Summer brings along so many wonderful (and delicious!) things, but it can also be a time that brings up anxiety & underlying fears for some, actually for many, women. Even though things look a little different this summer (of 2020), we’re still enjoying all the warm weather has to offer with those closest to us. Beach days, BBQs, hanging at the pool, ice cream, outdoor dinners & drinks…
You can have every intention of going to the beach with your family or a couple of friends and enjoying the heck out of your day, but when the time actually comes, your mind is flooded with anxiety, negative self-talk, and lingering diet mentality.
Picture this: you’re at the beach & getting all settled into your spot. Your friends start getting into lounge position, taking off their cover-ups and chillin in their bikinis. You guys are loaded with all the beach snacks, plus your big delicious deli sandwiches for lunch. As soon as the bikinis and snacks come out, you become anxious. Your mind becomes preoccupied and you can’t even enjoy the conversation with your friends; they’re laughing at something and you missed the whole story because you were caught up in your thoughts. You adjust your beach chair so your belly doesn’t show rolls, you whip out some fruit so you’re not “tempted” to eat the chips, you start comparing all of your body parts to your friends & other women at the beach, thinking “I’m always so good, why don’t I look like that?”.
To be honest, you may not even realize these thoughts are happening; they become so engrained in your mind because of all the messages you receive about diets and women’s bodies ALL THE TIME, even when you’re not actively looking for that information. Truth is, your friend who’s body you envy is probably having similar thoughts. This happens so subconsciously, but it is so damaging to your mental health. If you put priority to your body size over your mental health, are you really becoming ‘healthier’?
Let’s talk mindset for overcoming these mental roadblocks so you can unapologetically live your life this summer (and beyond).
1. Show yourself some love. Especially on days when you know you have an event, party, beach day, whatever it may be, show yourself some extra love before you head out. Remind yourself of everything that makes you an absolute rockstar and get into confidence mode! Reflect on all of the things that make you awesome that have nothing to do with your body, your weight, or the food that you eat. Talk positively to yourself and remind yourself of the next point…
2. Remember that each day is a NEW day. Even a full 3 months of summer won’t make or break your overall health and your progress toward achieving your wellness goals. You absolutely 1000000000% do not and SHOULD NOT restrict your food intake earlier in the day before your outing and not the next day either to “make up for it”. Make the decision to be fully present & enjoy whatever it is and DO NOT LOOK BACK.
3. Value experiences over numbers. Chances are, a lot of these things causing you anxiety are rooted in calories and weight. Maybe you’re on a diet plan or using a food tracker and you’re worried the food at the BBQ won’t fit into your calorie or point budget for the day. Maybe you fear that tomorrow morning when you step on the scale, the number will go up. These are just NUMBERS. They do not and should not define anything about you! Numbers don’t make you a good or bad person, but focusing on them can certainly make for a good versus a bad day. The experiences shared with your family & friends, the people closest to you, the relationships you want to nurture, the life you want to live and the adventures you take are irreplaceable and the most valuable things in your life. I’ll always encourage you to set experience and lifestyle-based goals versus material or number-based goals because those can come and go. The experiences you live and achieving the lifestyle you desire – that cannot be beat.
Life can get messy and crazy and overwhelming; stress and anxiety will probably always show up in some way, even when it’s as small as deciding which color shirt to buy. Food should not be something that adds onto that, experiences & adventures with the ones you love the most should not add onto that. I think more than ever, we recognize the importance of these experiences. When you finally get to hug all your ladies and chat over s’mores and wine outside, do you really want to be second-guessing your second s’mores? Do you really want to be preoccupied with the idea that you need to get to the gym tomorrow to burn them off?
Didn’t think so.
Enjoy the heck out of your summer, my friend. You are a badass woman who deserves it.
Mindset shifts are difficult, push us out of our comfort zone, and can become frustrating. If you need support to shift your mindset so you can live your life with more flexibility & freedom to support both your physical & mental health, I’m here for you. Book a call with me here & let’s chat, lovely.