Summer Body Image: Redefining the “Summer Body” and Breaking Free from Diet Culture
As temperatures rise, so can pressure around our bodies. Summer body image concerns often intensify this time of year, as ubiquitous diet culture messaging tells us: your body should look a certain way by now. The concept of a “summer body” suggests that our bodies need to be changed, controlled, or shrunk to be acceptable or visible.
Why This Time of Year Can Feel Especially Challenging
For many individuals, especially those navigating eating disorder recovery, this time of year can feel especially activating. Clothing becomes more revealing, social comparison may increase, and summer body image concerns may become exacerbated as a result. Research shows that exposure to appearance-based ideals, particularly through social media and advertisements, is linked to increased body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors. It is imperative that we, as consumers of media, think critically about the ways in which it can shape our self-perception, and how we can limit our exposure to content that triggers body image distress and reinforces disordered eating behaviors.
In addition to recognizing that the pressure to look a certain way originates from unrealistic societal beauty standards, it is crucial to understand the role that capitalism plays and foster curiosity around who profits from people feeling negatively about their bodies.
The Link Between Clothing and Summer Body Image
For some, choosing what clothing to wear can feel like a simple, practical choice, but for many others (particularly those struggling with eating disorders and body image concerns), it carries significant emotional weight, especially during times of heightened summer body image pressure.
What we wear can become tied to:
- How we feel “allowed” to exist in our bodies
- Whether we feel visible or hidden
- Beliefs about worth, attractiveness, or acceptance
In diet culture, clothing is often used as a measuring tool: Do these shorts fit yet? Should I wait until I lose weight to wear this? This mindset reinforces the idea that our bodies must change before we can participate fully in our lives. Weight stigma and appearance-based pressure have been shown to contribute to disordered eating patterns and negative body image, reinforcing cycles of shame and disordered eating behaviors.
In recovery, part of healing often involves challenging deeply ingrained beliefs about what is appropriate for us to wear based on our body shape and size. Recovery asks us to begin shifting our relationship with clothing and seeing it as a means of self-expression and comfort rather than another mechanism for us to shame ourselves.
Diet Culture and the Myth of the “Summer Body”
The “summer body” narrative is a moving target, often contributing to increased summer body image pressure. It is shaped by trends, social media, and industries that benefit from insecurity. Messages like “get beach-ready,” “tone up for summer,” or “follow this workout program to achieve a bikini-ready body” suggest that our bodies are projects rather than places we live. These messages reinforce the idea that any body that does not fit the standard is wrong, unattractive, or in need of fixing. Societal messaging that ties morality and value to appearance further compounds shame and stigma around bodies that do not match the standard, making it especially important for individuals in recovery to untangle their self-worth from their appearance.
A Trauma-Informed Approach to Clothing and Self-Care
A trauma-informed, recovery-oriented approach to choosing clothing, especially in the context of summer body image pressure, can involve asking oneself the following questions:
- What helps me feel safe in my body right now?
● What clothing allows for ease, movement, and breath?
● What choices support my healing rather than self-criticism?
Self-care in this context is not about changing your body. It’s about supporting your nervous system, learning to listen to your body’s cues, honoring its needs, and staying in a compassionate, ongoing conversation with it rather than treating it as something to fight against.
This might look like:
● Choosing clothing that is breathable and doesn’t make you feel restricted or uncomfortable
● Letting go of clothes that no longer fit your body as it is today
● Gradually increasing exposure to seasonal clothing at your own pace
● Practicing self-compassion and using adaptive coping strategies when negative body image thoughts arise (e.g., cognitive reframing, DBT skills, talking to a therapist or trusted friend)
Making these intentional shifts while being bombarded with contradictory messaging in media and advertisements can be extremely challenging, but they are important steps toward reclaiming agency in a society that often pressures bodies to look the same.
Redefining What It Means to Feel “Ready”
What if being “summer-ready” had nothing to do with changing your body? Recovery often involves shifting from appearance-based goals to experience-based values. It invites us to focus our attention away from how our bodies look and toward how our lives feel.
You do not need to earn the right to wear certain clothes. You do not need to change your body to participate in your life. And you do not need a “summer body” to deserve care, respect, or visibility.
Moving Forward with Compassion
If this season feels especially challenging, you are not alone. Body image ebbs and flows, especially during times of increased exposure and social pressure. Healing is not about eliminating discomfort entirely. It’s about responding to yourself with compassion rather than criticism.
Redefining the “summer body” is an ongoing practice of noticing internalized messages, gently challenging them, and choosing recovery again and again. Your body is already worthy of being here, exactly as it is.
Get Recovery Support At BALANCE This Summer
If you find yourself experiencing summer body image struggles, you’re not alone.When the summer months bring more unstructured time away from school or work, having added support and routine can make a meaningful difference in your recovery. BALANCE’s 14-Day Summer Program is designed to provide that structure in a supportive and immersive environment. Our team is here to help you move through the season in a way that still supports your life, your values, and your recovery.
BALANCE, located in New York City, offers free consultation calls to help you explore next steps. We provide in-person programming seven days a week and are in-network with Aetna, UnitedHealthcare (UHC), Cigna, and select Emblem plans. Support is available, and recovery is possible. Schedule a free consultation call with our admissions team here and stay connected with BALANCE on Instagram here.
References
Levinson, J. A., Kinkel-Ram, S., Myers, B., & Hunger, J. M. (2024). A systematic review of weight stigma and disordered eating cognitions and behaviors. Body Image, 48, 101678.
Roorda, B. A., & Cassin, S. E. (2025). A review of food-related social media and its relationship to body image and disordered eating. Nutrients, 17(2), 342.
Zaharia, A., & Gonța, I. (2024). The healthy eating movement on social media and its psychological effects on body image. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11.
This post was written by BALANCE Therapy Intern, Remi Jolie Shine Harris (she/her).
Remi is a recent graduate of University of Michigan, and is currently pursuing her MSW at
Columbia University. Remi is passionate about mental health, intuitive eating, joyful movement, and cultivating holistic wellness. She loves diving deep into psychology and using a person-in-environment lens. Remi has been a fitness coach at Solidcore for the past three years, and aspires to open a private therapy practice after obtaining her LCSW. Outside of work, Remi enjoys DJing, making music, and traveling to new places
