Summer weather

Hot weather for many of us can be a nightmare for many reasons. I asked some of my clients and friends what their biggest issues are in this weather.

Sweating (and all that it brings)

Most people sweat when it’s hot, it’s the body's cooling system so it’s an essential bodily response. However, this does not mean it’s pleasant. Some of us ‘glow’ more than others! Makeup, which is designed to help us feel more confident, suddenly feels very uncomfortable.

Hair becomes damp with sweat and sticks to our necks and faces. To avoid dehydration through sweating more, we are encouraged to drink more. The more we drink, the more we need to pee! We hold on to more water so this can also make us feel bloated, meaning some of our clothes may feel ‘tighter’. This extra water retention can also affect our feet, which can swell and make wearing certain shoes impractical. What to wear becomes a huge dilemma. Lightweight, natural fabrics which fit loosely are ideal, but they are not always readily available in the sizes we require. For those of us in larger bodies we have to make the decision between covering up our arms, legs or other so called ‘problem’ areas and being hot and uncomfortable, or choosing to stay cool and comfortable but worrying that someone might think it’s perfectly acceptable to make a comment about this.

Finally, the thing that most of us in bigger bodies suffer with, that those in smaller bodies don’t, the dreaded ‘chub rub’. (Apologies if this term causes any offence to anyone, it just seems to have been universally adopted)

Here’s a few tips from myself and some of my friends to help to manage some of these issues.

Dress to make yourself comfortable, NOT other people. We do not need to cover any parts of our bodies in order to conform to society. If anyone has an issue with our bodies it is NOT our problem to solve for them!
Wear loose comfortable clothes as much as you possibly can. We cannot feel comfortable in clothes that feel tight or need constant adjustment.
Choose natural fabrics if you are able.
To alleviate the soreness issue, many of us find the liquid talc very good as well as creams like sudocrem. (I’d love to hear any other recommendations, just email/DM me)
Cycling shorts/chub rub underwear has become very acceptable, even fashionable for under dresses/skirts.
Use a high factor sunscreen, especially on those areas normally covered up!
Enjoy the sun and blue skies. Get outside as much as possible to create vitamin D whilst protecting your health, both mental and physical.

Being outside and interacting with others more

When we think of warm weather our minds can also turn to picnics, days at the seaside, holidays etc.

Does this make you feel nervous and anxious?

Are you worrying about what you’ll wear?
Anxious at the thought of being seen by more people than usual and wondering what they will be thinking about you?
Fretting over being able to join your kids/grandkids in their games?
Dreading all those photos that will create fabulous memories for your family/friends?
Does eating in public bring about feelings of panic/guilt/shame?

I can assure you that you are not alone. I can also tell you that you should stop doing all of these things! Immediately! However, I also appreciate that this is not easy, and you may feel that it’s impossible. I’m here to reassure you that it is in fact possible and that I can help you to achieve it. First things first though. We need to get through the next few days or weeks.

Here are a few tips to help you begin to change things.

Wear whatever you like and simply enjoy your day. Just because there are more people around it doesn’t mean they will all be paying any attention to you. We do not need to hide. Just concentrate on your immediate situation and how you can enjoy it. If other people have opinions about us they are just that, opinions! They are not facts. Their opinions can only hurt us if we let them. If we are concentrating on ourselves and having a great time we will have less time and headspace to think about them.

If you are going to be seeing family/friends you may not have seen for a while, and are anxious about any comments they may make about your body, try to have some responses ready. This will help to avoid the panic of being taken off your guard. Try changing the subject immediately. Have some ideas ready so you can dictate the way the conversation goes. If all else fails, simply walk away!

For those of you with children/grandchildren, remember, your kids just want you to be there with them. Be in goal. Be the ‘bowler’. Sit down and let the kids run around you. Make them laugh and giggle. You do not need to be able to walk miles or run around in order to join in.

Be in the photos! Be yourself. Your family and friends know what you look like, they see you in person all the time. They love you for you. Let them have memories of you smiling, laughing and enjoying yourself.

Finally, let’s address the issues of eating in public! If you have ever felt guilt, shame or embarrassment when eating in public I want to tell you that these emotions are totally misplaced. You are entitled to eat. To eat nice food. Food of your choice. It is no one else's business! There is no such thing as the ‘food police’. Only self appointed, self righteous and ignorant people. These people know nothing about you. They have no idea of your health or lifestyle. Why should they? It has nothing to do with them. Whether you choose to eat a salad or chips, an ice cream or some strawberries is entirely your choice. A choice that is best made intuitively by asking yourself questions about your needs/desires/outcomes etc. but still your choice, alone.

A point to add here is that the other type of ‘food police’ is that inner voice in your head. That voice can be unbelievably harsh. The voice that speaks to you in ways that you would never dream of speaking to others. This is the voice of diet culture. More about this in another blog.