Please note: At Change Creates Chante, we do not use words like “summer body,” “hot girl summer” and “perfect summer body” in our practice, but we will for the purpose of this blog post.
The False Narrative of the “Hot Girl Summer”
Society’s never-ending pursuit for perfection and bettering oneself does not take a break during the summer months; it instead tends to become more prominent. All over our “for you pages” and news feeds on social media we may see tips and tricks for attaining the “perfect summer body” through a “summer body transformation” that will ensure we have our perfect “hot girl summer”. The accounts advertising these quick fixes and hacks are selling a false narrative.
They are likely trying to convince us that:
- We must change our bodies in the summer to be accepted and satisfied
- We can attain this new “summer body” without sacrificing our values, mental health, or physical health
All of the above are false. A positive summer experience is not a direct result of our appearances, and we do not need to change anything about our bodies in order to fit into an unrealistic ideal portrayed in diet culture.
Appearance vs. Experience
As our bodies change in recovery, we may find wearing more revealing clothing challenging. Our minds may try to convince us that we would be more comfortable in a different body during the summer, that we should cover up our current bodies, or that we must change our appearance to exist in summer clothing. This narrative is untrue and unhelpful. Again, we do not need to change our bodies in order to enjoy a season.
It may be helpful to shift our focus during the summer months from appearance to experience. That is, we can try and bring our focus away from our appearance and toward what is happening around us.
Here are some examples:
If it’s time to buy a new swimsuit, we can focus on how our swimsuit feels instead of how we look…
- Is the swimsuit soft?
- Is the swimsuit comfortable?
- Will the swimsuit allow me to have fun and swim?
When we are swimming, we can also be mindful and shift our focus away from our appearance and toward our experience…
- What is the temperature of the water?
- Does it glisten in the sun?
- How would I like to enjoy my time in the water?
- Do I want to float or swim around?
- Is the sun warm on my face while I lounge?
If we are looking for new shorts and summer tops, we can use the same type of mindset.
Instead of focusing on how our bodies look in the outfits, we can shift our mindset….
- Are these shorts comfortable?
- Will this shirt help me stay cool in the warm weather?
- Would I prefer a lighter or thicker material for this tank top?
Social Media Mindfulness
Something else that we may find helpful is paying attention to what we let into our social media feeds. Of course, there are some things we cannot control, like paid advertising that inevitably turns up on our feed. However, we can choose to follow accounts that promote body neutrality or body positivity and mute or unfollow ones that tend to speak to some of these false narratives.
Moving Forward
It may not be easy at first to change our view on “summer bodies”. It may take time, and that is okay. We can be patient with ourselves and do our best to remind our minds to focus on experience instead of appearance. It may not happen overnight and will likely take some practice.
If it is helpful, we can try writing “experience, not appearance” on a sticky note and putting it on our mirror. We may want to make this quote our phone background or add a reminder to our phone each day to help us keep our mindset intentional. We get to choose how to help our minds and bodies heal.
At Change Creates Change, we understand that the summer can be a challenging season for those living with eating disorders and disordered eating. If you would like more support on ditching the “summer body” talk, you can book a free consultation call with one of our clinicians today.
*Reserved for residents of Canada.
