For decades, women have heard about the mythical “summer body” — toned arms, ripped abs, no cellulite. Some people also call this narrow goal “bathing suit ready,” or talk about having a “beach body.” In the months leading up to the highly anticipated season, the pressure to fit this arbitrary mold, whether through gym advertisements and or the latest diet fad, felt enormous. Getting in shape was a prerequisite to enjoying warm weather or going on vacation — or else risk being body-shamed.

The 2010s saw brands and the media challenge this expectation, from body-positive ad campaigns to Sports Illustrated’s swimwear issue. More recently, though, it feels like that messaging has gotten lost in our current fitness and wellness boom, aided by the introduction of GLP-1 drugs that encourage wei

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