37 somewhat productive things to do instead of obsessing over how to get a “summer body”
Babe, your body is gorgeous regardless of how hot the sun shines.
I can’t escape #SkinnyTok.
No matter how frequently I press the Not Interested button, I stumble upon videos about how to fast and ignore your hunger cues and suppress your appetite.
Because nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.
It’s giving 2005.
I thought we were done with that nonsense. Unfortunately, like with all trends, it’s back in style.
As someone who grew up in a time when 2007 Britney was considered fat, I was on more diets than I can remember. I starved myself, went to bed hungry, denied myself treats. I exercised on an empty stomach and wondered why I felt like shit.
I told myself you have to suffer in order to be pretty.
It took me a long time to accept that it wasn’t going to happen for me. The skinny part.
Even now, my relationship with food isn’t 100% healthy. Occasionally, food is emotional comfort, or enemy, or source of shame.
Once you learn how many calories are in each and every single thing you eat and drink, the knowledge lingers.
And I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones. I know I could have done more damage.
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When I checked the comment section of SkinnyTok videos, I read about how this type of content is motivational.
It was also motivational for me to see contestants on The Biggest Loser throw up after spending too much time on the treadmill.
I can’t help but be skeptical.
Still, I’m all for feeling good about yourself. Embark on a healthy weight loss journey, and I’m cheering you on. Improve your diet, practice portion control, exercise.
Taking care of your body is great. What’s not great is believing that you have to shrink yourself to be worthy.
As long as you know that there’s a fine line between inspiration and starvation, this post isn’t for you.
It’s for the girlies willing to cross it in the race to get a “summer body,” since it’s that time of the year.
(If you’re a man feeling pressure to lose weight or bulk up in anticipation of the warmer months, I don’t know your struggle, but I’m guessing there are similarities.)
Often, the problem isn’t your body. It’s your mind.
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People rarely warn you about the amount of mental energy you consume when trying to lose weight.
Suddenly, 80% of your thoughts revolve around what to eat, when to exercise, and how to stay on track. Slow progress can be discouraging. If you focus too much on what you can’t eat, you become resentful. One “bad” meal can send you into a frenzy. Accidentally cut too many calories, and you become irritable, which isn’t fun to be or be around.
Again, do this for yourself, to feel good and healthy, and I’m rooting for you.
But if you’re only doing it in the hope that carving bits of yourself will help you fit a warped standard of beauty, there are better ways to spend your time.
For example:
Become an armchair detective. Investigate a cold case. Solve it. Give a grieving family some peace.
Unsubscribe from newsletters you no longer care about and just clutter your inbox (not mine, obviously, it’s excellent).
Read The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
(Re)watch all seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. The second one will make you want to die. Push through.
Watch your favorite actor’s entire filmography.
Watch your favorite director’s entire filmography.
Learn a monologue from your favorite movie/show by heart.
Learn your favorite poem by heart. Bonus points if it’s The Raven.
Clean out your closet and donate any clothes you’re keeping in the hopes that they will fit you “one day.” Then, donate any clothes you never reach for because you deem them unflattering. Congrats—you love everything inside now.
Do that one task you have been procrastinating for months; get annoyed when it takes you less than an hour.
Sort through your to-be-read book pile.
Write a ta-da (!) list of all your accomplishments from the past few days. Realize how amazing you are.
Unfollow social media creators who cause you dread. Stop giving away your attention for cheap.
Deep clean your pantry. Throw away expired food. Take inventory of everything there so you don’t keep buying the same stuff over and over.
Reread an old journal and marvel at how much you’ve grown. Alternatively, have an existential crisis because you didn’t. Do something about it.
Color. It’s ridiculously relaxing.
Make friendship bracelets to exchange at an upcoming concert.
Stream the Marvel Cinematic Universe in its entirety. That way, you can argue with die-hard fans at your next social event.
Delete pics from the cloud so you won’t be forced to pay for extra storage yet again.
Look into every possible fan theory of when Reputation (Taylor’s Version) will come out. Figure out the correct release date. Bask in glory once the time comes.
Pick up a simple offline game you can play with friends, like Yahtzee or poker. Organize game nights and laugh until you can’t feel your face.
Learn a silly TikTok dance. Then another. Don’t film yourself.
Go on Goodreads and comment “Lies!” under every “review to come” review you find older than a year.
Get very into crystals. Or tarot. Or astrology.
Become a good witch. Do spells meant to bring health and prosperity.
Become an evil witch. Do spells meant to bring the downfall of your enemies.
Develop your very own conspiracy theory.
Go on a (very) long walk every day and feel your anxiety melt away as you stare at a body of water.
Get drunk, put on your biggest headphones, and listen to Riders on the Storm on repeat. Perhaps you’ll accidentally discover the meaning of life. Or fall asleep. Either outcome is welcome.
DM a hot celebrity daily until they either ask you out or threaten a restraining order.
Write angry letters to every person who has ever wronged you. Don’t send them.
Make daydreaming an integral part of your routine.
A year of rest and relaxation might be too much to ask for, but you can spend an entire weekend in bed. Lounge. Nap. Repeat.
Give yourself a compliment every time you look in the mirror. Don’t roll your eyes. It works.
Take boudoir pics. You might feel cringe. You might also realize that you’re actually very hot, thank you very much.
Do a digital detox. Understand that you have bigger problems than how tiny your waist looks.
Retire to the wilderness. Become part human, part beast. Terrorize a small village.
You want something completely unproductive to do? Develop a fiery crush on someone you can’t have.
It’s as all-consuming as weighing your food before every meal. Fun!
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Your body may not be perfect, or snatched, or small, or tea.
But maybe it’s resilient, or strong, or cuddly, or welcoming.
At the very least, it’s home.
Don’t punish it for someone else’s approval.
My content is currently free, but you can support my work on Ko-Fi. I’ll spend your money on prosecco, books, and rent – probably in that order.
Photo by Lisa from Pexels
I just heard this (skinny shit is in thing) on Trevor Noah's (😉) podcast Now What today. And I was like whaaat??? How are we back at it again? Love your alternate things to do list!
10, 14, 19 - oh yes.
(but a lot of expired food in tins is fine well past the expiry date. Waste not, want not 😜