This YouTube star posted her “bikini body” on Instagram to master her body image anxiety
As summer temperatures rise, so does some people’s anxiety about their bodies. Unfortunately, a lot of us have been hardwired to believe in making sure we have our “beach body” or “bikini body” ready before enjoying the sun. But that’s all a load of you-know-what.
Which is exactly why YouTube star Hazel Hayes posted a bikini selfie on Instagram just to help herself be more calm about the whole thing. A beach or bikini body is any body on a beach or in a bikini. And while we might understand that concept on an intellectual level, it can be hard to internalize the mantra as vacation time rolls around and you’re trying on new swimsuits (cue the Jaws music as you head to the dressing room).
You know what they say about facing your fears, right? That’s exactly what Hayes did to conquer her body image anxiety this summer.
Hayes captioned her selfie, "Bikini Body. Two little words. Two horrid bloody words that threaten to ruin every woman's Summer. I'd been dreading sunbathing at VidCon. Quite frankly the thought of getting my flabby bits out in front of all my friends makes me feel a bit queasy."
She added that she hasn’t been watching what she eats or hitting the gym on the regular. “Not that I usually do but go with me here,” Hayes joked.
Hayes concluded by writing that this season she was feeling more anxious about her body than she ever had before.
“I’m feeling particularly self conscious. So here it is. For all the world to see. Front on, no flattering angles and no fucking Facetune. My bikini body. My ass is a whole other story; fuller, heavier and a whole lot wobblier than it’s been in a while. I don’t really want to put that on insta. But this is a start. I feel a tad less queasy now.”
Seriously, how awful is it that we torment ourselves so much about our bodies?
If you’re driving yourself crazy about getting into a swimsuit, sometimes wearing it around the house or sunbathing in private before the big beach bash can help you start to feel comfy in your own skin again. And try to remember that everyone else is feeling the same stress about their bodies and you are absolutely not alone.
And again: All bodies are beach and bikini ready.
Going forward, let’s all agree to just ban the phrase, “bikini bod” or “beach body” altogether. And have fun at the beach, the pool, or just your backyard. Summer’s way too short for body stress.
