Self-Care over the Summer: From Faux Self-Care to Caring for Yourself
Summer time can be an especially difficult time for many of us as the warmer weather can have us noticing our bodies more. It can be helpful to wear less clothing to stay cool but this is also a time when diet companies double down on campaigns like “get a bikini body” and “hot girl summer” which suggest only certain bodies are worthy of wearing clothing that is cool and comfortable. This time of year can have us feeling the familiar stirrings of not being enough in the bodies we have - leading to opting out of experiences with our friends and loved ones, which in turn, evokes thoughts of changing our bodies through food restriction and exercise. One strategy we can use to help to quiet those thoughts is to focus on caring for ourselves in the ways that make our bodies and souls feel nourished.
There has been quite an uptick in the discussion around self care in the last few years. This may in part be due to social media influencers and celebrities promoting self care products or with different tips and tricks for how they manage to add self care into their daily routines. But many of these #selfcare strategies leave something to be desired in the face of the unrelenting cascade of messaging that tell us we must lose weight to enjoy the summer.
The term ‘faux self-care’ was coined by Dr. Pooja Lakshmin in her book, Real Self-Care (Crystals, Cleanes and Bubble Baths Not Included), where she laments “Faux self-care keeps us looking outward—comparing ourselves with others or striving for a certain type of perfection.”¹ In an Instagram post, Dr. Lakshmin goes on to define Faux Self-Care as “[t]he essential oils, the bubble bath and the expensive candle are all faux self-care. It’s faux because it’s not sustainable, not self-directed. It’s faux because it exonerates the oppressive social structures that come from every direction and conspire with each other — patriarchy, white supremacy, toxic capitalism. It’s faux because it places the burden on the individual instead of calling for systems reform. This of course all comes back to race, class and privilege.”²
This term was new to me until just recently and what struck me as I began to do some research into the origin and the definition, is the parallels drawn between faux self-care and diet culture. Both diet culture and faux-self care have us looking to the external, keeps us in a state of comparison, and keeps us buying the next thing that will make the difference. Another parallel that was drawn for me with the similarities between faux self-care and body positivity in the way they both place the burden on the individual rather than the systems that we all interact with. Learn more about how body positivity misses the mark in a similar way in my last blog post, Exploring Body Positivity, Body Neutrality & Body Liberation: What’s the difference?
There is a distinct intentionality in shifting from the term self-care to caring for ourselves, in-part because it creates space between the term that has been co-opted and used to sell us products by the wellness industry. With this newly created space, we can look inward to connect with what caring for ourselves means for each of us as individuals. So, if we are trying to move away from diet culture/ the wellness industry and make the shift toward caring for ourselves by ditching faux self-care, what can that look like? Well there are many things we can do this summer that can support us in caring for ourselves in the ways that feel the best to each of us (and they will be different for everyone too). For the remainder of this piece, I will outline just a few of these strategies that can help you make this important shift yourself.
Eating regularly | You knew this one was bound to be on this list and that is because it cannot be overstated; making sure we are nourishing ourselves in the ways our bodies need is one of the best ways to care for ourselves during the hot summer months. For many, the hot weather can leave us with a decreased appetite so it is important to not go too long without eating. A very general rule of thumb is to have something to eat 4 hours or sooner after the last meal or snack. This is because our bodies function at their best when we are giving it consistent nourishment throughout the day.
Waiting too long in between meals and snacks can also result in not being able to meet our energy and nutrient needs throughout the day which can increase cravings in the evening (our body's physiological response to not getting enough earlier in the day). When it is really hot outside, it may also be easier (and more appealing) to have a colder meal or order something in so you do not have to turn on the oven!
Stay hydrated | When it's hot out, we all sweat more and when we sweat, we lose both water and electrolytes and both are necessary to help our body function optimally. Becoming dehydrated can leave us feeling fatigued and with a foggy mind. It can also impact our sleep and impair our ability to regulate body temperature. This is especially true when we are active throughout the day in the heat. Drinking beverages we enjoy throughout the day can help to keep us hydrated. A few options for drinks on hot summer days include, iced tea, iced coffee, sparkling flavoured water, sports drinks, electrolyte tablets in water, water infused with fruit and/or cucumber, milk, juice, soft drinks, popsicles or freezies, smoothies, just to name a few.
Wear comfortable clothing | Wearing clothing that is weather appropriate is a great way to take care of ourselves. On those hot summer days, that means shorts, loose fitting tank tops, comfortable t-shirts, skirts, anti-chafing shorts, dresses can be necessary to keep us cool and comfortable.
Pulling out summer clothing can be so difficult for many people for the reasons we have talked about so far and also because these items are typically only brought out a couple of months per year. It can feel hard to put on these clothes if we have experienced changes in our body in the months leading up to summer.
Here is a simple infographic that may be helpful to follow when trying clothes we aren’t sure fit us anymore:
Prioritising rest | Summer can be a time when we have many plans and want to be outside and socialising with friends and loved ones more often. It is equally as important that we are taking breaks to rest when needed. Rest does not necessarily mean sleep. It may look like staying inside on a hot day or evening to catch up on your favourite show, to read a book or to sleep in on days where sleeping was difficult due to the warm temperature throughout the night. Other ways we can incorporate rest are by creating a sleep routine (also known as sleep hygiene) or meditating and/or journaling in the day. Rest is necessary to be able to reduce stress, to support our immune system, to improve creativity and help with decision making. Even though, within our society, rest has gotten a bad rap for being “unproductive” and “lazy” it becomes even more important during the hot summer days. When our capacity and energy levels are limited and we may be feeling uncomfortable, shifting our view of rest to restoration helps to highlight the value of caring for ourselves in this way.
Summer can be a really physically and emotionally difficult time for many of us. There are several factors that contribute to this discomfort. Some factors are external, such as the messaging from diet/wellness culture, and some factors are internal, such as distress in and with our bodies. In these moments, offering ourselves care and compassion can be very helpful rather than starting a new diet or exercise program. Take some time to find self-care strategies that feel truly supportive - rather than looking outside of ourselves, it is more insightful to look in. Meeting our needs and nourishing our bodies and souls is a good alternative to engaging with the health and wellness industry.
We would love to hear the ways you have found helpful to care for yourself this summer! Let’s keep this conversation going on our Instagram.
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