Like it or not, bikini season is here, people. If you’ve been hitting up the gym, sweating it out in yoga and keeping fit, this is your time to shine.
If you’re not so tight and taut, the summer months can definitely bring on some anxiety about your body. Let’s combat those feelings of anxiety and beat those bikini blues together.
Prep
Start preparing now for how you want to feel when you hit the beach or that pool party that you’ve been looking forward to. One meal or one day of healthy/unhealthy eating isn’t going to make or break it. Enjoy what you’re eating and stick to a plan that works for you… long term! Crash dieting isn’t effective and research shows it actually leads to weight GAIN. Who wants to suffer like that anyway?
Get moving!
Commit to some sort of exercise every single day — whether it is a 30-minute walk, doing yoga or a more hardcore boot camp class. Focus on how the exercise makes you feel, plus the impact it has on your body image! If you’re taking care of your body better, you’ll be more inclined to stick to a routine and be encouraged by the results.
Find a bikini that you love AND that flatters your body type
Not all suits look good on everyone. Take a friend who will give you honest feedback and help you find a bikini that you look the most amazing in. It is key here to feel comfortable because that’s the vibe you will give off when you’re lounging poolside.
Surround yourself with positive friends
Stay on track by spending time with people who share similar commitments and who are not critical, but encouraging! You’ll motivate each other and not get caught up in negativity.
Enjoy the experience
When it’s time to bust out that bikini, enjoy what you are doing! Satisfaction only occurs in the moment, so relax and work on staying present. Focus on who is around you and act as confident as you can because it’s magnetic. Plus, no one wants to hear you complaining about how you THINK you look anyway!
Everyone’s body is different and beautiful in its own unique way. This isn’t the time to be hard on yourself for not looking perfect. Embrace the summer and forget about needing to wear that itsy, bitsy, teeny, weenie, yellow, polka dot bikini! Plus, aren’t one pieces in right now anyway?
Dr. Lyndsay Elliott is one of Southern California’s most prominent psychologists in her field of expertise. Dr. Lyndsay maintains her clinical practice in Newport Beach, California. As a food and body image expert for the last 15 years, Dr. Lyndsay is known for her break-through work with children, teens and young adults. She particularly enjoys consulting with parents to help develop a healthy self-image for their children. Dr. Lyndsay empowers individuals with her ease, strength and experience, ultimately propelling her patients into a new arena of growth, control and balanced living. Check out Dr. Lyndsay’s daily tips and blog at www.DrLyndsayElliott.com, on twitter @DrLyndsay, and Facebook at Dr. LyndsayElliott, Inc.
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