There is something about the first hint of sunshine coming out of winter that triggers many West Aussies to dig out their exercise clothes and start exploring the health foods section of the supermarket.
Before beach towels and sunscreen, often the same thought creeps in: “This is the summer I want to feel good about my body.”
And there is nothing wrong with that.
But while the countdown to bikini season can inspire healthy new habits for some, new research suggests Australians are increasingly willing to go to extremes in pursuit of their ideal summer physique.
According to data from nutrition and food-tracking app MyFitnessPal, more than half of Australians are hoping to achieve a “summer body” this year — more than double the 25 per cent who said the same last year.
The trend is particularly pronounced amongst younger generations, with almost three-quarters of gen Z respondents and 70 per cent of Millennials planning to work towards a summer body goal.
The main concern is how some are planning to get there.
Among those surveyed, 56 per cent intend to cut calories, while almost one in three planned to skip breakfast, lunch or dinner daily or at least once a week.
And with social media overflowing with flawless bodies, miracle transformations and promises of quick fixes the pressure to achieve a certain look can feel impossible to escape.
But there is a way to chase your dream physique without losing your mind — or your lunch.
Perth online fitness coach and personal trainer Alex Fudge has spent more than six years helping people become stronger, healthier and more confident.
“As much as I love the body positivity movement, it’s almost made people feel guilty or demonise people for wanting to change the way that they look, when there’s actually nothing wrong with that,” she said.
“As long as, of course, it’s coming from the right headspace and the right perspective of wanting to do it for them and wanting to do it to improve their health and their own confidence.”
For Ms Fudge, wanting to feel stronger, have more energy or feel comfortable slipping into your favourite summer dress is one thing.
Feeling as though you need to shrink yourself to look like an influencer on social media is another entirely.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to improve the way we look,” she said.
“Everyone wants to look a little bit hotter, a little bit leaner, things like that.
“So, as long as they go about it the right way and they do it from a place of self-love instead of self-hatred and trying to shrink themselves, I think that’s the most important bit.”
Ms Fudge said the pressure to look a certain way was no longer confined to teenagers scrolling through Instagram, with clients of all ages comparing themselves with the bodies they see online.
“Social media has probably the largest role to play in it, with girls getting on it younger and younger these days,” she said.
“But it affects even my mum clients or my older clients and things like that, just that constant comparison.”
And it is becoming harder to know what is real.
Between filters, artificial intelligence, cosmetic procedures and the growing visibility of weight-loss drugs, Ms Fudge said people are being bombarded with images and information that could leave them confused about what they should be doing.
“In a world of AI, it’s not just an obvious filter anymore,” she said.
“It’s really actually hard to tell when people are distorting their body.”
The result, she said, was a growing sense of overwhelm, with some people feeling they needed to resort to extreme measures to achieve the same results they see online.
“The basics seem a bit boring for a lot of people and they’re seeing people out there with their dream body taking these medications, so they’re more inclined to feel like they need to start taking that,” she said.
“Which is definitely concerning and definitely not necessary.”
The good news is that, according to Ms Fudge, getting summer-ready does not need to involve a prescription. There is also no need to suddenly become the person who spends two hours at the gym before sunrise, meal-preps identical containers of chicken and broccoli or turns down every social invitation because it does not fit their diet.
She said the secret is much less glamorous — and much more achievable.
Her starting point for people wanting to change their physique is strength training, followed by moving more throughout the day and making simple, sustainable adjustments to their nutrition.
“Definitely strength training, specifically for females,” she said. “Any girl, whether her goal is to tone up, to lose weight or to get stronger, strength training is basically a non-negotiable for every female.”
Ms Fudge said not to believe lifting weights would suddenly leave you looking like a bodybuilder overnight.
Instead, she said it was an important part of building muscle, improving body composition and achieving the leaner, more defined look many people are chasing for summer.
“It’s going to give you that toned, lean, sculpted appearance,” she said.
Ms Fudge said gym anxiety was common among her clients, with many feeling intimidated by unfamiliar equipment or worrying about what other people might think.
“I don’t think in six years I’ve had many clients that have come to me without mentioning that gym anxiety on our initial call,” she said.
Her advice is to go with a friend or family member who will make the experience feel less intimidating.
She also said having a plan before walking through the doors can help avoid the dreaded aimless wander between machines.
“The more you show up, the more you kind of prove to yourself that you can go, even if you’re feeling anxious,” Ms Fudge said.
“Before you know it, over a few weeks, you’ll notice that gym anxiety definitely decreases and you’ll feel more and more confident in the space.”
Ms Fudge recommends strength training two to three times a week, alongside regular walking — a particularly useful combination for those hoping to get moving without turning their entire lives upside down.
For office workers who spend most of the day sitting down, she said small changes could quickly add up.
Suggesting a lunchtime stroll, walking while making phone calls or even investing in a walking pad for the office.
While 10,000 steps has become the fitness world’s favourite number, Ms Fudge said it was important not to treat it as an all-or-nothing target.
“I think 10,000 definitely sounds like a sexy number and it’s a great thing for people to aim for,” she said.
“But for my clients who do have a more sedentary job, I love to recommend a step range.”
And when the weekend rolls around, she said there is no reason your social life needs to suffer.
Ms Fudge suggested grabbing a coffee and heading out for a coastal walk with friends — a particularly appealing option as Perth’s beaches start to come back to life.
“It’s a really good way of boosting up your weekly steps average,” she said.
If the words “summer body” immediately make you think of cutting carbs, skipping breakfast or surviving on tiny portions, Ms Fudge wants you to think again. She said one of the biggest mistakes people made when trying to change their physique was assuming they needed to eat as little as possible to see results.
“More people just need to actually probably be eating a little bit more and just making a couple of simple swaps,” she said.
Rather than cutting out entire food groups or dropping to 1200 calories a day, Ms Fudge encourages people to focus on balanced meals, protein, whole foods and cooking at home more often. She said this is a far more sustainable approach.
Ultimately, she said, the people who achieved the most sustainable results were those who began incorporating healthy habits into their everyday lives rather than treating health and fitness as a short-term project.
“The best results I’ve seen are from people that just repeat the basic habits consistently and they incorporate it as part of their lifestyle, and not just for a six-week or an eight-week stint,” she said.
“It’s something that they’re trying to adopt into their life forever, regardless of their age.”
And perhaps the most important part of getting summer-ready has nothing to do with the number on the scales.
“It’s all about confidence, and usually confidence doesn’t come from the different body,” she said.
“It actually just comes from the habits that they’ve picked up along the way.”
As the days grow longer and Perth’s beaches begin calling, Ms Fudge said the goal should be to feel confident enough to wear what you want and enjoy the season — rather than spending it worrying about how you look.
“You want to be able to wear what you like with confidence and look your best,” she said.