SUMMERTIME—FUN IN THE SUN OR IS IT?

Summer is one of the hardest times for emotional eaters, overeaters, and people with body image concerns. The need to wear more revealing clothes can be excruciating for people who have issues with body image and weight. Especially for women, the false belief that we have to be a small size in order to be loved often leads to restricting food, which can result in a sense of deprivation and ultimately another binge, increased weight gain, and more self-loathing.

This is especially pronounced as there are increased opportunities for social occasions that bring up feelings of inadequacy. Reunions are plentiful in the summertime, yet they can induce anxiety and ambivalence about attending. Women are often ashamed because they may be heavier than they were in high school or in college. Men often feel embarrassed because the full head of hair they may have once had is thinning and graying and they too have often gained weight.

Weather and climate change also play into the challenges of summertime. Especially this year, with the abundance of rain and cloudiness, people have felt more depressed as they are not able to do the things that summer traditionally promises. Faced with gray skies and thunderstorms, people who visit beach houses are often frustrated and worried that they won’t be able to enjoy their vacations, and people whose moods tend to be affected by weather often feel gloomier. This can frequently lead to using excess food to stuff the feelings of isolation, disappointment, and frustration.

Even on nice days, the weather can have a negative impact on the way we feel about ourselves. For single people, it can seem like everyone walking on the street is holding hands with a loving partner. For married women, it can also bring up discomfort when strolling with their husbands, and noticing their husbands noticing other women—or even worse, berating their wives for not being thin enough.

So with all these challenges, how can we shift the focus from summertime blues to celebration of the season?

• • Incorporate enjoyable movement into your life—The great part about summer is it offers exercise opportunities that are more complicated in winter. Take advantage of walking, biking, water aerobics, running in water, sailing, jet-skiing, horseback riding, hiking, kayaking, and gardening  
  • Get nourished by nature—Being surrounded by trees or close to the ocean or mountains is often refreshing, energizing, and mood elevating. An outing in the country or simply visiting an outdoor café, crafts fair, park, or music festival can bring a much-needed sense of rejuvenation. If it is within your budget, consider travel to fresh-air locations like the Berkshires; Park City, Utah; or Jackson Hole, Wyoming  
  • Take advantage of summer’s abundance of healthy fruits/vegetables—This is a great time to enjoy fresh produce and the variety that is less accessible in the wintertime. Fruits and vegetables, filled with vitamins and minerals, are known to have significant health benefits. Plus they are generally lower calorie and higher-energy than many processed foods  
  • Increase human contact and decrease social media—Rather than looking at photos of someone else’s life, and immediately assuming your life is not as exciting, try picking up the phone and reconnecting with a friend. By limiting social media, and increasing our personal connections, we break the sense of isolation that many of us feel—which can often lead to feelings of sadness, followed by overeating

People who have food issues often worry about feeling deprived of food, but the real deprivation comes when we are so focused on food and weight that we deprive ourselves of living fully. Don’t buy into the cultural message that you can’t enjoy the season unless you are very thin. If you engage in life and the summer season you will be more likely to feel good about yourself. You won’t be restricting and starving, and you will be more likely to eat according to physical hunger and stop when full—not stuffed. You won’t be depressed because you won’t be managing your feelings through overeating, starving, purging, and obsessing about body image. When you are being fed by nutritious foods and opportunities of the season, there is a greater likelihood that you will be able to eat intuitively. As you shift the focus away from what you’re eating and how skinny you need to be, you will be able to sink your teeth into the unique pleasures of the summer months.