Over 50% of women worried about looking 'fat' on the beach
...So much so they buy clothes that are too small in a desperate bid to drop a dress size before bikini season, according to a new study.
Out of a study of 2,000 women, 7 in 10 have already started to diet or planning to do so ahead of their summer holiday. Half of those polled say they are self conscious about wearing summer clothes and don't like the way they look showing off more skin.
One in 10 women have even gone to the lengths of buying a bikini that is a size too small, determined to fit into it when the time comes.
It comes as no surprised that some women are so insecure about their bodies that they plan on wearing a swimsuit only and will simply not be seen in a bikini.
Helen Golstein, psychological expert for the LighterLife weight management programme who conducted the research, said: "The poll showed that two thirds of all women go on a pre-holiday diet every year and while it is great to have an incentive to lose weight such as summer holidays, this can pile on unnecessary pressure. Restriction and reward can also lead to weight gain.
"We know losing weight is one thing but to keep it off in the long term it’s essential to explore reasons for overeating and address behaviour change as part of your weight management plan.
"It’s interesting to see the role of incentivised clothes buying when it comes to the summer months but if you are thinking about losing weight before your holiday, or at any time, your diet should be safe, simple and sustainable."
It comes as no surprise that some women are so insecure about their bodies that they plan on wearing a swimsuit only and will simply not be seen in a bikini. 29% refuse to wear a bikini without a sarong and 12% will not sunbathe at all for fear of people seeing them in next to nothing.
Nine out of 10 women claim that a diet is much easier to stick to when there is the intention of a holiday at the end of it to keep them on the straight and narrow. Despite the best of intentions and working that beach look, it is suggested the majority of women are likely to put the weight back on, over-indulging on food and drink when they are actually away.
Helen continues: "The research shows that for many women the pounds pile back on after a holiday which suggests a quick-fix approach is being taken rather than exploring the psychological motivation for over-consumption in the first place. Tackling behaviour change is fundamental for successful weight loss and weight management in the long-term."
Holidays can be a worry for women as the survey also discovered that 32% worry about the quality of the accomodation, 31% worry about the cost, 28% worry about showing more flesh than usual, 27% don't like to show off their legs and staggeringly over half worry about looking fat on the beach.
Come on girls, let's eat healthy and get in some exercise and you never know what you might achieve. One thing is for sure, you should know you'll look fabulous, have a great holiday and should not be worrying to the detriment of your health and happiness. Just try to relax and soak up that much needed summer sun!
FemaleFirst Jenna Fordie
twitter: @Jenna_FAM
Tagged in Women's Issues