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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois chapter.

Summer is right around the corner, so we’re going to discuss how to become bikini ready. Absolutely everything will be covered in how to get a summer body. I will leave no detail out, and I swear I will provide the honest truth. This article is for you if you fall into any of the following categories:

  • You believe that you have to change your body for summer and/or to wear a bikini
  • You are reading this article to call me out in my potential b.s.
  • You have even a sliver of negative body image and/or self worth

With that addressed, we will cover steps on how to become bikini ready and just summer ready in general. These steps are where I recommend beginning your journey to a hot girl summer.

woman in swimsuit
Photo by RF._.studio from Pexels

Step 1: Hydration and Nutrition

With the summer months approaching, ensure that you are drinking plenty of water, girlie. Go grab your emotional support water bottle and hit those water goals each day! Personally, I’ve found that I feel physically better when I drink plenty of water. However, I should note that you can actually overdrink water, so please don’t keep drinking water if your stomach is obviously full.

For the nutrition aspect, water should NEVER replace food. If you are hungry, please don’t try to curb your hunger with water. Eat what your body is truly craving. Food is fuel. Food nourishes our bodies and our souls. Controversial opinion: there is no food that is more unhealthy than restricting and depriving our bodies of food.

a picnic blanket set with cherries and pastries
Photo by ???? ???????? from Pexels

Step 2: Fix the Feed

If your Instagram feed makes you upset or self-conscious, then revise it. What are you waiting for? Why surround yourself with content that puts a damper on your confidence and mood? You should surround yourself with women with a similar body type and who spread body positivity. Personally, I follow Spencer Barbosa and Camilla Lorentzen because they inspire me!

Step 3: Picking Out the Perfect Suit

There are some ground rules for picking out the bikini and for feeling confident in it. 

  • One: Choose multiple sizes of the same suit.
  • Two: Try on the suits and show people who hype you up and not tear you down.
  • Three: Nobody checking and criticizing your body in the store dressing rooms.
  • Four: Don’t settle on a suit if you don’t have to. 

Step 4: Skincare and Sunscreen

Stay consistent with your skincare routine or begin one if you haven’t already. Moreover, wear sunscreen in the sun and plenty of it. I enjoy tanning like the rest of the girls, but I always make sure to wear plenty of sunscreen. You can still be a sun-kissed baddie while protecting your skin!

Step 5: Cultivating Confidence

When you put on your bikini, hype yourself up. Shower yourself with as many compliments as possible. Put on a podcast or some hype music if need be. 

When you head to your destination, take off your cover and STRUT in your suit. Act like the world is your runway and walk around as if you own the place! Don’t cover your stomach when you sit down or try to stand/sit differently to not illuminate a part of your body. Rock your body as it is! Remember that, and the end of the day, every body is a bikini body!

woman on porch lounging
Photo by nappy from Pexels
Autumn Bunzell

Illinois '27

Hi there! My name is Autumn Rose, and I'm from Utica, Illinois. I live minutes away from Starved Rock State Park. I attended LaSalle-Peru Township High School which consists of only about 1,200 students. Within my family, I'm the youngest in a close-knit household, and I have an older sister who I absolutely adore. As well, I have a golden retriever and a grey tabby cat. Currently, I'm a first-year neuroscience student at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Both the physical and psychological aspects of the human brain fascinate me. In addition, I'm interested in nutrition and how this field can be applied to neuroscience. There is a field labeled nutritional neuroscience that studies how the consumption of food, minerals, and supplements impacts an individual's cognition, mood, and overall brain health. Outside of the classroom, my hobbies vary tremendously. Music wise, I listen to Bryce Vine and Bazzi, but I also love Etta Mae, Arethra Franklin, and Frank Sinatra. As I do my morning routine, I listen to health and wellness podcasts on Spotify. In between classes, I do yoga and Pilates. At night, I love to do some skincare, and then crawl into bed with one of my books. Typically, I partake in crocheting and baking in the colder months. As a side note, my favorite season is fall because of the cool weather and all of the pumpkin/apple candles, foods, coffees, etc.