SWEET SUMMER TIME

As we draw closer to summer, the idea of the “summer body” has been weighing on my mind. With advertisements everywhere for quick-fix diet or exercise solutions to get you ready for bikini season, it’s hard not to reflect on the gap between where you feel your body is and where you want it to be and to not be too critical in the process.
 
Let me start by saying that I have fallen for probably every “trick” in the book…going even as far as an almost strictly Chick-fil-a Diet Lemonade diet in college (don’t ask!) to feel ready for pool season. It’s laughable and even dangerous. What I want to talk about here is not how to find the right fad for you, but how to create a lifestyle that will make you feel your best ALL. Year. Round.
 
The word diet typically has a connotation of restriction and weight loss, when in reality it should just be a reference to your daily/routine eating habits. These habits (in theory) should be formed after investigation (lots of trial + error) of what makes you feel your best – physically, mentally, spiritual – everything. This includes providing your body with the nutrients, rest, and rejuvenation that it needs to perform. Just like a car needing gas, oil changes, car washes, etc., our bodies will only run smoothly if we care for them properly.   
 
I think that we all have to find our sweet spot – the place where you’ve found a healthy balance of clean diet and frequent exercise that just feels right. When you’ve found this place (it may take one week it may take one year!), I encourage you to get rid of the scale. The number it shows doesn’t really matter anyways. This process is about finding a lifestyle that makes you happy, brings positive energy into your life, and allows you to do the things that you need/want to. This is NOT about a number on a scale meant to define your feelings of self worth and self respect. What it IS about is you looking in the mirror and feeling nothing but love, pride and respect. 
 
It’s okay to eat carbs. It’s okay to have your Starbucks. It’s okay to go to Happy Hour with your friends. I promise you the world will not end and you won’t wake up 15 pounds heavier. Don't let this summer season be associated with feelings of anxiety or body-shaming.
 
Stop for a moment today to feel the sunshine warm your skin and be grateful for all that your body does for you.
 
Sending you all good vibes, sunshine + love.
 
xx C