Summer is here, and with the much needed warm weather comes something that many women dread: bathing suit season. As women we have been inundated with messaging, whether that be through social media, magazines, or our own family and friends, that perpetuates the idea that we must get our bodies ‘bikini ready’. That there is only one standard for a bikini body, and it’s a flat stomach and cellulite free thighs. It seems that only in the last few years has there been any kind of shift in our culture to dispel this narrative. And while more companies are using size inclusive models, there is still work to be done to undo the damage that lives in our heads. So where do we begin? As it turns out, body positivity isn’t something that you can turn on with the flip of the switch. It takes work to rewire your thought processes, but it’s the first step towards reclaiming the confidence we all deserve! Keep reading for tips on how to have your best “hot girl summer” yet.
Reframe how you think of your body
Instead of thinking of your body in terms of how it looks, or how you want it to look, try to view it as the vehicle through which you have done amazing things. For example, the Cleveland Clinic recommends appreciating “that your strong arms allow you to carry your child and the diaper bag and the groceries up the stairs in one trip. Or that your skilled hands prepared an amazing dinner”. Your body allows you to do so many wonderful things that we all often take for granted. When we push looks aside and focus on the functionality of our bodies, it’s hard not to be thankful.
Self-talk is everything, so next time you catch yourself looking in the mirror and thinking “I wish my thighs were thinner”, stop for a moment. Think of what your thighs allow you to do every day, even if it’s as simple as picking up your child. Or speeding through the grocery store to feed yourself and your family. Another great way to shift your thoughts into the positive is to turn this moment into a meditation with intentional touch. Touch your legs, and thank them for getting you where you need to go. Touch your stomach, and thank it for digesting your food and bringing nutrients to your body. Touch your hips, and thank them for holding you up even when you’re tired. If you practice this enough times, you can train your brain to make these healthier, happier thoughts the first thing you say to yourself when looking in a mirror.
Keep a list of what you love about yourself handy – that doesn’t include physical aspects
Looks aren’t everything, and even though many of us know this logically, we live in a culture where unfortunately certain looks are valued and praised over others. It’s hard not to compare yourself when you hop on Instagram and see a photoshopped fashion advertisement for the thousandth time that day. Even though it’s clear the photo has been tinkered with, those types of images can bleed into our subconscious and affect our own ideas of beauty. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, one way to combat this is to keep a list of everything you love about yourself handy. A list that does not include any physical aspects. Read it whenever you need to, and keep adding to it. You have a limited number of body parts, but an endless amount of strengths to appreciate and keep building upon.
Reframe how you think of exercise
Every Spring, like clockwork, magazines and health gurus go on campaigns to push new “beach body” workouts or cleanses. It’s a race to get rid of those extra few pounds you may have put on in the winter, and it further perpetuates the notion that we constantly need to be “fixing” or “improving” our bodies. If you’re already not a fan of exercise, this can make the idea of it too daunting to conquer. And we can’t wait for companies and our culture in general to reframe why exercise is so important. We have to start with ourselves. We have to start seeing physical fitness as a lifelong activity that we don’t do to reach a certain goal weight, but to boost our moods and keep our bodies running smoothly. According to Medical News Today, researchers have found that “people who exercise for functional reasons, such as for fitness, tend to have a more positive body image. Those who exercise to improve their appearance feel less positive about their bodies”. Simply switching your thinking around why you are exercising might help you to start rebuilding your relationship with your body.
Realize that the word “healthy” is somewhat relative
You can’t rely solely on a scale, workout guide, or new cleanse to tell you how healthy you are, because everyone is different. The National Eating Disorders Association has emphasized that “your “ideal” body weight is the weight that allows you to feel strong and energetic and lets you lead a healthy, normal life. For example, when your body is healthy and at its ideal body weight, you are not too tired and you have the energy to interact with friends and family, participate in sports, and concentrate on school or work”. In other words, you can pursue your dreams wholeheartedly. Using the measurement of your quality of life over the number on a scale is a much better way to gauge where you are at.
Cleanse your social feeds
Sometimes the best way to cleanse negative thoughts is to cleanse your feeds. Social media is meant to be fun and add connection to your life, not detract from it. If there are accounts that make you feel less than, or trigger body image issues, hit unfollow. Maybe some accounts don’t bother you personally, but they contribute to problems with inclusivity in the fashion and entertainment industries. That’s also a great reason to unfollow. Change isn’t going to happen unless we raise our voices.
We hope these tips have given you the confidence to start loving yourself a little bit more. You’ve probably heard this before, but it’s worth repeating: anyone with a body has a bikini body. You are bikini ready just the way you are. There’s a reason women made the phrase “hot girl summer” a thing. It’s because it’s a state of mind! Your hot girl summer is happening right now so get out there and reclaim your body image. The power is in your hands.
If you’ve tried these tips to no avail, or find yourself obsessing over your body to the point of extreme weight loss or social isolation, there is help out there. You don’t need to suffer in silence. Visit nationaleatingdisorders.org for more information.
