#BeachBodyReady
Social Media - it has a lot to answer for!
What happened to our carefree existence where we didn’t rely so deeply on external validation? A time when we could simply go on holiday without thinking about getting #beachbodyready. When we could just pack whatever clothes and swimwear we liked in a bag and not think about whether other people would like it, comment on it or whether it had been seen before in our feed.
We’re off on holiday this year and as I’m sitting here in my kitchen stressing over what clothes I need to pack for me, two mini-me’s and another half (jokes, he can sort his own sh*t out), it really struck me that this is one of the first years, hands on heart, that I do not care what anyone thinks of me, of the clothes I decide to wear or what I look like in a bikini and yes, I will wear a bikini despite the fact I have grown and birthed (horrible word) two human beings and my stomach is absolutely no where near flat and my thighs most definitely give me “chub rub”.
Ok, I get it. We live in a world and society where we are CONSTANTLY exposed to narratives and visuals telling us that we need to change the way we look, that if we don’t match up to society’s curated vision of beauty then we aren’t good enough but, it is possible to learn how to drown out this noise and start to really not give a cr*p.
How?
By working on self-acceptance. Practicing speaking kindly to ourselves, surrounding ourselves with positive messaging (i.e., unfollow all those unhelpful accounts…now!) and appreciating what you have been given. All bodies are beautiful whether tall, short, curvy, lean, disabled, muscular, scarred - you are beautiful, you are worthy of respect and you are worthy of talking to yourself with the kindness and respect you would give to others!
When we stop comparing, when we learn to live in the moment, when we allow ourselves to embrace and honour our genetics, nourish ourselves in a way that supports mental health, gives us energy and makes us feel good both mentally and physically - literally - then we stop thinking of food and our bodies as the enemy. We wouldn’t expect a car to function without fuel, but we for some reason believe our bodies will run well if we starve them of fuel?
Remember, you are not a mind-reader. You have no idea what someone else is thinking when they look at you. Sometimes they will be thinking, “wow, that’s such a cool dress” but most of the time they’re thinking, “did I leave the oven on / lock the front door / finish my project etc etc.”, that’s right, they have their own stuff going on, their own lives and issues to deal with.
So, stand tall (as tall as your genetics will allow you) and let your confidence shine becuase you are #beachbodyready. You have a body, you have a bikini then you are most certainly have a #bikinibody!
If you think you have a disordered relationship with food, if your day is filled with strict food rules and every waking moment is overrun with food thoughts then get in touch today and take the first step towards building a calm and carefree attitude towards food.