Still Feeling Pressure to Shrink for Summer? You’re Not Alone.

You’ve let go of the diets. You’ve burned the meal plan. You’re working on intuitive eating and healing your relationship with food. But now summer’s rolling in, and suddenly that voice in your head is wondering if you should just “clean things up a little” before swimsuit season.

Sound familiar?

This week on the podcast, I’m talking about why this happens (hint: it’s not vanity, it’s biology), and what to do when the pressure to “get summer ready” starts creeping back in.

This episode is not about pretending body image stuff magically disappears. It’s about learning how to respond to those thoughts with compassion instead of control.

Why Your Summer Body Anxiety Makes So Much Sense

If you’ve ever felt frustrated that the urge to lose weight pops back up just when you’re starting to feel free…you’re not failing. Your nervous system is trying to keep you safe.

We’ve been conditioned to believe that thinness = acceptance, love, and safety. So when summer hits and the clothes get skimpier, it makes perfect sense that your brain interprets that as a threat. This isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about survival wiring, cultural messaging, and years of reinforcement.

And it’s why the internal tug-of-war can feel so intense, even after you’ve “quit dieting.”

One of my favorite companion reads to this episode is Why Holding Onto Clothes From 10 Years Ago Won’t Magically Make Your Body Smaller. If you’ve ever stared at a pair of jeans from a decade ago thinking, “Maybe one day…”, this one’s for you. Especially in the summer, when shorts and swimsuits come out, it’s easy to fall into the trap of measuring your worth by what fits. This post walks you through how hanging onto old clothes can quietly reinforce body shame, and how letting them go can be a powerful act of self-respect.

Sneaky Summer Diet Culture to Watch Out For

Just because you’re not counting calories doesn’t mean diet culture is done with you. It often shows up in sneakier ways like:

• “Eating clean” or “toning up” (aka dieting in disguise)
• Buying clothes that hide your body instead of dressing for comfort
• Feeling like you’re “just being more mindful”…when really you’re restricting
• Comparing your body to others at the pool, the beach, or on Instagram

In the episode, I talk through how to notice these patterns and gently redirect your thoughts. It’s not about shaming yourself for having them. It’s about responding differently.

Daily Practices to Build Body Trust This Summer

Instead of trying to shrink your body for summer, what if you focused on supporting it?

Here are a few ways I recommend doing that:

• Wear clothes that are comfortable, even if they show your legs.
• Eat enough food (yes, even when it’s hot out or you feel bloated).
• Say yes to summer fun, even if your body doesn’t look how you wish it did.
• Practice “dopamine dressing”—wear things that make you feel good now.
• Get curious about what you’re really hoping weight loss will give you, and see if you can create that feeling now, without changing your body.

Need help getting started? Grab my free body image journal prompts to help you expand your summer narrative.

🎧 Listen & subscribe:
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Referenced Episode: Ep.186 – Just Because Summer Is Coming Doesn’t Mean You Should Cut Carbs

Looking for more support?

• Why Holding Onto Clothes From 10 Years Ago Won’t Magically Make Your Body Smaller
• Join the Intuitive Eating Made Easy Facebook Group
• Grab my FREE Daily 3 Body Kindness Journal Pages
• Intuitive eating education on the blog
• Work with Katy

You Don’t Need to Shrink to Be Summer-Ready

Your current body is already beach-ready. Your worth isn’t up for debate. Let’s make this the summer where you stop sitting on the sidelines and start showing up, with joy, confidence, and a whole lot of compassion for yourself.

You’ve got this. I’m cheering for you.