Many people – and in particular women – believe they need to get “beach body ready” for the summer months. This often involves dieting, starting new exercise regimes, fake tanning, and detoxing. However, not only do diets not work but some ‘beach-body’ activities like wearing waist trainers and drinking skinny teas may actually be harmful to your health.
Why is it important to have a healthy relationship with your body?
Your relationship with your body is like any other relationship you have in your life – whether it’s with a romantic partner, friend, or family member. It’s something you have to nurture and work on if you want the relationship to be a positive one.
Our bodies allow us to experience the world around us and our relationship with them is likely to impact every area of our lives, whether for better or worse. A negative relationship with your body may affect your moods, your emotional and mental wellbeing, your relationships with others and even your physical health. That’s why it’s so important to aim for a healthy relationship with your body, no matter what time of year it is.
How to have a good relationship with your body
Body positivity isn’t just about accepting the way our bodies look, it’s also about living in harmony with our bodies. Here’s how to foster and maintain a healthy relationship with your body and not let “beach body ready” trends affect your wellbeing.
Exercise to feel good
Instead of exercising to change the weight or appearance of your body and viewing it as a punishment, exercise should be about improving our overall health and ultimately, it should make us feel good.
Do whatever exercise you want and don’t force yourself to do certain types of exercise if you’re not comfortable. A recent study conducted by European lingerie specialists Hunkemöller found that over a quarter of women in the UK (28%) feel anxious in a gym environment in comparison to just 16% of men. Even though exercise should be good for our mental health and wellbeing, the study also showed that as many as one in ten women (10%) feel stressed out about going to the gym and 7% reporting they actually feel worse about themselves afterwards.
If going to the gym isn’t your thing, there are many other types of exercise which are just as good for you. Why not try swimming, dancing or walking instead?
Wear clothes you feel comfortable in
No matter how you feel about your body’s appearance, it’s important to always wear clothes that you feel good in. You should also make sure your clothes and shoes are objectively comfortable as you’re not going to feel good about your body if your clothes are too tight or dig in or your shoes give you blisters.
Avoid toxic media
Minimise your exposure to potentially toxic media that will negatively impact your relationship with your body. Social media channels are full of influencers who are paid to promote unhealthy weight loss products and programs that can be tempting for people who feel self-conscious about the way their body looks and are looking for a quick fix. Choosing to avoid the “beach-body” culture can allow us to build a healthier relationship with our bodies away from toxic messages.
Listen to your body
Like any relationship, when it comes to nurturing your relationship with your body, you need to listen to what it needs. This can be difficult if you’re used to ignoring your body’s hunger cues when dieting or pushing yourself to exercise beyond your limits but over time if you tune in to what your body needs, you’ll find it easier to recognise when your body needs nourishment, rest or movement.
