The ‘perfect’ summer body

By Paul Lambis

As the summer season approaches, social media becomes inundated with posts featuring photoshopped models wearing minimal swimwear. Digital channels and interactive technologies certainly have a way of enslaving us with excessive expectations, leading many individuals yearning for what we often refer to as the ‘summer body.’

Summer bodies are not something new. Every year, the divisive summer weight-loss debate resurfaces, with statements that one must have a body that is beach worthy. We also have the added pressure of emerging from a pandemic fully transformed and ready to splash out from the Mediterranean such as iconic Bond girl Ursula Andress or James Bond himself Daniel Craig in their respective coming out of the water moments.

The truth is that most individuals – post-lockdown – were no longer as active as they once were. The global pandemic has left most weary and with priorities that have shifted. It is acceptable to be a touch heavier, and I find solace in the fact that I am not alone.

Summertime bodies are ridiculous. The nonsensical concept that one must be toned, camera-ready and ten times smaller than usual to enjoy the warmest season of the year is both impractical and unfair. This discourse not only ignores the beauty of variation in the body, but also promotes detrimental and harmful expectations.

The pressure to lose weight quickly in time for summer might lead to unhealthy diets and over-exercising. Punishing your body will not make it summer ready. It is acceptable to want to look beautiful, but it is not okay to put pressure on yourself to match a certain mould or created concept of a perfect summer figure.

There needs to be a shift in how people talk about getting ready for summer. It is more important to work on yourself in terms of confidence and self-acceptance than it is to lose weight and perfect your summer body, living unashamedly in your own flesh and appreciating every part of it.

As temperatures soar to the mid-thirties and most people tend to feel an uplift in their mood, I often hit the beach with a vengeance, cutting through the still water in my disproportionate swimming trunks, adrift in a sea that is free of diet talk, weight loss fixations and peers who suddenly wondered if they were too fat to pull off that mankini, or whether their ‘guaranteed’ seventy-five day body transformation plan will achieve mind-blowing results.

This year, I have decided to incorporate a few micro-habits for a healthier and happier summer. My biggest challenge will be keeping screen time to a bare minimum, as my phone and laptop have become an inextricable part of my daily routine. Reading, listening to more music, or connecting with myself every day through meditation and mindfulness practices will allow my body to produce endorphins, improve my serotonin levels, and leave me feeling happier than before. When I am being creative, I notice things differently and am more receptive to what is going on around me.

Everyone, according to a psychologist friend, should take time to appreciate themselves. Spending ten to fifteen minutes each day focusing on our strengths rather than our weaknesses, as well as all our accomplishments even during the most trying times, will always provide the confidence boost required.

It is critical that we look after ourselves from the inside out. I am not a nutritionist, however I believe that when we feel good on the inside, it shows on the outside. Healthy eating habits, drinking lots of water throughout the day, lowering coffee consumption – which is also bad for anxiety – and increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables can help you lose weight more effectively by helping your body feel more aligned and healthier.

That is all there is to it. There is no such thing as the perfect summer body, and it is not a trend started by overweight individuals to make themselves feel better. True body positivity necessitates a shift in mentality as well as treating your body with care. You might do it for health reasons or merely to improve your appearance and feel better. It is, after all, entirely up to you.