How To Have a Better Summer Body (Image)

As summer approaches, we’re flooded with conversations about our bodies: talk about trying to attain a “beach body,” general chitchat about wishing we were thinner/more toned/more or less curvy, and shopping for clothes that are more revealing. 

It can be tough. I like to use this time to encourage people to instead strive for a better attitude towards their bodies. Here are five ways to quiet the seasonal chatter and cultivate more comfort in your own skin:

Change the dialogue in your head

For every unkind thought you catch yourself thinking, replace it with one that makes you feel good. For example, replace “I look fat” with “My worth is not defined by my size” or “I am allowed to take up space.” You can have fun with it, too, if that works for you! 

Come up with your own replacement phrases – write them down or put them in your phone’s notes app for easy reference.

Acknowledge what your body does for you

Instead of using negative words when referring to your body, think about how your body allows you to do the things that matter most to you. 

For example, if you’re feeling bad about your thighs and wishing they were thinner, remember that your legs help you to walk around campus, hike mountains and cycle to a friend’s house (or fill in activities that matter to you). 

Or, if you’re looking at your arms and wishing they were more toned, remember that the arms you have allow you to hug your loved ones, lift your children and take care of your pet(s). 

Stop the comparisons

Ever notice that you compare your body to others whose bodies are the ideal version of what you want for yourself? It’s rarer to compare yourself to bodies that are diverse. All this does is make you feel worse about your body and reinforce the idea that you need to change it.

Here’s a challenge: walk down the street or sit on a bench and look at all the bodies around you. Just observe them neutrally. What do you notice? Are they all your version of ideal? 

Maybe you’ll even notice someone who doesn’t fit your ideal but is radiating confidence.

What you might learn is that attractiveness and confidence are less about achieving an ideal body and more about a person’s attitude towards their body. Building confidence in yourself is a more helpful path to a positive body image than striving for a physical ideal. 

So what’s the point of comparing yourself to this ideal, if it only makes you feel bad? 

Look at social media with a critical eye

The same goes for social media, which is the easiest way of getting sucked into comparison. Remember that social media is a highlight reel. When people post meticulously chosen photos taken from flattering angles and enhanced with filters, it creates an unrealistic standard. 

We all know this but it’s hard to remember it when we’re scrolling. Make the effort to think about this when you’re on social media. Better yet, give yourself scrolling time limits and unfollow the accounts that trigger comparison or body envy. Instead, focus on building confidence from the inside out.

At the end of a scrolling session, do something that makes you feel good about yourself and your body to counter the effect: gently stretch, have a cup of tea, hug your dog.

Get moving

There is no better way to feel good about your body than to move it! And I don’t mean a “workout.” I mean, find ways that make you feel stronger and more satisfied in your body. 

This could be big things like going on a hike in the forest, taking your bike out for a ride or running around with your children; or it could be small things like a set of push-ups, stretching or tending to your garden. Whatever brings you joy.

All of these things can bring you back into your body to experience it from the inside. Your body is so much more than what it looks like: it allows you to do the things that are meaningful to you, which is pretty amazing. 

Improve your body image

If you’d like to work on improving your body image, please get in touch with me – I’d love to help.