As the weather heats up and summer activities begin, women’s bodies are more often shamed for not fitting an ideal mold. Even with society breaking down the walls of body molds, physique positivity is more likely to weaken and self consciousness to grow.

“Bikini body” shouldn’t be a set body type; bikini body should be anyone’s body who wants to wear a bikini.

Body standards change from year to year as different celebrities hold their fame. Yes, the body types are becoming healthier (compared to the skin-thin models in less than a total yard of fabric), but the image society creates still weighs on the shoulders of many girls.

Now that summer is approaching, many girls feel the need to limit their eating and begin to work out. All of this stress to go on a diet and do an extra 10 squats for what? Lay out in the sun? Go to the beach? Take pictures along side crashing waves?

These tasks can be done without draining all internal energy and starving themselves, but by buying a nice bikini, going out on the beach, and accomplishing the day’s goals by feeling comfortable in their own bodies.

Student family resource liaison Erica Franceski said, “Loving your body all year starts from the inside out. If you’re adopting a new diet or maybe over exercising to fit a certain image that you may or may not physically be able to reach or maintain, [the outcome is] temporary. This is because once you stop doing all of these things your body is still there and it’s still as it is [now].”

The stress to fit this body is one that has been growing for years. Massage therapist and certified yoga teacher Nicky Atanasio said, “Finding yoga was a blessing and a helped me to connect with my body in a positive way so that when I heard terms like ‘bikini body,’ I could affirm to myself that whatever my body looks like in a bathing suit defined ‘bikini body.’”

It is almost impossible to go from what is said to be “winter body” to a Kylie Jenner or Kim Kardashian “bikini body.” They are filled with fillers, silicone, and Photoshop. Remember those leaked Kim Kardashian paparazzi pictures that contained cellulite, a naturally occurring dimpling of fat on women’s legs and hips? That is natural (her butt, not so much).

Yes, the media presence of the Kardashians is better than the media presence of someone who is unhealthy thin. However, though curves have been accepted through them, the extent of their curves is not realistic for many girls as fat remodeling and transactions have occurred.

These Photoshopped standards lead to so many issues. Bulimia, anorexia, binge eating, and so many more eating disorders are created around the high school age for young women who are  looking up to “perfect” people. If everyone is taught that their body is beautiful and worthy, these disorders would not manifest.

This want for a perfect bikini figure does come from a deeper place: inner emotion. Franceski said, “I think a lot of eating can be tied into emotions, so just separating those two things [is important].”

If a student wishes to get healthy, it should not be to become someone else – It should be to become a better themselves. The one thing that every person should want to become is their best, healthiest self before becoming Kylie or Kim. Causing themselves to throw up or not eat and force herself to work out on zero food isn’t healthy. Being healthy and eating a well-formed diet is healthy.

If you or anyone you know is suffering from eating disorders, seek professional help immediately, or call the national eating disorder helpline at 1-800-931-2237.