Five beach tips to boost your holiday confidence without changing your body

The prospect of blue skies, sandy beaches and bikinis can be daunting for many, as the pressure to achieve a 'beach body' intensifies. Despite progress in promoting body positivity, societal beauty standards such as sculpted abs and bronzed skin still weigh heavily on many people's minds before they feel comfortable hitting the beach.

These 'ideals' are often reinforced by social media and advertising, leading many to resort to drastic diets and exercise regimes during this season. However, no one should feel compelled to alter their body to enjoy the sea and sun.

We're all 'beach body ready' just as we are. It's often our mindset that needs adjusting.

So, here are five tips for you. They should help everyone feel fantastic on their summer holiday, regardless of shape or size....

1. Appreciate what your body can do

"Focus on what your body can do, rather than how it looks," advises Lowri Dowthwaite-Walsh, psychotherapist and senior lecturer in psychological interventions at the University of Central Lancashire. "Building strength in your body by engaging in physical activity and exercise that you enjoy can make you appreciate your body more, and in turn build body confidence," she continues.

"Weight-bearing exercise, yoga, swimming, running and dancing are all great options." Medical doctor and psychologist Dr. Laura Geige offers: "Celebrating what one's body can do, rather than how it appears, helps in fostering gratitude and resilience against negative self-perceptions."

2. Reduce social media noise

It's all too easy to fall into the trap of comparing ourselves with the size 6 models, sun-kissed celebs and enthusiastic fitness influencers that populate our Instagram and TikTok feeds. Chartered psychologist and author of Rest To Reset, Suzy Reading, offers advice on combatting these influences.

"Dial down the noise if this messaging is getting to you," says Reading. "Curate your social media feed, unsubscribe from mailing lists, and be mindful of your audio and visual diet."

She mentions that we need to remember that a substantial portion of content we consume is altered, stating that: "Remember that the images we're consuming are likely to be manipulated and filtered, so the ideals we aspire to are rarely humanly possible: 'reel life' is not real life!"

3. Cold water therapy

Interested in an unusual boost for body confidence? Dowthwaite-Walsh recommends cranking up the chill factor with a cold shower.

"Taking cold showers every day can be another way of building confidence in your body," she suggests. "By tolerating the extreme feeling of cold, the body learns to manage the stress response and over time it can help you become less reactive to stress, more alert and energised.

"Studies have also found that cold water therapy such as cold showers, cold water immersion and outdoor swimming can reduce symptoms of depression," adds Dowthwaite-Walsh.

4. Self-care rituals

Comfortable swimwear and a spritz of your favourite perfume are two great ways to boost your confidence before heading to the beach. And Dr Geige believes incorporating simple self-care rituals into our routines can help set us up for a good day.

She explains: "Building confidence for a beach visit can also involve preparatory self-care rituals that emphasise self-respect, rather than vanity. This could include choosing beachwear that emphasises comfort and personal style over trend conformity, engaging in activities that boost body positivity, and setting realistic expectations for the beach experience."

Dowthwaite-Walsh also encourages regular acts of self-kindness and self-care. For example, by having a massage, or wearing clothes you love.

"These regular acts of kindness are great ways to say thank you to the wonderful body that houses you. By showing we care, we tell ourselves that we are worthy, and this in turn can build confidence," says Dowthwaite-Walsh.

5. Mindfulness practices

If you start to feel a knot in your stomach when you're at the beach, don't panic - mindfulness techniques can work wonders. Focus on the rustle of the waves or the sensation of sand beneath your tootsies.

"Cultivating mindfulness practices can help anchor one's thoughts in the present moment, reducing the propensity to make unfavourable comparisons," details Dr Geige. Reading employs this tactic frequently and recommends slow breathing along with internal affirmations to ease the nervous system.

Describing her technique, she shares: "I'll breathe in through my nose and exhale through pursed lips to lengthen my exhale. I'll lift my gaze and the corner of my lips and feel the uplift this creates and I'll remember why I'm doing it, because life is for the living!

"I want to feel alive and drink the juice of summer the warmth of the sunlight on my skin, the sand beneath my feet, the fresh cool sensation of the water washing away these doubts, these artificial deficits, and I will give myself permission to keep immersing myself in my senses and savouring the many joys available to me."