Summer is officially upon us and with it comes plenty of opportunities for pool parties, cook outs, lake/beach days, and late nights with good friends. With all the fun in the sun activities going on it can be hard to stay on track with your health and fitness goals. So, I have provided some of my favorite tips to help keep you on track and rock that summer bod all the way to fall.
Tip #1 HYDRATE!
This may sound like a no-brainer but since most people don’t hydrate enough as is… I figured I’d better remind you. Extra time in the sun can dehydrate you faster so you’ll always want to make sure to keep a water bottle handy. Drinking water also helps with digestion and can give you a better sense of feeling “full” so you don’t accidentally overeat at all those fun cookouts. A good rule on how much water you should drink every day is to take your bodyweight and divide it in half, then drink that amount in ounces. If you are out in the sun all day or working out and sweating a lot, you will want to drink even more. If you have a hard time drinking just plain water, try adding in a few lemon slices or even some lime and cucumber slices. It will make drinking water that much more refreshing.
Tip #2 Plan out at least one healthy meal and one healthy snack EVERY DAY
Let’s face it, not everyone you hang out with this Summer has your goals in mind and most BBQ’s aren’t famous for their healthy options. Do yourself a favor and take ten minutes to plan out a healthy meal and snack each day. Bonus points if you make it the first meal of your day. Doing this will set the tone for the rest of your day and I’m willing to bet that starting it off making healthy choices will help you continue to make them as the day goes on. My favorite healthy breakfast is a spinach and avocado egg white omelet paired with protein packed oatmeal and coffee. It’s full of good protein, healthy fats, and a decent amount of carbs to keep me energized and satisfied. Here is the recipe if you’d like to try it out.
Omelet
2 servings of egg whites
Fistful of spinach
¼ avocado
Siracha (optional)
Oatmeal
¼ cup quick minute oats
1 scoop salted caramel Quest protein powder
1 tablespoon peanut butter
½ cup frozen mixed berries
(Make oatmeal first, then mix in protein powder, add peanut butter and mix till melted in, then add berries and enjoy!)
Tip #3 Take a nighttime walk
After a long day out at the pool or relaxing by the lake it can be easy to go straight home to Netflix and chill or zone out on social media. While I have nothing against a good Netflix binge taking a walk before bed can help digest any food you ate that day and could also help you sleep better. Plus, it’s lighter outside longer in the Summer so take advantage of it while it lasts! Take at least 15 minutes and go on a nice evening stroll. You can use that time to think about all the things you are grateful for in your life and be proud of yourself for working on your goals.
Tip #4 Try to keep your normal sleep schedule
This one can be hard depending on who you are and what your job/school schedule is like and if it changes in the Summer. If you’re a teacher or student and have the Summer’s off it can be easy to sleep in every day and then get totally off schedule when you go back to school. If you only have weekends off it can mean that it’s hard to get back on track Monday morning. Trying to maintain your sleep schedule within two hours of when you would normally go to sleep is my suggestion. Of course, one late night isn’t going to give you bags under your eyes but consistently not getting enough sleep is bad for anyone and can lead to health problems later. While the exact amount of sleep you should get is different for everyone, most ranges are between 7 to 10 hours. If you are a Monday – Friday worker and only have weekends and holidays off, try going to bed an hour earlier on Sunday nights. You’ll thank yourself when your Monday morning alarm goes off.
Tip #5 Enjoy your Summer no matter what part of the fitness journey you’re on
As a trainer I see a lot of people come in to “get ready” for Summer but not all of them actually feel “ready” when Summertime comes. AND THAT’S OKAY. Making changes and sticking to them when it comes to any fitness regimen takes time to see results. If you aren’t exactly where you want to be when Summertime comes it doesn’t matter! Go out and enjoy all the fun things that this incredible season has to offer. Try to stay consistent with your goals as best you can but remember to live it up. This journey is different for everyone and learning to enjoy the process that comes with making changes will help you in the long run.