Laura Shammah, MS, RDN
Every year, as the weather gets warmer, something shifts emotionally for many women. The sweatshirts come off. Ads for diets become louder. Social media fills with “summer body” transformations, detoxes, before-and-after photos, and messages about getting “back on track.” Conversations suddenly revolve around carbs, bloating, fasting, shrinking your stomach, and how quickly someone can “fix” their body before vacation season begins. And quietly, many women begin to panic.
Some start cutting out foods they normally enjoy. Others skip meals all day only to feel out of control at night. Some become afraid of social events involving food. Others stare at photos of themselves and pick apart every detail before even allowing themselves to enjoy the summer ahead. What is supposed to be a joyful season slowly becomes another opportunity for self-criticism.
The truth is, many women are not actually trying to achieve health before summer. They are trying to achieve worthiness. Worthiness to wear the bathing suit. Worthiness to go on vacation confidently. Worthiness to be photographed. Worthiness to feel accepted in their own bodies. Somewhere along the way, women were taught that summer is something their body must “earn.”
What makes this especially painful is that the pursuit of the “perfect summer body” often leaves women feeling physically and emotionally worse, not better.
Extreme dieting increases food obsession. Under-eating during the day often leads to intense cravings and overeating later at night. Over-exercising can elevate stress hormones, worsen fatigue, increase inflammation, disrupt sleep, and make women feel even more disconnected from their bodies.
For many women, especially during midlife and menopause, the body is already undergoing hormonal shifts that affect weight distribution, water retention, sleep, hunger, and metabolism. Yet instead of responding with compassion and support, many women respond by becoming more restrictive, more critical, and more ashamed.
Social media has intensified this pressure dramatically. Women are constantly exposed to filtered images, edited bodies, unrealistic standards, and unrealistic routines that often do not reflect real life. Comparison becomes exhausting. A woman can have a beautiful family vacation planned and still spend the weeks leading up to it consumed by anxiety over how her stomach looks in a bathing suit. That is not wellness.
Ironically, the women who often look and feel healthiest long term are usually not the ones punishing themselves seasonally. They are the women who focus on consistency instead of extremes. They nourish themselves regularly. They move in ways that feel supportive rather than punishing. They sleep. They hydrate. They eat dessert sometimes without spiraling emotionally afterward. They understand that health is built through patterns, not panic.
Feeling physically better for the summer is not a bad goal. Wanting more energy, strength, confidence, or improved health is valid. But there is a major difference between caring for your body and constantly fighting against it.
A healthier approach to summer may look less dramatic than the internet promises. It may mean:
• Eating balanced meals consistently instead of skipping meals
• Adding more protein, fiber, fruits, and hydration instead of eliminating entire food groups
• Exercising to feel stronger and more energized rather than to “undo” eating
• Buying clothes that fit your current body instead of punishing yourself into smaller ones
• Spending less time body-checking and more time participating in your actual life
Most importantly, it may mean refusing to let your body determine whether you deserve to enjoy the summer.
No one looks back on their life and remembers the summer they finally had completely flat abs. But people do remember the summers they were fully present. The trips they enjoyed. The laughter. The beach days. The dinners with family. The memories they almost missed because they were too busy criticizing themselves. Your body is not a problem to solve before June arrives. And perhaps the healthiest thing women can do this summer is stop waiting to feel “perfect” before allowing themselves to live. q
