Unless you’ve been living isolated from society, you’ve likely been bombarded with the “get beach body ready” marketing that happens every summer season. Which translated says that you’re here and now, the body is just not good enough, and the clock is ticking to make some improvements. Summer has the added pressure of being swimsuit season. How do you survive, let alone thrive, during a season when you’re wearing the least amount of clothes you likely ever do in public? It makes complete sense to me why someone would be very tempted to give into all of the diet propaganda that promises to transform the bad parts of their bodies so they can be worthy of stepping out in public in a swimsuit. Ironically, the research says that dieting is the #1 predictor of weight gain. So, while dieting may give us a momentary feeling of power and hope, the likely outcome is that it will set us up to regain weight and increase body dissatisfaction. If dieting isn’t the answer, how does one survive the summer swimsuit season with your here-and-now body with any amount of sanity intact? Try these four tips:
Set yourself up for success:
- Choose a suit wisely: Be sure your swimsuit is the right fit for your current body. If it no longer fits you or feels uncomfortable in any way, it’s time for a refresh. Maybe it’s asking too much to find a suit you feel confident in currently. Accept where you’re at and change the criteria if that’s the case. Seek to find one that fits appropriately and feels comfortable to move in. For a bonus, find something in your favorite color or a pattern you enjoy.
- Be cautious around mirrors: If you know that you will stand in front of a full-length mirror and scrutinize every part of yourself, it’s time to set a timer for how long you allow yourself to look in the mirror (like 10 seconds max) or better yet, maybe it’s time to get rid of the mirror altogether. This may sound wild, but how many times has standing in front of a mirror (especially a full-length one) and looking at yourself from every angle helped you feel better about yourself? If we want to drastically change our relationship with our bodies, we often have to make drastic efforts.
- Find one thing you like: Most people have at least one part of their body that they want. We often minimize this feature because this part isn’t the focus of most of our energy. Let’s change that and give it more attention. If you like your feet, get some cute sandals or a pedicure. If it’s your ears, find some fun earrings. If it’s your smile, grab a new shade of lipstick. Body acceptance starts with one feature at a time!
Entertain the helpful thoughts:
- When you go out in your swimsuit, even if it’s in the privacy of your backyard, you can expect the body image fears to start shouting all sorts of criticisms at you. You can choose to give in to them, or you can choose to fight back. To fight back, be ready to use every one of your senses to focus your mind on something else:Touch: What does it feel like outside with the sun on your skin, the beach towel underneath you, the water around you, maybe even the sand between your toes?
- Sound: What do you hear? Are there waves crashing, water splashing, or maybe animals talking or moving nearby? What is the conversation like if you’re with friends, and how might you join in?
- Smell: Do you notice any scents in the air that bring pleasure? How would you describe the smell of the outdoors?
- Taste: Do you notice any flavors in your mouth? Maybe the saltiness of the ocean water? What food flavors appeal to you right now if you’re outside at a picnic or BBQ?
- See: What do you enjoy looking at? Are there things that bring a sense of calm, peace, and pleasure? Do you notice any shapes in the clouds? If people are playing nearby, what is it like to watch them have fun? Would you be willing to join in?
X out the negativity:
- It’s time to delete and eliminate the things that hinder your ability to love your here-and-now body. This might include, but is not limited to, Getting off of TikTok or Instagram or Facebook or, at a minimum, unfollowing the people that you’re likely to negatively compare yourself to or have a hyper-focus on appearance.
- If you have friends who constantly criticize their bodies or others, it’s time to discuss how those topics do not serve you well and change the subject.
- Throw out the scale if that number is where you weigh your worth.
- Delete the tracking devices on your phone that rule what you eat and how you move your body and tell you if you’re doing good or bad.
- You know you best, so really be honest about what things in your life you find yourself going back to repeatedly with the question, “Am I enough?.” You are more than enough, but only you can choose to believe it.
Your life is waiting to be lived:
- One of the biggest hindrances to improving body image is the belief that you have to wait until you look a certain way before engaging in the things you’ve been wanting to do. Your body will likely never be exactly how you want it to be and doesn’t have to for you to have a full life. Ironically, the more you engage fully in life, the more you become appreciative and accepting of your body. Ask yourself: What is one thing I’ve been waiting to do until I feel my body is good enough?
- What is one step I can take to move towards that activity today?
- Who can I call on to help support me in challenging this fear?
- Once you do it, what positive thing came out of that experience?
Be patient with yourself and know that changing how you relate to your body is a process and takes concerted effort. Continue practicing these skills daily, knowing that some days will be more leisurely and others will be harder. Choose to let go of the “get beach body ready” slogan. What if your slogan this summer became “sexy, not ashamed?” Try it on and see how it fits!
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