6 Gentle Ways to Feel More Comfortable in Your Body This Summer

Every year when summer rolls around, I find myself thinking about how differently I experience this season now than I used to.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a spring and fall girlie, through and through and I’ll never be a fan of the heat. But everything about summer used to bring me so much anxiety. The thought of shorts, swimsuits, tank tops, vacations, and outdoor gatherings meant my body image took center stage, and I spent far too much of the season worrying about how I looked instead of enjoying where I was.

Back when I was stuck in the cycle of dieting and throughout my eating disorder, summer felt like a season I had to survive instead of enjoy. I spent so much energy worrying about how my body looked that I missed out on being fully present for the things that actually mattered.

Now that I've healed my relationship with food and have spent years improving my body image, summer feels completely different. I still have hard body image days from time to time because recovery isn’t linear, and I still am not a fan of the heat (I was definitely built for spring and fall). But the biggest difference is that my body is no longer the center of my summer.

If this season feels especially difficult for you, I hope these ideas offer a starting place. These are strategies that helped me throughout my own recovery and continue to help many of the clients I work with today.

#1 Wear clothes that fit the body you have today

This matters all year long, but summer tends to make it impossible to ignore when our clothes no longer fit comfortably.

For years I wore underwear that was too small because I was terrified of buying a larger size. Every evening I had deep marks on my skin from the elastic digging into my body. During the summer, it meant even more discomfort from sweating, chafing, and constantly adjusting my clothes.

Buying underwear that actually fit changed so much more than I expected.

Then I realized I was doing the same thing with shorts, dresses, and tank tops. Once I started wearing clothes that fit my current body, I could breathe easier, move more comfortably, and think about my body less throughout the day. My attention shifted toward the experiences I was having instead of being preoccupied with how uncomfortable I felt.

I also recognize that replacing clothing isn't financially possible for everyone. Over the years I've made it more affordable by thrifting, selling clothes I no longer wear, participating in clothing swaps, slowly replacing staple pieces, and shopping secondhand.

Clothing is meant to fit you, not the other way around. PS: if you’re not far from Ephrata, PA, Confidence Closet is a free clothing resource for anyone in eating disorder recovery looking to rebuild their wardrobe.

#2 Fill your social media with bodies that look like yours

The images we consume shape the way we think.

One of the biggest shifts in my recovery happened when I intentionally followed women in larger bodies who were confidently wearing swimsuits, shorts, sleeveless tops, and clothing I had convinced myself I wasn't allowed to wear.

At first it simply challenged my assumptions.

Eventually it helped me genuinely admire bodies that looked more like mine. The more I practiced seeing beauty, confidence, and joy in other people, the easier it became to extend some of that compassion toward myself.

This also helped me begin unlearning many of the fatphobic beliefs I didn't even realize I had internalized.

And, it helped it become easier to recognize how diverse we all are and truly appreciate that diversity.

#3 Practice showing more skin in places that feel safe

You don't have to jump straight into wearing something that feels terrifying.

For years I wore cardigans and jackets everywhere because I hated my arms. Even on the hottest days, I refused to take them off.

Eventually I started wearing tank tops around my house.

Then around close friends and family.

Then out in public with a lightweight sweater in my bag just in case I wanted it.

Little by little, my nervous system learned that showing my arms wasn't actually dangerous. Before long, I stopped bringing the sweater with me at all.

Exposure works best when it's gradual. Give yourself permission to take small steps instead of expecting yourself to feel comfortable overnight.

#4 Let the event become more important than your appearance

I used to spend hours getting ready. I'd try on outfit after outfit, criticize every part of my body, cry, feel defeated, and sometimes cancel plans altogether.

Even when I did go, I spent so much of the event wondering what everyone thought about my body that I missed meaningful conversations and beautiful memories.

One thing that helped was intentionally reminding myself why I was going. If I was attending a wedding, I would take some time to acknowledge for myself that the purpose was celebrating the couple.

If I was going to a picnic, I remembered that I was going to spend time with people I loved and would name three things I was looking forward to. “I can’t wait to hug Jenny. It’s been so long since I last saw her. I’m so excited to hear about Candace’s new job, and I really hope Taylor made her famous chocolate chip cookies.”

If I was going on vacation, I would remember that the purpose was creating memories and exploring a new place.

Returning my attention to the purpose of the experience really helped me spend more time being present and even to this day, if unhelpful body image thoughts creep in, gentle reminders back to the purpose of an event has been so healing.

#5 Remind yourself that you don’t have to "earn" summer

I remember going on vacation with friends one summer during college. We found this gorgeous swimming hole surrounded by trees, singing birds and rushing water. I watched all my friends jump off the rocks into the water and swim around over and over again for hours. At the time, I believed I only deserved to stay on the sidelines, fully clothed because I hadn’t “earned” the right to enjoy myself and my body didn’t “deserve” to be seen.

I think about that memory often and how much I wish I had jumped in that water. I’ve had to remind myself that summer doesn’t discriminate.

Summer comes around every single year whether you fit into last year’s swimsuit or not. It comes whether you are comfortable to get in the water or not.

Enjoying your summer isn't a reward for changing your body, and it’s a season we all get to experience no matter what we look like or how we choose to spend it.

Your body deserves nourishment, hydration, shade, rest, and enjoyment exactly as she is today in every season of every year.

#6 Create memories that have nothing to do with your appearance

When you look back on this summer five years from now, I doubt you'll remember the number on the scale or the amount of calories you ate each day.

Instead, I hope you’ll remember laughing so hard your stomach hurt. Or how it felt watching that gorgeous sunset with the love of your life. I hope you remember floating in the pool with that incredible mocktail your friend made. Or eating fresh watermelon that dripped all the way down your arms. I hope you remember playing with your kids or the kids in your life. And listening to live music with your people, making s’mores and watching the fireflies.

I hope this summer you get in the pictures.
I hope you wear the tank top.
I hope you jump into the water.

Confidence often grows because we participate in the thing that’s scary, not before we do.

If you relate to any of this, please know that healing your relationship with your body takes time. There isn't a finish line where you suddenly never have another insecure thought.

Instead, what changes is how much those thoughts control your life.

Recovery has allowed me to get in more photos, enjoy time in the water, wear clothes that keep me comfortable, and actually experience summer instead of watching it pass me by. And I hope these tools help you do the same.

If you're finding that body image distress continues to interfere with your daily life, you don't have to navigate it alone. Whether through therapy, coaching, or community, support is available.

You deserve a summer that's measured by the memories you make, not by the amount of space your body takes up.