I move my body so I can do this on holiday
Moving my body regularly is a huge part of my wellness routines. As someone who is recovering from a disordered relationship with exercise, I now focus on the functional benefits of moving my body.
But, diet culture is always selling a quick fix for a ‘bikini body’ before a holiday. A quick google search returned half a million results of anything from 8 min, 21 day and 8 week ‘bikini body workout plans’.
After spending 3 weeks in the Phillipines, and spending most of the time in my bikini, I can honestly say I was far more grateful for my functional fitness levels than how I looked in my bikini. My sustainable, enjoyable, flexible and varied movement routines allowed me to move my body in many different ways while traveling:
Balance for surfing and walking planks (getting on and off boats, I wasn’t kidnapped by pirates)
Strength to lift, carry and move around with a pack and backpack
Cardio endurance to swim and kayak
Walk, and walk and walk
Aerobic capacity to hold my breath underwater to see Nemo fish and swim with turtles!
I didn’t adjust my movement routines in anyway just to get a beach bikini body.
Does being in the bikini body change how much I enjoy my holiday? A powerful question to ask yourself to support healing body image issues and moving towards body neutrality.
Don’t get me wrong, negative body image thoughts came up-but I’m getting much better at unhooking and creating space from these negative thoughts. And I continue to remind myself, ‘My weight is not my Worth’.
Be kind to yourself,
M x