Summer Ready: A body neutral approach to the sunny season

I have always been a summer girl. Not necessarily by nature, but a love of this season was nurtured into me as a young girl through the activities of my parents.

Although we did partake in occasional winter activities like tobogganing or ice skating, it was in the spring and summer months that my best memories were made.

From playing outside with neighbourhood friends, riding my bike, and walking or rollerblading with my dog, to camping, hiking, and helping my parents in the garden, when the sun was shining, I was living my best life. On summer mornings, I’d get out of bed and sneak onto our back porch in my PJs to feel the summer air and sunshine on my skin, using my internal weather sensors to help me decide what to wear that day.

Back then, summer was so simple. School was out, the sun was shining, and I was young and unburdened… sunburns my biggest concern. But somewhere along the road to adulthood, summer got complicated.

Of course, adulthood comes with expected complications—more responsibility, less free time—but it was more than that. The closer I inched toward adulthood, the more attention on my body seemed to come along with summer weather and wardrobe.

Attention from men and boys, both wanted and unwanted. 

Attention from other women, both complimentary and critical. 

And of course, attention in the media—not on my body per se, but on bodies in general—and it only got worse as I aged.

For adults, it seemed summertime wasn’t about being outdoors, playing, moving, and simply enjoying the season. These were now things that had to be earned. And not just because free time is a luxury that not everyone can afford, but because one also needed to have a “summer body.”

Over time, I’ve truly come to resent the idea of a “summer body.” For one thing, the idea that looking a certain kind of way is a prerequisite to being seen in the sunshine is absolute bullshit. But the objectifying nature of needing a “summer body” also quickly strips the joy from most summer activities, emphasizing appearance over embodiment.

So what is the solution?

As much as I’d love to say that the era of body positivity has made it a little easier to exist in any body, in any season, the unfortunate truth is that we still have a long way to go. Thinness is still glorified, even if it has been repeatedly repackaged and sold as “health and fitness,” and folx in larger bodies are still experiencing weight stigma on the regular.

And while I will continue to be loud about this issue and advocate for inclusive wellness, I am also choosing to care for myself this season in a way that honours my body and embodies the summer spirit of little Andrea—playful and curious.

I’m sure that all sounds well and good, but you might be wondering… what does that actually look like?

For me, getting “summer ready” is twofold.

The first (and most important, imo) step is to take your appearance out of the equation. This is, of course, easier said than done, and probably sounds a bit rich coming from a thin, white, cis woman, but hear me out if you can.

This doesn’t mean you will suddenly stop thinking about your appearance, feeling self-conscious, or stop experiencing judgment for showing up as you are. It just means that you won’t allow those thoughts, feelings, or experiences to dictate your choices.

From a more general perspective, this usually means doing the fun summer thing in your right-now body, even if you feel self-conscious.

From an exercise and self-care perspective, this means not using appearance or body size to motivate or dictate your actions.

With that in mind, the second step for me is recognizing that a lot of changes can occur over the summer months: warmer temperatures, schedule changes and disruptions, different activities becoming available, etc., and using this awareness to inform my decisions about how to care for myself.

For some, the way you care for yourself might not change a whole lot from season to season, and that's cool. For others, it may change quite a bit depending on your schedule, interests, and activities. We’re all different, and there is no right or wrong way to care for yourself, but here are some things that I keep in mind when it comes to summertime self-care:

Hydration and Sun Safety

I love the sun. I’m also very pale and get very sweaty. It’s not a great match, but I make it work by always carrying sunscreen and a big water bottle.

If you only make one change to your summer self-care routine, hydration would be my number one recommendation, especially if you, like me, also enjoy a few drinks on a sunny patio.

Longer days

Having a few extra hours of sunlight in the summertime can feel like such a blessing, especially if you start your mornings early. That said, it can also make it easier to stay up late and harder to get to sleep early.

Prioritizing enough quality sleep is important for self-care at any time of year, but you may find it helpful to be a bit more intentional around bedtime during the summer, when the pull to “make use” of the extra daylight feels strong.

Schedule Changes

Our summer schedules are often more irregular than the rest of the year. Weekends get busier, childcare changes, and there are generally more things going on. It’s important to keep this reality in mind when planning your self care and exercise routines. In my experience, most folx’s capacity for rigid routines go way down during this time, and instead of meeting that with understanding, we have a tendency to judge ourselves. I don’t want you to think this means that all hell breaks loose and there’s no point in trying to start a routine of any kind, but it’s important to be both realistic, and compassionate with yourself when doing so. Build flexibility into your routine, and shape it around the parts of summer that you most enjoy. 

Summer activities

How does your activity level change in the summertime? Do you spend more time outside? Enjoy gardening? Go camping or travelling? Entertain your small children for longer hours? Maybe you like to hike, bike, swim, or run—or maybe you’d like to try.

Many of us become more active in the summer months without really thinking about it, which is already an accomplishment worth celebrating, but it also creates an opportunity for some mindful self-care.

For example, if you walk more or enjoy hiking in the summer months, you may also experience more tension or discomfort in your feet, legs, or hips. But a few simple exercises and stretches added into your routine can help keep that tightness in check and keep you walking comfortably all summer long.

This additional activity may also increase your need to pay attention to the things we discussed above, like rest and hydration.

Once again, because we are all different, have different bodies, activity levels, experience, and interests, the way we approach our exercise routines will be different as well.

In general, when planning my spring and summer exercise routine, in order to honour my body, I emphasize function: Does it make sense for the physical demands of my life and activities? And feeling: How does this exercise make me feel? Does it feel physically safe? Is it fun, playful, enjoyable, energizing, satisfying, etc.?

Need some help or ideas on what type of exercise might best honour your body? You’re in the right place! Whether through personal training, community, or simply sharing ideas online, my goal is to help you to experience summer the way little Andrea did: connected to your body, curious, playful, and fully present—not waiting until you’ve earned the right to enjoy it.