Hey, hey!
How is your week going? I’ve been having a good week (minus a freak-out yesterday and a stuffy nose that suddenly hit me right after my lingering cough went away—are you kidding me?), but I’ve been having the most intense writer’s block. Fairly normal, right? I’m sure you’ve been there.
Sometimes when I have writer’s block I take that as a sign I need to take a break. But since I’ve been taking a fairly long break (minus a couple posts last week), I decided to just take some inspiration from the literal season I’m in: summer.
If you’re still a student, you probably know summer as a much-needed break for beaches and travel. Or, if you’re a working parent like myself, then you know summer as a really hot few months that are otherwise exactly like every other time of the year.
Unfortunately, we ALL know summer to be this: a plethora of advertisements for special diets and workouts to enable us to “achieve a bikini body” so we look and “feel” our best for the scantily-clad masses.
I don’t know about you, but I’m over the quest for the bikini bod. My body is what it is—it’s hardly perfect, but it’s mine. It’s carried me through good times and bad, it’s growing stronger thanks to my regular BodyPump classes, and it is deserving of my respect.
So, I thought I’d share today a list of 10 things I think are significantly better than a “bikini body” (in no particular order).
1. Ice cream
On a sweltering summer day, ice cream—the real stuff, not that low calorie “frozen treat” masquerading as ice cream (the horror!)—is much better than a bikini bod. It’s sweet, creamy, and basically the answer to “what do I want for dessert?” It’s also just as delicious in the winter time, but we’re talking about summer, so…moving on.
2. A massage
I don’t care what your body looks like—your body enjoys the sensation of a good massage. Heck, most bodies enjoy the sensation of a mediocre massage. Instead of “treating” yourself to a summer boot camp that promises a 6-pack in 6 weeks if you halve your calorie intake, treat yourself to a massage—you just have to lie there and relax!
3. Date nights with your significant other
Your significant other thinks you’re beautiful or handsome no matter what you do. But more importantly, he or she thinks you’re a good and worthy person. He or she loves YOU and the time you spend together—not the size of your bikini bottom.
4. Snuggles with your child—or your pet
Everybody needs to feel loved sometimes, and snuggles are a sure-fire way to achieve that feeling. Double points if you’re snuggling both your pet (shout out to my dog, Iggy, whose 8th birthday was yesterday!) and your child at once.
5. Impromptu trips
Whether it’s a road trip to visit old friends or a day trip to the beach, the experience of going someplace new (or old) is always a treat.
6. An ice-cold beer
If you like beer, that is. If not, well, maybe you’d prefer a perfectly cold glass of iced tea. Or crisp white wine. Or a soda. Whatever your choice, just make sure it’s icy-cold and that you savor each sip.
7. A hot shower or bath
Preferably whenever your toddler isn’t trying to pull back the curtain because relaxation is key to a really nice shower/bath.
8. Tacos
Really I should clarify: anything loaded with fresh guac is better than a bikini bod. And cilantro (unless you’re one of those people who thinks cilantro tastes like soap).
9. Standing up for yourself
As somebody with an anxious and self-critical personality, I have trouble standing up for myself, but I can tell you that when you DO make that decision and hold your ground, it feels so incredibly satisfying.
10. Blissful walks in nature
When you slow down and absorb the beauty around you, you lose the need to focus so harshly on your outward appearance. Focus on what your body can DO—run, walk, ski, cycle—and less on how it looks doing those things.
What's better than a bikini body? Well, these 10 things + more... #sweatpink #bodyimage Share on X[linking up for thinking out loud]
So tell me…
- What do you find better than a bikini body?
- For the bloggers out there—what do you do when you have writer’s block?
YES. This is my exact line of thinking. I am not willing to give up time or experiences like these to look great in a bathing suit. I have a healthy body that I exercise and feed well, so I am not going to put in more hours at the gym just to have it look a certain way. Would I like a toned stomach? Sure. However, it’s not a priority at all.
I think we all would love a toned stomach, but you’re right – it’s just not worth the effort (right now, at least). I think you have a great attitude about exercise!
How can I not like this? This is wonderful. This takes the whole emphasis off of focusing on our bodies, and it puts it back on the many gifts and blessings of summer. AND YES FOR FULL fat ice cream. I have had the lower calorie stuff, and it just doesn’t taste quite as good. 🙂 I agree with huge piles of guac, blissful walks in nature, impromptu trips, snuggles, and I would add that ‘digging your toes into fresh dirt,’ picking fruit, eating burgers, and writing blog posts about eating all foods are all better than bikini bods. 🙂
Thanks, Emily. Yes to FULL FAT ice cream and focusing on what counts!
I love this!! Particularly because who in their right mind would turn down a beer and taco date night for a “bikini body”? Not this girl! 🙂
Something else better than a bikini body is LIVING YOUR LIFE. Like actually living. Without spending every second of every day counting calories or at the gym. Actually experiencing things and living.
That’s the spirit! Tacos + beer > bikini body, especially if deprivation is involved!
YES to all of this! I think a big one for me is also alone time. The only time I can/will (let’s be real I will NOT workout after I put the boys to bed…) is during nap time, but sometimes I just need sit and be alone for an hour before jumping back into the crazy!
Alone time is definitely better than a bikini body! I am the same way with my alone time.
Oh heck yes! I honestly don’t have it in me anymore to put THAT much effort into how my body looks. Like… been there, done that, wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be. My main focus right now is being healthy, and that includes not restricting myself or putting too much unnecessary stress on myself by telling myself I can’t have certain things. Plus… a full and satisfied belly is way better than a bikini body. There’s nothing worse than constantly being hungry and obsessed with thoughts of food.
“There’s nothing worse than constantly being hungry and obsessed with thoughts of food.” <–AGREED. Healthy is so much more than how we look.
I read something awhile back on 10 things better than sugar and I just love these ways of reframing how we think about things!
Thanks! It truly is all about how we think about and frame things.
YES! Love this Catherine. I am done with the days I would turn down ice cream cones to keep my body looking perfect. Fun nights with friends, tacos with alllll the guac, and making memories is so much more important than a flat stomach and a body that we deem to be “perfect.”
Yes! Making memories will always win over chasing the elusive “perfect’ body. <3
Love this post! It’s so important to reiterate that life is more important than a bikini body. Honestly, how long are we in bikinis anyway? I think strength and relaxation are more important than a bikini body. I hate stressing about stupid stuff, the BB being one of them.
When I get writers block, I either don’t write or check a list I have saved in my favorites to see if any topic is relevant to my life =P
Thanks, Ellie. You’re so right – it’s not like we even spend that much time in bikinis anyway. And who is going to spend hours and hours remembering how we looked for 2 hours at the beach? Only ourselves, I’d bet.
YES YES YES. I can think of about 100 things that are better than having a bikini body. I think the media has been after us for so long to have this ideal body and it’s really starting to fade for a lot of people. I used to wonder why older women had “let themselves go.” Oh hahahah. I get it now. Not that I consider myself (or you!) let go in any way. I just DON’T have time to stress. Sure I want to lose some pounds at the moment (because I’ve been eating burgers and fries for like 2 months!) but I don’t ever want to waste more time obsessing about food, obsessing over going to the gym a ton, only to be disappointed that I don’t look like a piece of paper in a magazine. It’s not real anyway! I’m so comfortable with my body now and know it’s just fine.
yes yes yes yes yessssss to all of this!
As I always say, every body is a bikini body – it’s just your brain that causes the problem! I’ve never met a bum that says “OH HECK NO!” when you try to put on a bikini 😛
Agree with ALL of this. Everything on this list makes me so happy (except ice cream cuz im lactose-intolerant, vegan ice cream though!!)
-Akansha
citrusandgold.com
Love this endlessly! I’m all for reframing those negative thoughts and focusing on the positives. Definitely something I’m working on in general. And YES to all the fresh guac. Always.
Love this endlessly! I’m all for reframing those negative thoughts and focusing on the positives. Definitely something I’m working on in general. And YES to all the fresh guac. Always.
Yasssss queen!!! I love this post a lot <3 All you need to do for a bikini body: put a bikini on your body 😉
When I have writers block I step away from it and focus on other things. Usually a walk in nature helps a lot!!
Thank you, Leah! Yep – just put a bikini on your body and…DONE. 😉
Nature walks are helpful to me, too!