With the start of summer less than two weeks away, and just like every year, looming over us like a dark cloud, is a new diet with the promise to get you your summer body now! I’d like to propose that we look at this in a different way. If summer is your favorite time of year, why not allow yourself to fully enjoy the time spent with your family and friends instead of imprisoning yourself to have a “summer body”. Creating memories with the people you love. Doing the things you love is much more valuable than not doing anything because you don’t believe your body is already ready for summer and beyond! It is just another ploy that the diet industry has used to instill fear in all of us and if you don’t get on a diet 3 weeks before summer and shed 10, 15, 20…… pounds then you wont be able to enjoy this time of year. That is not realistic or even attainable, I’m sorry but its true. Realizing that rapid weight loss always equates to more weight gain!

I am writing this blog for you, and to happily tell you that you are able to enjoy summer in the body your already in! You are so very welcome!

This statement also leads me to discuss another point that some of us may be experiencing. With the onslaught of “Body Positive” slogans out there that your body is already summer ready and wear that bikini anyway! But for those of us who never felt that we had the right body for any season is it really that easy?

That message that your body is perfect right now is absolutely true! I know for some of you its not that easy. So, let’s talk about it. For those of us who dread this time of year and the act of putting on less clothes is utter agony here is a mindset shift for you.  Even if you have already convinced yourself that you are going to opt out of summer again, let’s try this. How about telling yourself I Love summer and I don’t want to miss another BBQ, beach day, rooftop dinner, vacation, pool day, bike rides, walking along the boardwalk, lake house, baseball game, going out on the boat, movie night in the park all because that constant thought of my body isn’t summer ready. Instead, what if you go ahead and do all of those fun summer actives with the thought of I am enough. Tell yourself that you deserve to be out in the world enjoying the summer just like everyone else.

I am going to do it right along with you! After lots of practice of telling myself positive mantras such as

    • I am beautiful.
    • My body is perfect right now.
    • I am going to wear the thing.
    • I am worthy of this experience.

I have been able to really believe them. I also realize now that no one is really staring at my body those were my fearful thoughts. I also know that picking apart my body for decades was my way of punishing myself. Instead of enjoying the summers, I would cover up and be miserable or not participate at all. Don’t waste anymore time.

Enjoy this time of year and tell yourself, every second if you must, that your body is already ready for the summer and more importantly I AM ENOUGH!