Those "Get Your Perfect Summer Body!" Articles Are Just Ridiculous

[SirenDep]

I actually cringe every time I come across an article about the perfect beach body. First of all, it projects the mindset that you should be wary of criticism and do your best to please other people. It claims that you should try harder to look good at summer, because you will be showing more skin and you can't disguise the fat under clothes, like you did in winter. You know, you should strive to be fit and thin in the beach because everyone will be able to see you in a bikini. Otherwise, everyone will be looking at you disgusted and throwing nasty comments. Or how can you possibly feel confident if your body doesn't look perfect? Or find a relationship? Or even go to the beach?

And how will you achieve that? Why, by short-term dieting, by reducing abruptly the calories you consume, by changing your eating habits at once, with fad diets and crazy workout routines, with detox teas, slimming belts and superfoods. Anything and everything to achieve that, only until your vacations, so that you show off your body, and then you can go back to your old habits, drinking cocktails and gorging of fast food.

So, you have extra weight. And cellulite. And jiggly bits. Or your weight is fine, but you feel you need more tone. Or you are too thin. That doesn't stop you from wearing your bikini and have a nice time in the beach. The random people who see you know nothing about you, and it's not their business how you look anyway. There's no reason to feel insecure or try to cover up your body. Your body is great, you love it, that's why you flaunt it and you pick the most awesome clothes you it. That's why you want to improve it.

Actually, I'm all for people improving their bodies by changing their eating and exercising habits. Being fit and having a normal weight is related to health, so it's a personal matter. But this should be done because you want to do so, not because you feel that you have to, in order to be accepted in society and look pleasing to others. Not just out of vanity, but also out of wanting to improve your wellbeing.

Changing your eating and exercising habits to lead a healthier life should be a conscious goal, a commitment. The changes you make should be gradual and viable, so that they can be permanent. Humans are creatures of habit. You can't just expect to take the decision to become healthier, and the next day behave like a totally different person. You start making small changes in your everyday life, and those add up. You study about nutrition from reliable sources, not from every self proclaimed expert. You apply what you 've learned and you improve even more along the way. You take up a sport, or a type of exercising, and you strive to master it.

You 've set a goal, and even if sometimes you fail, you get up and get back in track. Because you are dedicated, because you want this, no matter how long it takes, no matter if it's winter or summer, if you have a relationship or if you're single, if you're young, or over 50. And once you reach your goal, you don't stop. You set new ones. You keep on going forward.

#SeeMyWork

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[BeeNee]

My thing is... why do you want to continuously have to start over again every time the summer rolls around. Wouldn't you rather just be in shape so you continue doing what you already do and already look great. To me that would be too depressing every year to have to start from scratch to 'get that beach body.' I get that no one really sees your body in winter, but you do, and I don't want to see it out of shape!

[SirenDep]

Exactly!

[BeeNee]

thanks

[SirenDep]

You're welcome!

[iAMNirvana]

I think it has to be your way of life not just couple of months before summer.

[SirenDep]

yes! I mean if you suddenly start working out hard you're likely going to get injured, rather than getting any results anyway

[MeghanL]

You do have to start somewhere, but you do need to start gradually.

You also need to have reasonable expectations. You aren't going to go from looking like Jabba The Hut to looking like Wolverine overnight.

[Oram52]

People have been selling snake oil since the dawn of time. I agree it should be 24/7, 365 days a year. Even if these articles do encourage them to get a beach body, even for soleley aesthetic reasons I don't see why not, as long as these methods/diets are safe.

I don't care however that they should not care even for aesthetic reasons. Sure they shouldn't do it for other people, but should for themselves. Ragardless opposite sex will make their preferences on what their body looks like, hence quick fix.

[SirenDep]

Some articles are proposing safe methods but they are still proposing that you have to do so to appeal to others and they offer short term solutions only

[Oram52]

I agree with you 100%, you should do it for health first, and for yourself. And I disagree with short term gains, they should keep themselves fit regardless of season.

However I still don't see anything wrong with doing it to appeal to others. Opposite sex is going to judge on their own personal preferences. Many people don't have enough self confidence to go to beach and not care how they look.

We do a lot of things to appeal to opposite sex, even if its not the best of reasons to lose weight, still trying to lose weight to appeal to others I don't see anything wrong with. But I do agree with you it should not be a quick, short term fix. They should strive to keep these changes permenantly.

[jaxxten]

its better to be healthy for others, than to be morbid for yourself

[SirenDep]

It's not a healthy mindset. If it feels like an obligation you won't keep it up for long

[mikemx55]

Those articles are just throwing at people, what they ask for in the first place. It is well known that people look for miracle solutions all over the place on this summer time. So they just provide what people are already looking for, with methods and advice, etc.

[SirenDep]

sadly, there is demand for those articles. many people aren't educated about proper nutrition, or want to be fit without putting in effort

[mikemx55]

Those articles tend to provide tips and such things (sometimes bad things... ) but in a way, it's a way to educate people too.

[mikemx55]

Because they don't need to open an article/magazine to see those bodies and photoshops, those kind of bodies are everywhere during summer time, and god knows how everyone oggles at them (either for simple admiration, desire or envy)

[Hopefuldreamer8]

I've never understood this mindset. I try to stay fit year round, although I'll admit I've had slip ups around the Christmas holidays. I always go back to eating healthy and exercising. I know someone who does this every summer, and then gains weight during the winter. She then has a panic attack around March or so because summer is approaching and then she follows those "Get fit in 30 days" articles.

[SirenDep]

We all have those slip ups but it's another thing to d9 that consciouly

[somebodysaycheese]

I agree with everything you said. I hate fad diets, i hate the trend of working out , being active and eating healthy. Generally when the trend ends so does the culture.
But what id like to add is mental health is more important than physical health. So even if your physically healthy but suffer from depression, anxiety... etc that needs to be worked on as well.

[SirenDep]

Heath of body and of mind are analogous. It's good to be active and work out, but you should do so year round

[somebodysaycheese]

Yes, thats my point right now its a trend. And health of the brain is neglected. Hence why so many people are on meds.

[meatballs21]

It's true, though - you get to about April or so and suddenly the gym is packed with people panicking about getting in shape in two months somehow. My gym claims no judgement (it's not Planet Fatness, before you ask) and yet they put up posters offering to get your beach bod ready if you'll just sign up for dollar-a-minute personal training.

[SirenDep]

When there's demand , there's offer

[EnglishArtsteacher]

Actually, the gym I go which (mine is a Planet Fitness) is more packed in the Winter than the Spring, and Summer.

[meatballs21]

@EnglishArtsteacher The staff told me that's the second busiest time... Thanksgiving/Christmas gorge period followed by a New Year's Resolution-induced panic.

[EnglishArtsteacher]

Ok, but at the Planet Fitness gyms I go to, the Summer is the LEAST busiest time of the year.

[krash2002]

Quick and easy weight loss routines are either exploited to the point where they are partially untrue, or absolutely unhealthy. You're absolutely right about the fact that it takes dedication, and effort to receive the body you want.

[AhGojira]

All those girl magazine articles are ridiculous... I kind of thought that was the point. Girls like bullshit drama and gossip so they find them entertaining somehow...

[SirenDep]

They are mostly for entertainment, not to be taken seriously. Let alone that you can find any info on the internet for free.

[MeghanL]

My position is that I want to be healthy. I eat sensibly, I exercise vigorously & practice good health habits. As a result I'm strong & I feel great.

If I have a nice bikini body too, that's frosting on the cake!

[Gommers]

Your my take might have some credibility if you were in shape, but looking at your pic, it's definitely not credible.

[SirenDep]

You can't judge a person only from a picture. I've lost 11 kg and started working out and running on my own. The changes I make are permanent and I read on those subjects a lot. Two years have gone by so far. After being overweight for all my life I 'm halfway to my goal.

[shinyunicorn]

forever cringing at the people who use weight loss pills, weight loss tea and other absurd "alternatives" and complain about not losing weight.

[LittleSally]

That pic before the last one - the quote is so true. Nice take. =)

[ConsultantIsBack]

Summer beach bod 12 months a year crew checking in

[SirenDep]

It's the result of hard word and dedication, right?

[ConsultantIsBack]

Yeah, diet and lift your ass off
Its all diet tbh

[EnglishArtsteacher]

I actually know a guy who is ripped, and has a terrible diet. Terrible. He owns a gym, yet, still eats junk food every day. I have no idea how he pulls it off, but his metabolism obviously plays a role.

[ConsultantIsBack]

@EnglishArtsteacher I east junk food one or two days a week but every day yeah that's excessive lol

[EnglishArtsteacher]

Right, and he claims he "anyone can do it" as long as you work out. That's simply not true. Sure, he works out constantly, but it doesn't stop the fact he clearly has a fast metabolism. He's also 33 years old, which is great for his age.

[Fathoms77]

@EnglishArtsteacher Well, firstly, just because someone is ripped doesn't mean he's healthy. If he's eating like crap, it will catch up to him a lot sooner rather than later. I don't even want to know what his cholesterol is. Worse yet, given the strain you put on your heart with heavy lifting, that guy is in a pretty serious danger zone as far as I'm concerned.

And once you pass a certain age (basically 30), the metabolism argument is essentially dead in the water. Everyone's slows down and while others may have faster or slower metabolism than normal, yes, ANYONE can be healthy. They simply have to choose to be. Some may have to work harder than others but it's never impossible.

Oh, and lifting weights burns next to nothing in terms of calories unless you're hitting it ridiculously hard. Cardio is for heart health and burning calories, plain and simple.

[EnglishArtsteacher]

@Fathoms77 I never said he was healthy. I know he's not living a healthy life eating like that lol.

[SirenDep]

@Fathoms77 I thought the best is a combination of both strength training and cardio.

[Fathoms77]

It is. I do both myself. My point is that if someone eats like crap, their health won't be very good no matter what his or her body looks like. :)

[SirenDep]

@Fathoms77 That's true.

[MeghanL]

Mine is. See my comment.

[AdamThomas]

Encouraging people to get to a healthy weight is unhealthy.

[SirenDep]

how so?

[Anonymous]

Hopefully I will not go to the beach this years

[SirenDep]

I love sea, I 'd never choose voluntarily not to go! Actually I can't wait till my exams are over

[Opinion Owner]

I hate going to sea during summer it's too hot. I prefer going in sea in autumn. your exams is not over? It's been Two week mine is over

[TatyanaTheEmpress]

Nice mytake, I guess you're right :)

[LittleMissCuriousity]

Well said!

[99percentangel]

Great take. I agree.