WORDS: Georgie Thomas, Body Image Rewritten

“Summer is coming and that doesn’t mean you need to start a diet”

And so it begins……  

As someone who used to work in the diet culture industry, I know what’s coming in the next few weeks.

Brace yourselves. This is time for diet culture to shine. 

New diets, new gym challenges, new weight loss tablets that miraculously help you lose 5kgs in 2 seconds to get you ready for summer. 

Diet culture is a clever little thing, it knows all your triggers and knows when to pounce.  

Summer used to be so triggering for me. The thought of wearing bathers, going to the beach, wearing shorts etc used to make my sphincter tighten and my anxiety heighten. 

My mind was so focused on my body and how I looked that I rarely enjoyed any event. I would feel so anxious going into anything social that I would quickly down a couple glasses just to make the anxiety go away. 

If that’s you too, I need to tell you, it’s not normal. Living like that is not normal; dieting every summer? Not normal. Not enjoying life events because you are so concerned about your body? Not normal. I wish someone told me that earlier because the scary thing is that diet culture has normalised this behaviour in today’s society.

So let’s practice something new this summer. 

Let’s focus on that negative voice that slaps you in the face before summer hits.

We have to first recognise that voice is not who we are meant to be. We did not pop out into this world thinking we were sh*t, we have been conditioned to believe that way. 

So start calling BS on diet culture. Tell it you’re not falling for it this season. You’re done with it and that negative voice too. 

Instead of starting a diet, let’s learn how to be more intuitive with our food and trust our bodies.

Instead of exercising to punish yourself, focus on what feels good and do that instead. A walk down the beach with friends and a coffee is something I do all the time.

Buy clothes that FEEL comfortable, no matter what the size and when you look at yourself in the mirror, compliment yourself even if it feels weird AF at the beginning.

We need to change how we talk to ourselves.

Give yourself the pep talk you would give your best friend before you walk into an event. Remind yourself, you don’t need to change for anyone, the RIGHT people will love you for you. 

Practice confidence even if it feels weird.

Know how powerful your mind is, it got you here so it can get you out too. 

Choose to be different this summer. 

Life is too short not to think you are brilliant and it sure as hell is too short to let diet culture win. 

You can do this and I’m right here with you!

Love, 

Georgie