Are you ready for summer? Are you bikini ready?
These phrases inevitably pop up this time of year. Women all over are gripped with fear and anxiety that “bathing suit season” is right around the corner.
I always make my yearly run to Target to get my suits. I like perusing the aisles to find a fun bright pattern that will cover the tatas and make my booty look good. There is a fair amount of excitement thinking of laying by the water and relaxing in the sun. But then I get to the dressing room… This is the part I have done the most work. Instead of anxiety, I have learned compassion. I have learned to love the shoulders I have worked hard for, a booty that is squatting more weight than I ever have before, and a midsection that enjoys ice cream. In the past, I would have criticized my body and promised myself an endless amount of cardio and a limited amount of calories to be able to wear the bikinis I was buying. Not fun (nor healthy).
What bothers me most are the standards that are considered a “Bikini Body.” I’m not sure about you, but becoming a Sports Illustrated Swim Suit edition model is not in the cards. Nor has it been part of my training or goals. Pull ups? Yep. Squats? Absolutely! Bikini ready? Hasn’t even crossed my mind this year… and you want to know why? Because 1) my training is centered around performance and maximizing my bodies’ capabilities and 2) every woman has the inherent RIGHT to wear a bikini, regardless of shape or size. Whether or not she chooses to is up to her. My hope is that her choice either way is rooted in worthiness, not out of shame.
I think this entire Bikini and Summer Body sales job is just another way to shame women into hating their bodies and making us feel like we need all the quick fixes to feel worthy to wear a bikini.
I’m calling Bullshit on the whole thing, and I think you should too.
We all have a choice. Accept these standards and continue trying to get “bikini body” ready for summer, or work to change the paradigm that we do NOT need to achieved certain physical standards before being able to put a bikini on without feeling self conscious.
Want a bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. Voilà!
Nobody has the right to declare what a “bikini body” looks like. Out of this essential idea, my friend Neghar Fonooni has started the Bikini Body Rebellion.
She writes…
“I refuse to accept that there is a such thing as a “bikini body.” I refuse to let society tell me that I have to get Summer ready before I can rock my new suits on the beach. I refuse to spend another Summer of my life covered up and ashamed, missing out on fun in the sun, sand, and sea.
So I started a rebellion–a BIKINI REBELLION to be exact. And, as we embark on the second annual rebellion, I’d like to invite you to join me. This is going to be a life changing week of reflection, intention, and acceptance–and it’s going to be a lot of fun, to boot.
Women everywhere took back their worthiness and reclaimed the “bikini body.”
We learned that we are the kind of women who do whatever feels good in our hearts, regardless of the limits society tries to place upon us. We discovered that we are the kind of women who wear what we like, despite the media and it’s portrayal of perfection.
We stepped into our power, and onto beaches. We tore down the bikini body myth as we adorned pool chairs and beach blankets across the world. And this year, we’re doing it again.”
The Bikini Body Rebellion is a 7-day challenge where you will receive daily emails, mindset tips, and Instagram challenges. You’ll gain insight, confidence, and friendships–and cultivate a mindset that will greatly enhance your fitness journey.
Join HERE.
I will be participating. You can follow me on Instagram (@allisontenney) or on Facebook. I’ll also be documenting my challenge on Snapchat (allison10e). I hope you join the Rebellion.
It all starts tomorrow!
