As school is ending and summer is approaching, it is important to remember that no body is alike. With rides down the shore or trips to the pool, it is easy to think we need to “fix” our bodies in order to look good in a bikini. But the truth is, my body is already a bikini body. And so is yours.
Social media and the endless stream of “summer body” workouts that come up on my feed make me think society is forcing me to shrink my body in order to wear the bikini I want. Influencers and celebrities who are preaching healthy lifestyles to you are more than likely getting help elsewhere to lose weight.
No judgment to the people who are able to get the help in order to achieve their dream body; however, it is creating an unrealistic standard for girls who don’t have access to that type of help. It is also normalizing only one type of body and making anyone who doesn’t fit that standard feel bad about themselves.
The term “summer body” is very harmful and unrealistic. It is basically implying that bodies are only worthy of wearing a bikini if they look a specific way. Our bodies are constantly changing, especially in college, but that doesn’t mean they need to be fixed in order to be seen.
It is important to change our mindsets from appearance-focused to wellness-focused. Feeling strong, energized and confident in our bodies is the key to overcoming body image issues. This is definitely easier said than done, but when we feel good about ourselves, we start to be more confident in our own skin.
Some ways we can feel good about ourselves while also being good to our bodies are by practicing self-care and wellness. It is important to be active and put things in our body that will fuel us for the day. This doesn’t mean we need to push ourselves during workouts and skip our nightly sweet treats; it just means we should treat our bodies with the care and respect they deserve.
I have definitely had my moments on the beach with my friends, where I am self-conscious of my body because it doesn’t look exactly like any of my friends’ bodies. But something my mom has always told me stuck with me: “People are too worried about what they look like to judge what you look like.” This is just a reminder that even though none of our bodies look the same, we are all unique and beautiful in our own ways.
Another trick that I have learned along the way is finding clothes that are tailored to my body type. I used to always try to fit into clothes that were too small or didn’t flatter me, but once I found things that accentuate my body, it has given me the much-needed confidence boost in order to look and feel my best.
Summer is all about having fun and making memories. Don’t let something as silly as a bathing suit hold you back from making memories with the people you love. But the truth is, my body is already a bikini body. And so is yours.