Summertime has begun its first rounds of beach weekends and pool days. Everyone is preparing for unforgivable sunburns, those times you find sand in unspeakable places and. . . the unwelcoming bathing suit season.

If you’re unlike me, you may have spent these last few months at the gym and eating clean, trying to get “summer body” ready. Good for you! If you’re like me, you may have spent these last few months trying to find the motivation to get out of bed and eat at least something, if not everything. Good for you, too! Because, say it with me, every body is a summer body!

If you’re unsure as to what I’m referring to, I’m breaking the stigma around the idea that we must get our bodies into some unrealistic shape just in time for summer when we break out the bathing suits and trot around for others to see. 

I’ll be the first, and probably not the last, to admit that it can be a bit intimidating and sometimes nerve-wracking to wear a bathing suit in public. They are quite literally the least amount of clothing that is socially acceptable to wear, and it can be scary to be that vulnerable. 

Even in a normal amount of clothes, we’re constantly worried about what others are thinking about us, physically and mentally. But not anymore. This summer, we’re reclaiming what it means to have a “summer body” and all that is required is having one. 

That’s it — it doesn’t matter what it looks like, how big or small it is, its shape, color or texture. It doesn’t matter if it’s patterned, hairy, bouncy or firm. It simply doesn’t matter. And nobody cares.     

All that matters is what’s on the inside, and I don’t mean whether it’s Oreos or kale, but the person inside the beautiful vessels we call bodies.

I mean, come on, body shaming is soo 1700s. We’re no longer focusing on minimizing our bodies and meals to feel like we fit in. It’s almost ironic — why are we trying to make ourselves the smallest person in the room when we should be trying to stand out? Why would we want to minimize our meals when all our bodies want is nourishment? 

A “summer body” is one that will do a belly flop into the pool with no questions asked. Or one that takes long walks on the beach and watches the sunset. Even better, one that enjoys a good hotdog fresh off the grill. 

By all means, if the summertime encourages you to get a bit more active, that’s great. But we’re taking the negative connotation out of what it means to be “summer body ready” and giving it back its real definition— somebody experiencing the loveliness of the sun on their (sunscreen-lathered) skin and laughter roaring in their (hotdog-filled) bellies. 

So put on that bathing suit, throw on those flip-flops and give yourself a wink because you my friend, are summer body ready.

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