Hot Girl Summer. It’s an internet meme and hashtag which became popular in 2019 and while you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s a bikini and rose wine movement, it’s actually about living your best life – whatever that means to you.
The official definition comes from its creator, rapper Megan Thee Stallion, who defined Hot Girl Summer as, “just basically about women — and men — just being unapologetically them, just having a [good] time, hyping up your friends, doing you, not giving a damn about what nobody got to say about it”.
In other words, all bodies are welcome, but with one mission: to normalise girls and women being allowed to be their best authentic selves sans shaming.
So instead of feeling the pressure to post perfect bikini pics on the beach (though go right ahead if that’s your thing), here are 18 other ways you might have a Hot Girl Summer. Bring the heat.
How to have a hot girl summer
1. Instead of doom scrolling start your day with something that makes you happy – whether that’s an ocean swim or warm croissant – you do you.
2. Try a daily affirmation, “I am doing my best every day” or “I trust myself to make the right decision” are some goodies.
3. Practice generosity – compliment someone you admire or make a meal for someone else are just the starters.
4. Book a holiday – we all need something to look forward to. Even if it’s a year from now.
5. Forget your food rules. If you live by rules, you miss all the fun. Life’s too short to avoid pasta or bread, right? If you need a little help with this, sign up for my FREE F*CK DIETS Challenge.
6. Don’t leave the couch one day and binge that series you’ve been meaning to watch if that’s what you actually want to do.
7. Try new things. It’s been Groundhog Day so when allowed venture out of your 5km radius, do novel tasks. If coffee is your thing, go try that café you’ve been following on Insta. Or swim at those ocean baths you’ve heard of but never tried.
8. New day, fresh start. Try not to bring yesterday’s baggage to your tomorrow.
9. Read. It’s summer, which means beach reads are in abundance. Sally Rooney and Liane Moriarty both have new books I can’t wait to get lost in.
10. Be grateful for summer fruit season – think mangoes, lychees, cherries, and more!
11. Ditch the energy vampires and spend time with people who add to your life.
12. Watch nature documentaries. Studies show David Attenborough’s docos are as good for you as meditation.
13. Two words: day naps. Treat yourself.
14. Host a vegetarian barbecue. Great company and plant-rich foods – that’s a win-win.
15. Buy an ice cream on a stinking hot day and eat it before it melts down your arm.
16. Forget about criticising or judging yourself – or others while you’re at it.
17. Start practicing self-confidence. It’s a daily practice after all. This blog post will help you with how to get started.
18. Get a dose of vitamin N (nature) and try something new. Always wanted to have a crack at kayaking or standup paddleboarding? Try now.
And – if you want a little support to be healthy without dieting, check out my Basics to Basics app (which you can try free for 7-days).
Before you go…
It’s immensely tricky to have a healthy relationship with your weight and food in a disordered society that thinks the most impressive thing a woman can be is thin.
Listen up, my friend: Your body is not the problem. The blueprint you’ve been given is wrong. My book Your Weight is Not the Problem explains how our hyper-fixation with trying to weigh less is making it much harder to be healthy and to take care of ourselves. And suggests a new way to approach health that doesn’t involve the endless cycle of food guilt, body shaming, and yo-yo dieting… cause you can’t hate yourself into a version of yourself that you like.
It’s time to stop trying the same old approach and expecting a different outcome. If you’ve tried countless diets, and they have all failed you, PLEASE check out the book. You’ll find the deets and access to a free audio sample HERE.
