I want to scream every time I see this advertisement: “Get your body ready for bathing suit season”. This is a typical fitness & diet advertisement that plays over and over during the Summer months. Guess what? Your body is all ready for bathing suit season-no changes needed. Don’t believe me? Keep reading!
What is body image?
Body image is a mental image of what we think we look like. Body image is not necessarily how we look, but how we think we look. It is dynamic. That is, body image is dependent on the situation or your mood. For example, you may have a more positive body image if you are out enjoying yourself on a nice hike. In contrast, you may have a poorer body image if you are anxious in a new social situation. Your mood affects how you think about yourself.