Welcome to How to Love Your Body. On today’s episode we are talking about the infamous “summer body.” Now that summer is almost here you may be seeing a lot of “summer body” promotion - the typical meaning of this comes from diet culture which basically says that the body you have right now is not okay to go into summer because it needs to be thinner in order to wear a bathing suit and summer clothes. We’d like to call BS on that which is why we want to address 4 ways to an UnDieter’s “Summer Body.” 

1. Get a new bathing suit for summer that fits the body you have today. Not only something that fits and feels comfortable but something you feel good in! All bodies have the ability to feel confident in a bathing suit - we must release the idea that bodies can only look good in bathing suits if they are a certain size. We know that maybe buying and trying on a bathing suit is not the funnest thing to do but you absolutely deserve to feel good. No more sitting on the sidelines and skipping beach trips/ pool days/ family fun on a vacation that involves a bathing suit etc… No more hiding behind cover ups. You have a “summer body” right now just by waking up in the body you have today and the season of summer rolling around. There are NO prerequisites to a summer body. So go get the bathing suit - if it’s bringing a bestie to help you go try them on with you or ordering them online and sending back the ones you don't want and keeping the one/s you do. However it works best for you, make sure you have a bathing suit that you like, feel good in, and feels comfortable! 

2. Wear clothes that suit summer - yes, there is hype about bathing suits but it’s also important to wear clothes that are suitable for summer. No need to wear sweaters and pants when really a tank/ t-shirt and some shorts are really what would feel most comfortable in warmer weather. Do you have summer clothes that you feel good and proper for the weather? Temperature is one way to choose what kind of clothes to wear - when you are hot and the sun is shining - a lot of clothing may not be something that will give your body comfort. Your body will know according to the way it feels if you are honoring it. If it’s overly sweating because it’s being covered up when it’s hot outside there will be an unconscious sense of “I can’t allow my body to feel comfortable because of my size.” This message is deeply rooted from diet culture and not the truth! Your body gets to wear tank tops/ crop tops/ shorts/ and all the things that suit summer! 

 

3. Upping your Self - Care as a priority - You may be feeling the pressure or anxieties that come along with summer approaching. Instead of forcing yourself onto a diet that doesn’t work - you can up your self-care. How to be on your way to an UnDieters Summer Body? Treat it with care - what is something you can do for your body that feels self-serving? Does your body need more rest? Does it need a massage? Does it need a lovely bath with your favorite bath salts/ candles/ followed up with a calming lotion? Do you enjoy manicuring it? Or do you need to allow yourself to not upkeep with the manicuring so rigidly? Ask yourself - “what does my body need?” And do that! 

 

4. Wellness without the Obsession - We are going to keep this one super broad because we want to give the message that you do not have to ever, ever, ever try and change your body for the sake of getting a “summer body.” You are perfect as is in the body you are in today. But we did want to lightly bring up WWTO because there is nothing wrong with moving your body in ways that feel good, that don’t feel forced. It’s also great to eat in ways that feel good. You can drink a green smoothie because it feels good and still absolutely allow the cookies and pizza too. WWTO is something that isn’t “picked up” because you need a “summer body” it’s something that is just a part of your life - feeling good in your body feels good, being aware of your health is great (and t