it:
- Curate what you’re consuming – notice what accounts, ads, conversations, etc. leave you feeling worse. It’s okay to unfollow, mute, or step back. Protecting your mental space is part of taking care of yourself.
- Practice neutral thoughts rather than perfect thoughts – You don’t have to jump to loving your body every day. Instead of “I love my body”, you may try: “my body is allowed to exist as it is today” or “my worth is not determined by my appearance”.
- Shift the focus from appearance to experience – Body image struggles often pull us into how we look, rather than how we live, attempt to ask yourself what you want to feel this summer and notice how
- Be ready for potentially triggering conversations – unfortunately, it is impossible to fully escape the noise, but being prepared to handle it as it comes is an important skill. If conversations come up with peers, have gentle boundaries ready such as “I’m not focusing on that right now”, “I’m just approaching things a little differently these days”, or simply changing the subject.
- Stay connected to your support system – finally, it’s important not to go at this alone, whether it’s your therapist, dietitian, trusted friends/loved ones, relying on this support can make a big difference.
A different way to move through summer
Consider taking this summer as an opportunity to enjoy your body as it is now. Rather than trying to change your body to fit arbitrary ideals, try to simply be present and honor what/how you and your body feels.
This might look like:
- eating consistently and adequately
- saying yes to plans that sound fun without calculating food first
- wearing clothes that feel comfortable, not punishing
- allowing yourself to be seen without waiting to be “ready”
A final reminder
You don’t have to ‘earn’ summer, you are allowed to take up space this summer exactly as you are. There is no need to ‘fix’ your body before you participate in life. If the noise gets loud, try to come back to these ideas.
Written by Crisman Arnold, dietetic intern
