We’re only two months deep into 2024 and our New Year’s resolutions, and tensions are already high with their reminders on social media that “bikini season” is only a few months away. As if the phrase “bikini body” wasn’t enough, the eating disorder factory has created a new trend called “leggings legs” to make women feel insecure.

I know it’s easy to get sucked in, but remember that you have control over your algorithm. Besides, a lot of these posts are just advertisements in disguise designed to make you feel bad and feel pressured to lose weight. The rest are just insecure individuals who get confidence not from themselves, but by excluding and hurting others feelings. 

While losing weight isn’t bad, it can become a very slippery slope if you don’t have the right motivations. If your goal is to follow the trends, don’t bother; the fast fashion industry has severely shortened the trend cycle anyways. If it’s a so-called bikini body, then you’re covered; all you need is a bikini and body. Any goal that isn’t health will eventually backfire, trust me. 

I, too, used to be a slave to the scale and the negative body image cycle. Being naturally tall and muscular, I weighed more than most girls my age. When I look back, I was a normal weight for my height, but I didn’t see that. I was too focused on the numbers on the scale and comparing myself to others. 

Like so many other girls, I fell victim to the media and became convinced I could only have a good summer if I had a “bikini body,” but then I didn’t even have the energy to enjoy it. Even worse, I was convinced the whole time that I was much heavier than I actually was. 

I got sucked into what the media was telling me and became motivated by all the wrong things —trends, boys, that special number on the scale — anything but for myself and my health. On the contrary, I was willing to sacrifice my health for that goal weight. To this day, I reap negative effects like an awful metabolism. Long story short, definitely not worth it. 

While this can’t be said for everyone, having motivations such as a goal weight tends to encourage eating disorders. Instead, let your goal be health. That means nourishing your body with good, nutritious food, working out when you get the chance, eating when you’re hungry and just being active in general. You’ll be surprised by the progress you make by making health your goal.