To many, a “summer body,” “bikini body” or “beach-ready body” is attained by spending weeks at the gym toning abs. To others, a “summer body” is literally being a human who inhabits a body in the season of summer, as it should be. People should not focus on the ridiculous goal of losing weight and changing their physiques to find their happiness. Every person has a beautiful body and summer is a good time to be reminded of this.
Social media plays a large role in the lives of many people and it seems like photos are taken every second. There is a lot of pressure on people to look and feel their best as summer approaches. The stigma that people need to look like a Victoria’s Secret or Hollister model in time for summer vacation is completely outrageous. As one who visits the gym several times I week, I understand the desire to look good — whatever your individual idea of this is — when the hotter months roll in, but I try to focus more on how I feel rather than how I look. Instead of blindly aiming to fit a societal idea, I prep for my “summer body” by taking care of myself through moderate exercise and a fairly healthy diet. I indulge when I want to and I do it in moderation. Worrying so much about achieving that “summer body” is rooted in caring too much about what others think. Losing weight might not solve all of you problems but gaining confidence is the best way to ensure a that a “summer body” lasts through the rest of the seasons.
The amount of pressure that is put on those who don’t fit the “slim and trim” body types is unnecessary. We should work hard to love the bodies that we are in. We should be encouraged to engage in self-love more than we are encouraged to overanalyze our figures. This summer, the beach will be happy with whatever body I bring to it. I’m alive, I’m happy and to me, that’s the perfect “summer body.” It should be the same for you too.
