Vacation Mode: How Weight Loss Is Changing the Way Canadians Travel

For many Canadians, summer travel is about more than just picking a destination; it's become deeply intertwined with how they feel about their bodies. MedExpress commissioned an online survey of 711 Canadian adults to explore how weight-loss journeys are reshaping summer travel decisions, from destination choices and packing habits to the activities people feel ready to try. Whether you're actively working toward a health goal or simply curious about how body image affects the way we vacation, the findings offer a revealing look at modern travel in Canada.

Key takeaways

• 69% of Canadians feel pressure to have a "summer body" from social media, with Gen Z feeling it most (78%).
• 40% of Canadians on a weight-loss journey say their health goals influenced their summer destination choice.
• 43% of those on a weight-loss journey say they are more likely to book summer vacations now than before they started.
• Nearly 1 in 4 Canadians (24%) have avoided or reconsidered a trip they would have previously booked due to weight concerns.
• 36% of Canadians on a weight-loss journey are planning an active outdoor adventure this summer.

The summer body pressure Canadians are feeling

Social media has become a significant force in how Canadians think about their bodies heading into summer, and for many, the pressure starts long before they pack a bag.

Nearly 3 in 5 Canadians (59%) reported feeling pressure to lose weight before summer. Among those actively on a weight-loss journey, that figure climbed to 69%. Women were significantly more likely than men to feel this pressure (72% vs. 52%).

Social media is a major driver of that pressure. More than two-thirds of Canadians (69%) reported feeling "summer body" pressure from at least one social media platform. Instagram led as the top driver of "summer body" pressure, cited by 54% of Canadians. Gen Z felt Instagram's pull most strongly at 68%, compared to 56% of millennials.

TikTok followed a similar generational pattern, with 48% of Gen Z reporting pressure from the platform versus 25% of millennials. Facebook proved to be the exception: Gen X (26%) and millennials (25%) were more likely than Gen Z (12%) to feel summer body pressure there, reflecting how differently each generation engages across platforms.

Nearly half of Canadians (47%) said they had looked at travel photos and felt motivated to make a body change, while 44% had used an upcoming vacation as direct motivation to lose weight. The influence of body image extended to destination choices, too. Almost a quarter of Canadians (24%) had avoided or reconsidered a trip type they would have previously booked due to weight concerns, and more than 1 in 10 (14%) had skipped or delayed a trip entirely.

Among those on a weight-loss journey, physical stamina was the top travel anxiety (52%), followed by concerns about group photos or being on camera (50%) and buying or fitting into travel clothes (45%). Those worries weren't just abstract; 17% had cancelled or backed out of a beach vacation due to body confidence.

Packing the routine, managing the trip

For Canadians on a weight-loss journey, travel doesn't mean leaving their health goals at home, but navigating those goals on the road comes with its own set of pressures.

Weight-related concerns shaped nearly every aspect of trip planning for this group. Among those on a weight-loss journey, 60% said those concerns affected how they picked their outfits for a trip, while 49% said it influenced how they approached being photographed on vacation. More than 1 in 3 (34%) said weight-related concerns affected whether they joined group activities during travel, and 23% said it even factored into choosing their destination.

The social dimension of travel emerged as a particularly significant source of stress. More than half of weight-loss travellers (52%) reported worrying more about fitting in socially on trips. The concern about being judged was also present, with 36% reporting anxiety about being judged for what they ate while travelling.

The new vacation: Confidence, movement, and what's now possible

For many Canadians on a weight-loss journey, travel is beginning to feel less like a source of stress and more like a reward, and the data reflects a meaningful shift in how people are showing up for their trips.

Close to half of those on a weight-loss journey (43%) said they were more likely to book summer vacations now than before they started, and 40% said their health goals had influenced their destination choice. Nearly 1 in 3 (32%) said certain destinations now felt more accessible because of improved confidence or mobility. The most popular planned trips among this group included:

• Domestic road trips (37%)
• Beach vacations (36%)
• Active outdoor adventures (36%)

The sense of newfound freedom showed up in how people described their travel experiences, too. Swimming in public was the activity most commonly unlocked by the weight-loss journey, cited by 31%, followed by wearing more revealing or body-conscious clothing (30%) and being photographed or included in group vacation photos (29%). Among those who had made a lifestyle or body change, 41% said their sense of travel freedom had increased, and 37% had worn something on vacation this year they never would have before their journey began.

For some, travel had become a milestone in its own right: 12% had booked a vacation specifically to debut their new body as a reward for hitting a weight-loss goal, reflecting just how personally meaningful the connection between health progress and travel has become for many Canadians.

The journey changes more than the destination

For a significant number of Canadians, weight and body image are not just personal concerns; they actively shape where people go, what they pack, and what they allow themselves to enjoy when they get there. The encouraging part is that for those who have embarked on a weight-loss journey, travel is increasingly becoming something to look forward to rather than something to avoid. Whether it's booking that beach trip, joining the group photo, or simply showing up in an outfit that feels good, the data suggests that progress, in whatever form it takes, has a way of opening doors.

Methodology

MedExpress commissioned an online survey of 711 Canadian adults conducted in 2025. The gender sample was 50% women, 43% men, and 2% non-binary or other. A "weight-loss journey" was defined as any respondent who indicated they were currently trying to lose weight through at least one of the following methods: reducing calories or tracking diet, increasing exercise or physical activity, following a structured diet plan, using a weight-loss medication, or using other weight-loss supplements. In total, 73% of respondents were classified as being on a weight-loss journey.

Fair use statement

The data and findings in this article may be used for noncommercial purposes only. Any use or reproduction of this content must include proper attribution to MedExpress with a link back to the original article.