After a recent trip to the beach with friends, I found myself thinking: body image doesn't ever "finish" or resolve in a permanent way. It shifts, it resurfaces, and certain environments bring it right back to the surface.

In this episode, I talk through what came up for me on this trip and why body image often intensifies on vacation. Being out of your routine, in different clothes, around other bodies, and more aware of yourself physically can all heighten attention on your body. At the same time, things like mood, stress, hormonal shifts, and transitions can get misread as "something is wrong with my body," when that's not actually the full story.

I also get into comparison and how quickly it pulls the nervous system into scarcity, especially in close proximity to other people. This isn't just a mindset issue, it's a physiological one, and it changes the way you interpret what you see.

We also talk about aging as a layer of body image that adds a different kind of complexity, and why even a strong foundation in this work doesn't mean these thoughts or feelings disappear.

And importantly, I walk through the tools that helped me stay steady while this was happening, including separating body image from food decisions, using posture and breath to counter contraction, interrupting spirals, and practicing a form of radical acceptance that allows you to stay in your life even when you don't feel great in your body.

If you've ever gone on vacation and felt more aware of your body, more comparative, or more unsettled than expected, this episode will likely resonate.

Part two will be a listener Q&A on body image and vacation.

RESOURCES:

Binge Eating to Intuitive Eating Self-Study Course

Read my Substack essays

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