Image credit: Jacub Gomez from Pexels
There’s nothing like summer to really bring out any insecurities you have about your body. With the temperature rising and trips to the beach becoming more frequent, you’ll either find yourself having to take off your shirt or surrounded by shirtless guys with six-pack abs on display. If your self-esteem isn’t in a particularly good place, you might find yourself feeling down and unable to enjoy the summer season.
If you find the thought of being shirtless around other people crippling, that obviously isn’t any good, and we want you to feel better about yourself and enjoy the summer. Here are five tips we feel can help you start shedding that shame about summer shirtlessness.
1. Keep in mind that it’s not a competition
There’s no judging panel waiting at the beach to give you a score depending on how low your BMI in. It’s not a competition, so stop comparing your body to others. There could be plenty of reasons why your body is the way it is — a slow metabolism, a hormonal imbalance, and many other things. Learn to accept that each body has a unique thing it is going through and comparing them to each other is useless.
2. Get in touch with your body
A long time ago, Alanis Morisette recommended walking around naked in your living room, and we’re repeating that recommendation now. Sometimes all it takes to become less conscious about your body is to familiarize yourself with it and get used to seeing it without clothes. Do it often enough and soon taking off your shirt at the beach will be a piece of cake.
3. Don’t look at your body just to make fun of it
This sort of dovetails with our second tip. Familiarize yourself with your body, but do it in a positive way. If all you’re going to do once you get naked Is pinch your love handles or jiggle your tummy, it might be better to keep your clothes on first and try to think of why you feel the need to put yourself down like that.
4. Keep in mind that people aren’t born confident
Some people are lucky enough to grow up in a home environment where they are encouraged and supported, and that explains how they can move through life so confidently. One lesson you can take from that is they learned how to be confident, thanks to positive reinforcement. You can build up your confidence in the same way, either through positive affirmation at the start of the day or through encouragement from your friends. Your confidence won’t improve overnight, but it’s a start.
5. Everybody’s insecure about something
It’s hard to imagine that guy with six-pack abs being insecure about something, but he probably is. It’s easy to put these people on a pedestal, but you have to keep in mind that they’re still just people at the end of the day.
These are our five tips for the summer, but Adam4Adam blog readers will surely have tips of their own when it comes to being confident about their body, especially during the summer. Share your tips with the other readers in the comments below!
You are who you are plain and simple. There are those that enjoy the site of heaving man. Some are the ones that have six pack. A six pack is one thing but a keg? I enjoy the site of shirtless men. And the ones that are in good shape are nice eye candy. But if it is obvious that you spend a lot of time in the gym and every muscle you have is toned I personally get turned off. But they are the ones I would seek out for advice on how to use the right machine to… Read more »
Nathan writes: At-the-end-of-the-day, it is obviously the attractiveness of the body that counts. No matter, what we gay males do, say or practice, it is attractiveness that will warm our beds, at night. The gay mindset demands it. What has happened is… the average American male/female has become so, relatively, unattractive that a truly good body is becoming a rarity, and so, the perception of what an attractive body should look like, has changed. When I was at the “Academy,” we weren’t all Gods with accorded bodies, but we were not fat, out-of-shape, tattooed, pierced or have crusty elbows or… Read more »
Here’s a tip:
Don’t worry about what others think.
Agreed. Your own happiness comes from within. Making your happiness dependant upon what others think about your body, whether or not you by $300 sunglasses or $30 briefs or the latest fashion, what social media you’re on, your income or profession, what artists/entertainers you follow, what latest trend you’re into, etc. will only leave you alone and bitter down the road. You’ll never please or impress everyone, especially those who only care about your superficial aspects. The only person you need that impress is yourself.
I find the right attitude about your body is the first. Accentuate the positive things about your body like nice legs, broad shoulders etc. I say the first thing about dressing is a good foundation. Start with the proper underwear & a t-shirt gives you a smooth line. Get a fresh new haircut for summer & it will brighten your face. Get a pedicure & new flip flops because nice feet are always appealing. Get some nice walking shorts & belt them. Those new underwear will help them stay up properly & throw on a fresh pocket T. & you’re… Read more »
In the event, you have a Clothing Optional Beach, Lake, River etc, regardless of what your body looks like, go to the beach pitch your spot on the same, disrobe yourself, put in your sun-screen and soak up some. Natural Vitamin D. You will see the ” Perfect Body ”!doesn’t. Exist. the people there are of all shapes sizes. Small Medium Large, XL, through many XL Plus. And a small percent of no body fat men and women. Find a friend and walk the wet sands as waves crash just like all beaches world wide. Just wear your birthday suits,… Read more »
Just eat right-sensible diet, get some exercise (weight-resistance and cardio), adequate sleep, these three things are essential; do not drink to excess either. Cut your finger-toe nails, keep your teeth-gums clean, A HEALTHY-CLEAN appearance is beautiful, period. If you’re blessed with a good head of hair-it looks good to me, if it’s tussled a bit. Clothing/shoes in good repair… A man who’s comfortable within himself, place in time and in his skin, is sexy. The “young-cut” are just that (eye-candy) weren’t we all at that age, lmao. But I really do prefer handsome, good-looking well-framed mature men, salt/pepper all over… Read more »
I have always had body image issues from being a 5’4″ male. Our society makes you feel like you are less of a man and unable to be masculine. Then when you do exemplify masculine traits you are accused of having a Napoleon Complex.
I have always had issue about my body as I have always felt like I can’t look like other guys.