Body Image and Eating Disorder Recovery: A Guide to Summer Without Diet Culture
The summer season and warmer temperatures are exciting for some people, but for others, this time of year can be challenging due to an increase in diet culture messaging surrounding how bodies “should” and “should not” look. Phrases like “working on your summer body” or “getting your body ready for a swimsuit” imply that there are right and wrong ways for your body to look. This messaging is harmful for everyone, especially those in eating disorder recovery and those with summer body image struggles.
Let’s explore four ways to make this summer free from diet culture messaging and appearance pressures.
Challenge the “Summer Body” or “Bikini Body” Narrative
According to The Cut, a New York magazine that focuses on topics concerning women’s lives and interests, “bikini body” was popularized in 1961 by a weight-loss salon chain called Slenderella. This salon published ads that promoted weight loss and looking young, firm, and slender, especially for summertime, and wearing a bikini. Problematic? Absolutely. This coined term has managed to stick around for 60 years and continues to harm people of all ages and genders.
Challenging the Summer Body Image Narrative
Ask yourself why your body “needs” to look a certain way during the summer or to be able to wear a bikini. Maybe even ask yourself why your body “needs” to look a certain way in any season of life. Although diet culture messages about appearance pressure us to think our body is “wrong” if it doesn’t match a made-up composition set by society, the truth is that everyone deserves to comfortably and confidently wear a swimsuit, regardless of what they look like. Continuing to challenge this summer body image narrative will help you slowly rewire your thinking into something more aligned with recovery and body neutrality.
Plan Non-Food Activities That Ease Summer Body Image Stress
You’re not alone if eating with others feels more stressful during the summer months. Seasonal activities, social events, and body image pressures can all heighten anxiety around food. Planning or attending gatherings that don’t center around eating can help ease some of that stress. This doesn’t mean that you should avoid meals or snacks. Instead, find ways to honor your recovery plan while still participating in your life. For example, if eating lunch on the beach with friends feels overwhelming, you might choose to meet them after lunch instead. This small adjustment can help reduce the pressure of eating in front of others and feeling self-conscious in a swimsuit.
Challenging yourself in recovery matters, but it doesn’t have to happen all at once. At BALANCE, clients participate in weekend planning to help navigate weekend events. They also attend restaurant outings with our team, giving them the chance to practice recovery in real-life situations with real-time support.
Remember: Your Body’s Purpose Is Not To Look A Certain Way
It is very easy to get caught up in how our body looks and all the diet culture messages that are constantly thrown at us, telling us how our body “should” look. This creates a disconnection between our mind and body, allowing us to forget all that our body does for us, despite what it looks like.
Take some time to write down all that you like, or maybe just what you appreciate, about your body. Some examples include:
- “I like the color of my eyes.”
- “I like the color of my hair.”
- “I appreciate my legs because they let me take my dog for a walk.”
- “I appreciate my hands because they let me do art, which I’m passionate about.”
The important thing to remember is that this list doesn’t need to be extravagant; in fact, it can be quite simple! The point is to draw attention to and appreciate what your body does, not what it looks like.
Navigating Diet Talk at BALANCE
Thanks to the hot weather, seasonal clothes, and “summer body” talk, this season ummer can make summer body image struggles louder. At BALANCE, our 14-Day Summer Intensive is here to help. This short-term program at our New York City treatment center offers real-time support to work through summer body image challenges, fear foods, and disordered thoughts in a safe and supportive environment.
BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, 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 UnitedHealthcare (UHC), Cigna, Emblem, and Oscar, with Aetna coverage coming soon. 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.
Reference
Robb, Alice. “Why Can’t We Stop Talking about ‘Bikini Bodies’?” The Cut, The Cut, 23 July 2014, www.thecut.com/2014/07/why-cant-we-stop-talking-about-bikini-bodies.html.
This post was written by BALANCE Blog Contributor, Tori Barkosky (she/her).
Tori is a graduate of St. Catherine University, having earned a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Nutrition Science. Tori is passionate about all things related to intuitive eating, HAES, mental health, body respect, eating disorders, and disordered eating. Tori currently works as a Mental Health Practitioner at an eating disorder clinic and teaches yoga. Outside of work, Tori enjoys finding new coffee shops, exploring nature, and spending time with family and loved ones. She is also a self-published author of a memoir, Release, concerning her recovery from anorexia nervosa.
