Two weeks into swimming pool season here and the media is still all abuzz with the latest diet and exercise schemes to help you get “swimsuit-ready in just 10 days!” Sheesh. You are ALREADY swimsuit-ready!
I’ve heard all sorts of dieting guidelines lately to help you fit into your bikini. All sorts of exercises so your poolside flab can turn into poolside fit with little to no effort. Even a plastic surgeon’s office advertising their services to help you get ready for the beach. Seriously?!?
And then I heard a DJ talking about swimsuits, what’s appropriate for what age, what men can wear versus women. He said something that really spoke to me, something I never expected to hear from a shock jock on a drive-time radio show. I’m paraphrasing, but he said something to the effect of, “We are all in this together. Everyone at the pool avoids eye contact with each other. All of the women are constantly adjusting their suits, more from nerves than necessity. We are all hoping we don’t see anyone we know.”
Being part mermaid, I don’t want this to be the case. I want all of you to join me at the beach and the pool! It’s more fun if we can all hang out together and enjoy Summer. I’m not gonna let cellulite, juicy thighs and a soft tummy prohibit me from a generous dose of Vitamin D, splashing, laughing and having a great time waterside. You don’t have to either.
So here are my two simple steps to getting your body Swimsuit-Ready:
1. Get a Swimsuit.
2. Put it on.
My coping strategy is a little more involved, yet still simple. I splurge on a swimsuit I feel great in. Accentuate the positive, wrap a sarong around the rest. I love a cute swimsuit cover-up, a great beach bag, fabulously floppy hat, enormous sunglasses and pretty towel. Oh, and sparkly flip flops. I feel fantastic in my swim attire even though my body is far from the swimsuit-ready bodies the media is showing right now. I’m comfortable walking into any poolside resort or beach and rocking what I got. You got a problem with that? Then don’t look!
Want more encouragement? I wrote a little about this last year, too. Seems I didn’t change the world yet. I’ll keep working on that, but first I’m going to lounge poolside while my Cabana Boy brings me an umbrella drink. 😉
Now I need your help, dear readers. Would you be so sweet as to leave a comment below so we can build a resource list for others who need a little encouragement to feel great at the beach? Where do you get your favorite swimsuits? Got any tips for feeling great in your body right now, without crash dieting or over-exercising? Let’s hear it!
Another great post, Johnna. We miss so much of the joy of living because of our worries in this area. The sad thing is that when I had that pretty perfect body back in the day, I didn’t appreciate it. All I could see were the imperfections. I’m sure you heard the media talk about Miss Indiana in the Miss USA contest and how she was a larger woman. Good Lord, most women would die to have her “curvy” body, or “relatively normal” body, as someone said. How sad is that whole commentary, that her beautiful body was considered unique and relatively normal?
Anyway, Land’s End has the best bathing suits for every size and shape IMO. As long as my legs are in the water or covered with a sarong, etc. when out of the water (sorry, truth), I feel terrific in my bathing suit. And the cabana boy bringing me a drink always makes my worries go away. 😉
Thanks, Johnna,
Shirley
Love Land’s End, Shirley! Here’s to not missing out on any of the joy of living!!
Love your message here! Every body is a bikini body!
Great place to get suits for plus size people is swimsuitsforall.com
Thanks, Anna! Such cute suits, coverups and board shorts on that site. It’s so hard to find board shorts that fit a girl who likes to stand up paddle board but also has a bit of curve. I’m ordering!