Dos and Don’ts For Healthy Living
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chools are out, vacations are on the books, and pool days are in high gear! What’s not to love about summer? We get outdoor workouts, BBQs, frozen treats, and well-deserved time away from the grind. In the warmer, longer, lazier days of summer, the living may not be easy, but your life probably feels less chaotic. Even adults tend to adopt a “school’s out!” attitude in summer.
All the excitement of summer is great, just not if you’re trying to enter the fall feeling and being your absolute best. The smartest approach is to focus on what you can do more often (add a fitness class to your schedule, take extra steps outside, eat vegetables in the morning, ) rather than subtract things you love (Frappuccinos, cookouts, summer evening parties with friends—no way).
Be summer-savvy! Make the most of this time to get and stay healthy. Get active in safe ways that make you feel good. The longer days, brighter sunshine, and warmer temps tend to help us enjoy improved mood, better diet, and stronger fitness habits.
But, there are also a few summer-specific wellness tips to keep in mind for healthy (warmer and sunnier!) summertime living. Here are a few of our favorites:
1. Get Moving to stay fit
Working out might seem especially difficult during the summer season. Overcoming these thoughts is the first step to achieving fitness as nothing can be stronger than our minds. Instead of the usual sweat sessions, mix it up with Team Training or GROUP fitness class. Take your bicycle to the grocery market instead of your car or go hiking during the weekends. Get at least 150 minutes of aerobic physical activity every week. If you are wondering what the benefits are of working out in a gym or outdoors, CLICK HERE!
2. Buddy up at the gym
Accountability is everything. Having a partner keeps you accountable and makes diet and fitness goals more fun! Not only have you set yourself up for success with buddy system accountability, but you now have someone to share your excitement with when you hit your goals! Plus, at FITNESS PROJECT, as a member, you can earn a FREE month for every friend or family member you get to join.
3. Keep Your Gym Bag fresh, packed, and in your sight
Keeping up with your gym attire and seeing it every morning can remind you to make time for the gym. Also, if you are on vacation ( a work trip), pack gym clothes at the top of your suitcase. It can be a great reminder to hold yourself accountable for a workout.
4. Listen to your Body
Getting in tune with your body may be the most important tip we could give you. It’s very easy to get carried away. If you are playing a sport or during a family reunion competition, you show any signs of dizziness, extreme thirst, nausea, cramps or dry mouth, etc. then immediately stop the activity and look for a cool spot to relax and drink a sports drink. Once you feel better then try again.
5. Add more fresh fruits + veggies to your diet
Some of our most common nutrition tips that apply to everyone, of all different dietary needs and preferences, are to Eat the rainbow (make sure you’re eating each color of the rainbow regularly!) and make half your plate veggies. Summer is a great time to boost your diet with more fresh, seasonal fruits and veggies. Check out these fresh for Summer juices recipes.
6. Practice self-care
Summer is one of the best times to start a new wellness routine—the longer days, brighter sunshine, and fresh air tend to help us feel more energetic and optimistic and better able to set and reach our personal goals. That means it’s a perfect time to get started with a new healthy lifestyle habit that you’d like to continue carrying into the colder, wintery months too.
7. Stay hydrated
Proper hydration is important any time of year (the human body is about two-thirds water, and we need it for all bodily functioning!)—but it’s especially important in the summertime sun and heat. In general, you’ll want to drink about two-thirds of your body weight in ounces of water each day. And, remember to boost your water take if you spend time in the heat—especially exercising or exerting yourself in the heat.
8. Avoid Too Much Alcohol or Caffeine
Alcohol, fizzy drinks, and coffee can all dehydrate you quickly. If at all possible, try to limit your intake of these popular beverages, especially during hot weather. A good substitute is plain or flavored water.
9. Make time for relaxation and sleep
I get it, there is a lot of fun on your schedule and you don’t want to miss a beat. A good night’s sleep is more important than usual and rest has many physical and emotional health benefits, and deprivation can impact your mood and performance.
10. Be generous with SPF
Although vitamin D has several benefits, always remember to apply generous amounts of sunscreen with a broad UVA spectrum before venturing out in the sun. Reapply after every 2 hours, as sunscreen wears off with time. Sunscreens with a minimum SPF of 30 should be used when going out.
11. Book vacations with fitness amenities
When traveling, it’s easy to get off your A-game and not put any time in at the gym. When booking hotels or other accommodations, be sure that the location has some sort of fitness center or workout space, this way you have no excuse to slack off. Check out our 10 Tips For Staying Fit on Vacations.
Lastly, allow yourself to take time to enjoy summer and all the good times that come with it!
