Body Neutrality: Stepping into a Summer of Self-Compassion and Empowerment
Summer is a time often associated with ease—long days, bare feet, sun-warmed skin, and the chance to feel a little freer. But for many people, the arrival of warmer weather also brings an intensified awareness of body image, driven by societal pressures and persistent beauty standards that don’t leave room for the full spectrum of human bodies. Suddenly, our bodies become more visible—not just to others, but to ourselves.
The pressure to attain a so-called “summer body” has become so normalized that it’s practically a seasonal ritual. We see it in advertising, hear it in casual conversation, and internalize it in moments we stand in front of the mirror or try on last year’s swimsuit. And while these expectations can be irritating for some, they can be deeply painful—or even harmful—for others.
For those who struggle with body image, disordered eating, or low self-esteem, summer can be an especially triggering time. It can surface shame, anxiety, and avoidance behaviors. But there is another way to move through this season—one rooted in compassion, not comparison. One that centers function over form, presence over perfection. That alternative is body neutrality.
Grounded in the Health at Every Size (HAES) philosophy, body neutrality offers a practical, compassionate framework for cultivating self-acceptance, especially during a time of year when cultural messages often push us in the opposite direction. This post will explore the principles of body neutrality, the particular challenges summer presents, and practical ways to stay grounded in self-respect and empowerment all season long.
Body neutrality is a perspective that shifts the focus from how your body looks to what your body does.
What Is Body Neutrality, and Why Does It Matter?
Body neutrality is a perspective that shifts the focus from how your body looks to what your body does. It invites you to relate to your body not through a lens of constant praise or criticism, but through grounded appreciation for its functions, capacities, and wisdom.
This approach stands in contrast to body positivity, which encourages loving how you look at any size. While body positivity can be a powerful practice for some, it can also feel inaccessible or insincere—especially on days when loving your appearance feels unrealistic. Body neutrality, on the other hand, doesn’t require you to love your body all the time. It simply asks you to respect it.
By focusing on how your body supports you—how it helps you move through your life, connect with others, and engage with the world—you can develop a relationship with your body that is stable, respectful, and less dependent on external validation. This shift can be liberating, particularly in the summer months, when visual scrutiny—internal and external—is at a seasonal high.
Why Summer Can Be Especially Difficult for Body Image
There’s no question that summer can be emotionally and psychologically challenging for people with body image concerns. Increased heat encourages clothing that reveals more skin. Social gatherings like beach days, pool parties, and barbecues may involve activities that highlight appearance or bring on unwanted attention. Diet culture kicks into overdrive, marketing “cleanses,” “detoxes,” and “slimming” routines as if they’re prerequisites for enjoying the season.
Even the phrase “bikini body” reinforces the harmful idea that bodies need to look a certain way to deserve enjoyment, relaxation, or visibility. These messages are everywhere—on social media, in advertisements, at the gym—and they are especially harmful to those who are already vulnerable.
For individuals with a history of eating disorders, body dysmorphia, or low self-esteem, this pressure can intensify disordered thoughts and behaviors. But even for those without clinical concerns, the summer season can reinforce toxic body ideals that distract from the joy, pleasure, and connection summer is meant to offer.
The Health at Every Size (HAES) Framework: A More Compassionate Path
The Health at Every Size movement offers an alternative to weight-focused health narratives by advocating for respect, dignity, and inclusivity across all body sizes. Rather than prescribing weight loss as a path to wellness, HAES encourages people to adopt sustainable, joyful health behaviors, and to define health more broadly than the number on a scale.
HAES principles include:
Respect for body diversity: Recognizing that bodies come in many shapes and sizes, and that weight alone is not a reliable indicator of health or worth.
Critical awareness: Challenging cultural assumptions and systemic factors (such as racism, fatphobia, and gender bias) that influence how we see and treat bodies.
Compassionate self-care: Encouraging intuitive eating, joyful movement, and emotional well-being as meaningful and accessible forms of health promotion.
By embracing HAES and body neutrality together, you can disentangle your well-being from toxic appearance-based standards and root your self-worth in something more authentic and sustainable.
Strategies for Practicing Body Neutrality This Summer
If summer has historically felt like a minefield of self-doubt, shame, or comparison, consider the following strategies as invitations—not obligations—for showing up more compassionately with yourself this year. These tools are about empowerment, not perfection.
1. Use Body Neutral Affirmations
Affirmations don’t have to be about loving every inch of your body. Instead, try affirmations that reinforce appreciation for what your body allows you to do.
Examples include:
“My body lets me participate in things that bring me joy.”
“I do not need to look a certain way to be respected or loved.”
“My body has carried me through hard things—and it deserves care.”
“I can value how my body functions without obsessing over how it looks.”
Repeating affirmations like these, even briefly each day, can help rewire internal narratives and build a more respectful internal dialogue over time.
2. Engage in Joyful Movement, Not Punishment Workouts
If moving your body feels good, let that be your guide—not a number on a fitness tracker or a desire to “fix” something about yourself. Joyful movement can take many forms: swimming with your kids, going for a walk in nature, dancing to music in your kitchen, gardening, or stretching on your bedroom floor.
Let go of the idea that movement must be rigorous or appearance-altering to be worthwhile. Movement is a way to connect with your body—not control it.
3. Curate Your Media Feed Intentionally
Social media can be a powerful tool for connection and learning, but it can also be a breeding ground for comparison and body dissatisfaction. Take time to evaluate how your digital spaces make you feel.
Consider:
Following accounts that represent body diversity, disability, aging, and non-Eurocentric beauty norms.
Muting or unfollowing content that promotes dieting, shaming language, or “before and after” transformations.
Seeking out creators who talk about body neutrality, eating disorder recovery, fat liberation, and HAES-aligned mental health.
Your digital space should reflect the values and messages that support your well-being—not the ones that tear it down.
4. Dress for Comfort, Not Conformity
Choose clothing that supports your body, rather than shapes it. It’s not your job to squeeze into clothes that were never made to honor your shape. Let your summer wardrobe be built on comfort, breathability, and freedom—not shame or compromise.
And if you’ve outgrown something? That doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means your body has changed—like all bodies do. Buy the larger size. Cut the tags out if they bother you. Your body isn’t the problem.
5. Set Boundaries Around Body Talk
Whether it’s a family member commenting on weight, a friend talking about their new diet, or an offhand remark in a group chat, you are allowed to disengage from body-centric conversations.
Some boundary-setting scripts might include:
“I’m working on having a more neutral relationship with my body, and I’d rather not talk about diets right now.”
“I’ve found that talking about weight or appearance isn’t helpful for me—can we shift topics?”
“Let’s not talk about bodies. There’s so much more to summer than what we look like.”
You don’t owe anyone your participation in harmful conversations.
6. Seek Professional Support If Needed
If you find that body image issues are interfering with your ability to enjoy your life or care for yourself, it might be time to talk to a therapist. Many providers specialize in disordered eating, body image, and self-esteem from a HAES and body-neutral lens.
Therapy can offer a nonjudgmental space to explore the deeper roots of body distress—whether they stem from trauma, perfectionism, identity development, or cultural conditioning.
Some directories for finding a body-affirming therapist include:
National Eating Disorders Association
What Body Neutrality is Not
Body neutrality is not about detachment or apathy. It’s not about ignoring your body altogether. Rather, it’s about de-centering appearance as the main source of self-worth or wellness.
It also isn’t an overnight fix. If you’ve spent years steeped in diet culture or struggling with disordered thoughts, neutrality might feel foreign, even impossible. That’s okay. Body neutrality isn’t about achieving a perfect mindset—it’s about returning to your body with more gentleness, over and over again.
Reclaiming Summer on Your Own Terms
The truth is, your body doesn’t need to change for you to enjoy your life. It doesn’t need to shrink to be worthy of showing up. It doesn’t need to conform to anyone’s ideals to be good. What it does need—and what you deserve—is care, respect, and compassion.
So go ahead: wear the shorts. Say yes to the pool. Eat the ice cream. Rest when you’re tired. Laugh hard with people who make you feel safe. Let your body carry you—not toward a goal of perfection, but toward joy, connection, and freedom.
If You’re Struggling, You’re Not Alone
If you or someone you care about is dealing with eating disorders, body image distress, or disordered eating behaviors, support is available. Organizations like the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), Project HEAL, and The Body Positive offer resources, helplines, and community support.
NEDA Helpline: 1-800-931-2237
Crisis Text Line: Text “NEDA” to 741741
The Body Positive: thebodypositive.org
Within Health: withinhealth.com
Butterfly Foundation: thebutterflyfoundation.org.au
Reaching out is not a sign of weakness—it’s a powerful act of self-trust.
No matter the temperature, no matter the season
Body neutrality offers a compassionate framework for exploring your relationship with your body—especially in seasons when it feels most challenged. Summer doesn’t have to be a time of hypervigilance, restriction, or self-criticism. It can be a time of expansion, rest, and reconnection—with yourself, with others, and with the natural rhythms of your life.
Your body is not a problem to solve. It is your home, your vehicle, it is yours. And it deserves to be treated with kindness, exactly as it is—no matter the temperature, no matter the season.