Best Beach Body: How to Have the Perfect Bikini Body

My favorite season is and always has been summer. I love throwing on a pair of denim shorts and a tank top, slipping my feet into sandals, and grabbing a hat on my way out the door. I enjoy the simple pleasures of sitting at the beach with a good book or sipping a cold beverage on my front porch. However, there is something that I really don’t like about this time of year and the months leading up to it. Once spring hits, so does the bombardment of messages about getting yourself Bikini Ready. We go from flannels, sweaters, and jeans to BOOM bikini time. Shopping emails start rolling out, people dust off their skirts and dresses, and, inevitably, the chatter about having a bikini-ready body in time for summer begins. I’m not just talking about the media here (although that is a big offender), I’m talking about brands, social media, family, and friends too.

Scrolling through social media, I see bikini body workout programs, people lamenting that they need to lose the Covid-19 (pounds), ways to tone up for travel or events, and diet teas and secrets that “really work!” in order to change your body to make it Summer Ready. The worst part is that it’s hard to ignore all of this noise and imagery. I know I’m guilty of this type of thinking. I’ve thought about how I need to be more in shape or if I can wear a certain style of swimsuit (i.e. Is it flattering…