7 Tips On How To Get Summer Ready
LISTEN: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | STITCHER
Summer is here, and with it, a wave of anxiety and insecurities about our bodies. But what if this summer could be different?
In this episode of Embrace Your Real, we tackle the concept of getting “Summer Ready” with a fresh, empowering approach. Forget crash diets and unrealistic body standards. Instead, learn how to feel confident and enjoy your summer in the body you have right now with these 7 tips I have for you.
What I discuss:
Stop dieting if you want to shed some pounds.
Stay hydrated to reduce feelings of bloat
Buy a bathing suit you feel confident in + other summer clothes
Self-tanner for the win!
Work on your mindset
Workout + Count Your Macros
Develop life-long habits
If you want more from me, be sure to check out...
Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie
Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/
Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/
Website: www.juliealedbetter.com
Get my eBook: FREE Macro Counting Ebook
Amazon Storefront: Julie Ledbetter's Amazon Page
Try the Chocolate Glaze. Go to www.bronzedcactussunless.com and use code JULIE to get a 15% discount!
Try the Symbiont-GI Gut Support (one-time purchase) and get a 10% discount. Go to www.pescience.com and use code JULIE at checkout.
Transcript:
[00:00:00] Hey there, beautiful human you're listening to Embrace Your Real with me, Julie Ledbetter, a podcast where I empower you to just be you. With each episode, I get you a dose of real talk and actionable advice for building your confidence, honoring your body, and unconditionally loving your authentic self. Stay tuned. If you're ready to embrace your real. Let's get it. Let's go. [00:00:28][21.0]
[00:00:27] Hello and welcome back to another episode on the Embrace Your Real podcast, Seven Tips on How to Get Summer Ready. You guys ready for this summer is here, which I know can bring a lot of anxiety for some excitement for others. I don't know about you. For a decade of my life, I lived in so much anxiety. With anticipation of summer coming, it would heighten my insecurity. I would go into crash dieting, I would have more insecurities, more insecurities, and it would just leave me to not being able to live and enjoy my summer to the fullest. And so if you are listening to this in your probably like, man, summer ready? Oh gosh, that gives me so much anxiety or I have so much negative connotation to that. I want to hopefully reframe your mindset. That's always what I try to do on this podcast, is try to reframe your mindset around common topics that might trigger something. And so as we head into summer, this is going to be out on June 10th. So summer isn't officially here yet. Like the first day of summer isn't officially here yet, but it is coming right around the corner. So hopefully this will help you to reframe your summer mindset and have the best summer possible. Okay, but before we dive in, I want to share this review. It comes from Danielle White. [00:01:39][72.3]
[00:01:39] She gave a five star review and said, my all time favorite podcast. Julie is so real and inspiring. Every topic she covers is so valuable and exactly what I need to hear in the moment. I look forward to her episodes every week and could listen all day. Thank you Julie for creating this space. Well Danielle, I'm so grateful that this podcast helps you and thank you so much for taking time out of your day to send in this review. I genuinely appreciate this community so much. Like you guys who tune in week in and week out and leave the rating and reviews like I just love y'all. I hope to hopefully meet you guys in person one day. I would absolutely love to just hug you and talk to you face to face. But until then, hopefully these episodes help you out on a weekly basis. Okay, let's dive into my top tips for getting summer ready. Number one stop dieting if you want to shed some pounds. That's right, dieting is not the answer for getting summer ready. And here's why. When you go on a restrictive diet, your body perceives it as a form of starvation. So in response, it's going to slow down your metabolism to conserve energy. And this metabolic slowdown means that you're burning fewer calories, fewer calories at rest, making it harder to lose weight. And guess what? Once you return to normal eating habits, your slow metabolism can actually lead to rapid weight gain, oftentimes resulting in more weight than you initially lost. And putting that on like putting more weight on than you initially lost. Plus, dieting most often involves cutting out your favorite foods or entire food groups, leading to feelings of deprivation, and the separation can trigger intense cravings, eventually leading you to overeat. [00:03:11][91.2]
[00:03:11] You know, when you go to the barbecue, try to hold yourself like hold back from eating any of those foods. And then finally, you know, you cave whether someone says something or you just can't take it anymore, then you can't get yourself to stop eating all of the food. The cycle of strict dieting followed by periods of overeating. This can actually wreak havoc on your body, your mind, and this is what ultimately contributes to the weight gain and the unhealthy relationship that you have with food and your body. And this means that you know you're going back to where you started. You're still not feeling confident in your bathing suit, you're still not feeling confident in the shorts or the dress or whatever it is, and you're just beating yourself up every single step you take. If you feel like you need to get some already, please, please, please do not think that dieting is going to do the trick. I promise you it is absolutely not going to do that. So let me kind of sum this up for you. Healthy weight loss is a gradual process that involves a sustainable lifestyle change. These fad diets or extreme workout routines. Yes, they might help you lose weight quickly, but they also can lead to muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies, or metabolic slowdowns. This type of weight loss is often very temporary, and you're likely going to gain the weight once you return to your normal eating process or your exercise habits. So rather than stressing over the rapid weight loss, focus on making the long term changes for the long term results. And this way, next year you won't feel like you're scrambling to become this summer ready number to stay hydrated to reduce feelings of bloat. [00:04:46][95.1]
[00:04:47] Now, this tip might sound super silly, but here's why it's so important the sensation of feeling bloated or being bloated oftentimes goes beyond this the physical symptom. It impacts how you feel about yourself on a day to day basis. How your mood is and feeling bloated can significantly affect your body image, like the swelling, the distention like that you have in your abdomen. This can make you feel self-conscious about your appearance, particularly if you already struggle with body image concerns, which so many women do. This negative self-perception can lead to a decrease in self-esteem confidence, and they can contribute to overall depressed feelings. So why bloated makes us? Feel this way emotionally is due to our brain gut connection, right? The relationship between your gut and your brain plays a serious role on how our digestive health impacts our mental health. The gut and brain communicate through the nervous system, hormones, and immune system. So an imbalance in the gut, or in this case, the bloating, can actually affect brain function and contribute to negative mental health. Let's be real. Most of the time when women think that they're fat, it's simply because they're just feel bloated. Stubborn bloat can make us feel all sorts of way about our body. But the great thing is, it's actually pretty simple to get rid of. All we need to do is stay hydrated, and that's a key in terms of bloating. And also staying active can be so helpful, even if that's just walking more, that's getting out and getting more and more steps that will help you. So hydration and steps, those two things alone which are so simple to implement, you know, steps 15, 20, 30 minutes a day, whether that's outside, that's on a walking pad that will help you so, so much. [00:06:29][102.2]
[00:06:30] But water is essential for a healthy digestion. And this might be TMI, but it's important for you to understand that it really helps to break down the food and move it smoothly through your digestive track. When you're dehydrated, your body doesn't have enough water to efficiently digest food, which can cause this buildup of gas and cause bloating. Which constipation, which is oftentimes a direct result of dehydration, can contribute to the bloating feeling, you know, as waste material lingers in your intestines. But staying hydrated again, that can help to avoid any of this from happening. Another great way to reduce feelings of bloat is by taking digestive enzymes, whether that's once a day or at every meal. But as we age, our ability to produce digestive enzymes naturally declines, and this decrease can actually lead to a difficulty in digesting certain foods, which can cause our unwanted feelings of bloat. And this is where supplements come into play and can be very helpful. Supplementing with digestive enzymes can help to compensate for this natural decline, which can ensure that food is properly broken down and nutrients are absorbed efficiently. And so one thing that I personally take is called GI support. It's a it's a digestive enzyme. It's from pea science. This is not sponsored by any means. I do have a code from them. So if you do use that I get a small kickback. But I've been using this product for ages, since 2018 2019 I believe. I use it every single day. I have three capsules a day. It's called Symbiont-GI Gut Support from PE Science. If you use my code, Julie, you do save money and again I do get a small kickback. So if you do use that let me know. And I would also love to know how you like the product. [00:08:07][97.1]
[00:08:07] I personally love it. Again, you can take one at every meal or you can take three a day. I just find that three a day, up front is just helpful for me. And that has been a game changer. That, along with water along with steps, has been so critical for me in terms of just reducing the overall bloat and just feeling hydrated and feeling good in myself, in my skin and in myself. Number three buy a bathing suit that you feel comfortable. And this is so, so important. So like I said earlier, healthy weight loss is a gradual process that involves sustainable lifestyle changes. So while making these changes and working towards these long term results, I also think that it's so important that you recognize how crucial it is to buy clothes that you feel confident in right now. Most often, it's not the 5 pounds that we need to lose, it's actually just the unflattering bathing suit that we always wear. Like, or the shorts that, you know, you used to fit us. But in this season of life, they no longer do. And so you're trying to make yourself fit into these shorts or this dress or whatever piece, article of clothing it is, and you're not realizing that that is affecting your mental health so much. But don't underestimate the power of just a great fitting bathing suit, or great fitting shorts or great fitting dress that you can feel confident in this summer. And so I would recommend, you know, investing in a one bathing suit, whether that is a bikini that's a one piece or you have one of each, for different events that makes you just feel comfortable and confident. Maybe even a cover up like these go two pieces will be super helpful for you to not only just feel comfortable, but also feel cute and flattering in. [00:09:42][95.0]
[00:09:42] And that can change your entire summer. You know you're going from feeling so self-conscious at the pool to feeling like, oh, I can finally have fun again because I feel confident. I no longer feel anxious. And that is just such a freeing feeling. And so the one thing that I encourage you to do is to invest in a few staple pieces. So this could be some jean shorts, this could be a dress, this could be a bathing suit. But having those staple pieces that help you feel comfortable and confident are crucial. And they are going to take time. They're going to take time. They're going to take returns. They're going to take you going through, certain stores or certain sizes. And I want to just encourage you that the size does not matter. I want you to focus on how you feel. Don't even look at the size. Focus on how you feel in that article of clothing because that can be such a game changer. Number four self-tanner for the win. You guys know if you've been following me for any length of time. I love a good self-tanner. It can help you so, so much. And you know, here I am I am very pregnant. I'm in my, you know, the later stages of my third trimester. And I can tell you a good self tan makes me feel like a million bucks. And it can literally make me feel like going from very self-conscious to feeling confident in a matter of minutes. Or for me. You know, I put it on at night, I wake up, I shower, and I'm like, oh, I am on top of the world. I personally love it. I feel like it just makes me feel good, you know? So if you are looking for a good self-tanner, the one that I swear by and I can tell you I have gone through so many self tanners is called bronze cactus sunless. [00:11:20][97.5]
[00:11:21] So it is www.bronzedcactussunless.com. I know it's kind of a long URL, but bronzed with a d cactus sunless.com. And I personally use the self-tanner and I use the Chocolate Glaze. Okay, I have tried a lot of different ones. I've tried the caramel cream, chocolate glaze, double dipped, I've tried the Dutch chocolate. I've tried pretty much all of them for my personal preference and my personal skin tone. The chocolate glaze is amazing. I get just the pump and then I get the mitt that they have. And I'm telling you, it is a total game changer. I sweat in it, I workout in it, I swim in it in the summertime. I all the things in it and I find that it stays the longest. It's very, very natural. And the best thing about it is that it, as you shower, you know, throughout the week and as you're sweating, it just gradually comes off your body so you're not left with like blotches, which is amazing. And so bronzed cactus sunless dot com. I do think I might have a code with them. You could try Julie to see if it saves you money. If you do use that, I do get a small kickback. I honestly haven't checked to see if my code is still active, but I have been using that specific one I think since 2021 and I have again tried so many other ones and nothing compares to that one. She's a local out of Utah and she's amazing. It's a small business, so I highly encourage you go check her out. But a self-tanner Hmhm chef's kiss can make you feel like a million bucks. Number five work on your mindset. Constantly remind yourself that the body that you have right now is perfect for summer. [00:13:00][99.8]
[00:13:01] You don't need to change your body and to enjoy this summer. Right now, you can enjoy the summer in the body that you have. No one is stopping you except your mindset. But honestly, the most important thing that you need to know is that you are not alone in feeling self-conscious about your body. Just remember 99% of the women at the beach or at the pool that you're at. They're probably also feeling some type of way. And so they just remember that they're not looking at you. They're probably focused inward. They're focusing on their problems, the things that they're going through. And so the next time that you're at the beach or at the pool, you're somewhere where you're just feeling self-conscious. Just remind yourself that so many people think that other people are looking at them, but that's just not the reality. People are so self consumed. And so just remember that they're not all looking at you. It's not all about you, and that you can and should enjoy your summer and whatever body you have right now, it doesn't need to be a certain way. It doesn't need to look a certain way for you to have fun. Plus, just remember that when you feel self-conscious, remember that everybody else around you is likely feeling some type of way as well. And you are not alone in that. But you do not have to live in that. You have the option. You have the opportunity to say, I choose to not focus on this. I choose to not be self-conscious in this moment. I choose to think positively about my body, or at the very least, if you can't think positively about your body, have a deep sense and appreciation for all the things that your body can and does do for you on a daily basis, and that can likely change the narrative that is happening within your brain. [00:14:29][88.7]
[00:14:30] Number six resistance train and count your macros. So like I said, don't turn to fad diets to get summer ready. Please just don't do it. Your body will thank you for it. What I recommend and what I have recommended, and what I will continue to recommend is to build these lifelong habits is to resistance train and to macro count. In short, these are going to bring you so much confidence because you will feel so energized and it will always help you to build the body that you want, knowing that you're fueling your body with the right nutrients. This can make you feel more and more in control and confident about your health choices. Unlike restrictive diets, macro counting can allow you to eat this variety of foods while still achieving your health and fitness goals. And in terms of lifting weights, yo, there is so many positive benefits to lifting weights like you're only going to feel stronger, you're only going to feel more capable. This physical strength translates into mental strength and that translates into boosting your confidence. So. It's only going to overall improve your energy levels, which will help you to make you feel more vibrant and alive. Alive, allowing you to live your summer to the fullest. So depending on where you are right now, please just know that you can absolutely start to see results within four weeks. Now, you're likely not going to see all the results that you might be looking for in four weeks, but this is a great start. And so if you're ready to learn more, I do have two programs for you. I have a nutrition program and a training program. I will link both of those in the show notes below. My nutritional program is called Macro Made simple.com. [00:15:55][85.4]
[00:15:56] My training program is called movement with julie.com SOS. Sally dot movement with julie.com is where you can learn about that program. But those two tools undoubtedly will help you to change your body. You just need to be consistent and you need to be patient. Which leads me to my last point. Number seven develop lifelong habits of starting resistance training and starting macro counting, or learning how to properly feel your body. At the very least today for lifelong results. Not just because you're trying to get some already, but because these habits can actually help to serve you for a lifetime and bring you the results that you want. I want to repeat this again because this is so important, but the body that you have right now is absolutely perfect for summer. You don't need to change your body in order to enjoy your summer, but if you feel like you do want to change your body, just remember that it doesn't have to be in time for summer, especially if you're just starting today, right? We have a couple weeks until it's officially summer. I just want to encourage you to start wherever you are today, and just know that it's the perfect time to do that. And while you are on this journey of properly fueling your body and moving your body and honoring your body and, you know, recalling your clothes and your closet to ensure that these clothes make you feel comfortable and confident. It's going to be a journey. And you can have both things simultaneously happening at the same time. Enjoying your summer while working towards the body that you love. And again, if you feel like you do need to change your body, just please know that doing it for the long game and being in it for the long game is ultimately what's going to serve you long term. [00:17:35][98.3]
[00:17:35] Sure, it's going to take longer, but by next summer, trust me when I tell you you will feel confident. You will feel strong. You'll feel so proud of yourself for not taking the shortcut, for not taking the easy way out. Because ultimately that's not only going to be harmful mentally, but it can do so much physical damage to yourself as well. So if you want to learn about how to properly fuel your body and move your body again, I do have programs for you. I will link both of those in the show notes below, but please just ultimately remember this. Remember that you do not need to change your body in order to to enjoy your summer. Your body doesn't need to change your mindset around your body needs to change, and you are fully capable of having the best summer ever. If you allow your mind to change, and I will. I've said this before, but I'll say it again even if you were to change your entire lifestyle, if you don't invest in changing your mindset, you could reach all of your goals, get to your goals and be like, I still feel like crap. I still feel insecure. I still feel all of these things. And it's because the mind body connection on this journey is so, so important. So please remember that. Please remember to invest in your mind just as much as you are wanting to invest in your body, because both of those things are going to serve you long term. Okay, so let me quickly recap the seven things that you need to do in order to get summer ready. Number one, stop dieting. If you want to shed some pounds. Number two, stay hydrated to reduce those feelings of bloat. [00:19:04][89.1]
[00:19:05] Bonus if you get some extra steps in, that's going to help so so much. Number three buy a bathing suit or buy the shorts. Buy the dress. Buy a few summer staples that you feel comfortable and confident in. Number four self-tanner for the win. Chef's kiss. I'm telling you, you always feel like a million bucks. And plus bonus, you're not getting all that harmful sun exposure for hours and hours on end that can lead to damaging things down the road. Just do the summer, you know, do the self tan. You can go out and still get a little bit of sun, but the self-tanner is I'm just telling you it is such a game changer, especially if you have the right one. Number five work on your mindset. Number six workout and couch your macros. Or at the very least, learn how to properly feel your body through utilizing the tool. Macro counting. And lastly, number seven develop lifelong habits. So again, if you are ready to learn how to properly feel your body or move your body, I will link all of the things that I mentioned in today's episode. So we have the macro counting made simple online Academy to get your custom macros calculated to learn how to properly feel your body. We have the movement with Julie to learn all about dumbbell workouts and how to effectively workout, whether that's two days a week, three days a week, four days week, five days a week, dumbbell only workouts. You can do them anywhere, any time. Few pair of dumbbells, a small space. That's all you. Need. I also talked about the GI support from pea science and the self-tanner from Bronze Cactus sunless.com. So I will link all of those things in the show notes below. [00:20:35][90.7]
[00:20:36] I hope that this was helpful. I hope that this gave you some encouragement, but maybe also some recommendations are just some food for thought. I want you to have the absolute best summer. I want you to feel confident and comfortable and just know that your mind body connection is ultimately what's most important. It's not that if you want to be on this journey of improving your physical appearance, but you have to spend equally, if not more time, on your mindset and just know that you can absolutely have the best summer right where you're at while simultaneously working towards your goals. All right. Capiche? All right, I love you. That's all that I have for today's episode. I will talk to you in the next one. [00:21:21]
[00:31:28] All right, sister, that's all I got for you today. But I have two things that I need you to do. First thing, if you're not already following me on the gram, be sure to do so. Julie A Ledbetter. Yes, it's with an A in the middle for that daily post workout real talk, healthy tips and tricks, and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. The second thing, be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world, and I'm going to leave you with one last thought. The most beautiful women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. So go out there and embrace it real because you're worth it. [00:32:36]