Victoria Secret, Sports Illustrated, Men’s Health, Instagram, all bombard you with images of sculpted bodies and pressure you to get “Summer Ready”.  If you’re new to fitness or tired of diet fads that don’t seem to work long term, this message can be demoralizing. Why is the focus only on Summer? The simple answer is, it’s hot out and people wear less clothes. This short term approach only sets you up for failure.

Have you ever stopped to wonder what this does for your psychology and how you approach diet and exercise throughout the year? This whole idea of getting ready for the summer only sets us up for failure. Once the summer is over what are you going to do? What is the next goal? Are you getting ready for winter? This mindset of only getting ready for summer sets you up to train and eat well for a few months out of the year rather than making lifestyle changes to improve the rest of your life. All that hard work will eventually go to waste once the summer is over. Why waste all that time and effort?

This thought process simply does not make sense. It serves as a great marketing campaign for gyms, clothing brands, diuretics, and gym equipment brands but it hurts the consumer! Rather than only focus on having a summer body, why not strive to have a healthy body year round. If you eat well, manage stress well, get enough sleep, and train regularly, you will have a body to be proud of all year round. Isn’t it more impressive to be confident in your own skin all year, no matter your age? Think about how good it feels to take your shirt off at the beach knowing you put in a lot of hard work to have that body. Now imagine being 10 years older, in the middle of the winter, you get invited to a wedding in a tropical environment, and you can show up with a physique you are proud of.

All of this is easier said than done. Start by setting small and attainable goals each month such as going to the gym twice a week, then three times, reducing added sugar from your diet, adding an extra hour of sleep each night. All these little goals accumulate over the course of a year. Having assistance like a coach can be extremely helpful on your journey too. 

Don’t sell yourself short and only get ready for a season. Be ready for life. Be ready to enjoy the fruits of your hard work. Be ready to age with grace. And be ready to have confidence.