It’s that time of year again; people are getting up, hitting the gym, restarting their diets. All to achieve the coveted “summer body”; I must admit I am still considering doing the same. As we get closer and closer to summer those extra pounds put on during Christmas and the new year seems to feel much heavier. However, in the era of acceptance and body neutrality it begs the question; is there a need for a “summer body”?
The short answer is no; at least in my opinion. The idea of a summer body makes sense at first thought; but if we are satisfied with the way we look the rest of the year why are we not satisfied during the summer? Many fall into the cycle of crash dieting and working out, and later put the weight back on again once November rolls around. Making the pursuit of a summer body seems like a validation-seeking cause. This is not to say that deciding to exercise or make changes to your eating decisions is inherently shallow; more so that doing it for the sake of one season is.
Although we have quite a ways to go, it is undeniable that society and media have taken strides to promote acceptance. This is seen with an increase in representation and inclusivity, across media and business platforms, whether high or low end. One example of this is the “Mugler 2021 Spring/Summer Runway” short film, which featured a diverse cast including Ariish Wol and Patia Borja; who by today’s standards are considered plus-size models.
This leaves me with one more question; if people are finally starting to accept and celebrate all bodies, isn’t the idea of a summer body null and void? All bodies can be summer bodies. As long as you have a body, and you are able to enjoy the heat of the hotter months to your full extent, then you have a summer body.
Instead of pressuring ourselves to look a certain way we should learn to just accept ourselves as we are or commit to making changes and keeping up that gym membership far beyond august.