How to Stay Healthy and Fit this Summer
Summer can be one of the hardest times of the year to stay on top of your fitness goals. Between pool invites, parties and vacations, it’s hard to find time for you let alone time to stay in shape.
Don’t let your progress cool down when the weather heats up! Follow these tips to stay healthy and fit this summer.
Exercise In the Morning
When summer arrives, plans and commitments often become a priority. This means that you may have to get up earlier in the morning to make sure you get your workout in. Early morning exercise will keep you active for the entire day. Go for a run, fit in a quick strength training session or grab a friend and head to the gym for a fitness class. 
Make Nutritious Treats
The summer heat causes us to crave cold beverages and frozen desserts. Making refreshing and nutritious treats is a great way to enjoy the season and make healthy dietary choices. Make fresh smoothies using fruits (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries) and even vegetables. As an additional bonus, you can buy a popsicle mold from your local grocery store and freeze the smoothie into an ice-cream like texture.
Work Harder, Not Longer
You don’t need to hit the gym two hours a day, six days a week to get results this summer. Be smart about how you use your time in the gym and you’ll find it’s easier to prioritize your fitness routine. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and supersets are two great ways to get a killer workout in less time. Both of these workouts can help decrease body fat, increase strength and endurance and improve your overall health.
Take Your Workout Outside
Instead of staying indoors on the treadmill or bike, move your cardio outside. Go for a hike, ride your bike, rollerblade, swim, kayak or grab a group of friends for a few games of beach volleyball. This is the best time of year to take advantage of the warm weather and soak up some vitamin D.
Cardio isn’t the only thing you can do outdoors! Grab a set of dumbbells, kettlebells and a few different size resistance bands to get a full body strength workout.
Kayaking. Close up of man holding kayak paddle at sunset sea
Use That Grill
You don’t need to skip the BBQs this summer. Barbecue season isn’t just about hot dogs, burgers and ribs. Grilled vegetables are an excellent way to fill up your plate with flavor and provide your body with the nutrients it needs.
Skip the sweet, heavy BBQ sauces and go for a vinegar-based sauce. It’s lower in sugar and calories so you won’t bust your macros (the three categories of nutrients you eat the most and provide you with most of your energy: protein, carbohydrates and fats).
There’s no need to skimp out on those veggies! Toss some peppers, onions, zucchini or whatever you like in a bit of olive oil and throw them on the grill. Add in lean proteins like chicken breast, smoked turkey and shrimp.
Chicken or turkey poultry meat barbecue grilled burgers for hamburger prepared on bbq smoke grill, close up
Foods to Avoid
Now that we know what foods we should eat, it is important to know what foods we should avoid.
Eliminate refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta and cereals and minimize processed sugar. These nutritionally depleted foods, are low in fiber, vitamins and minerals and can actually act as ‘anti-nutrients’ which means they leach other vital nutrients from our system. They’re high in calories, but low in satiety value so we have to eat a lot of them to feel full. This is counterproductive to weight management.
Refined carbohydrates also cause unbalanced blood sugar levels which can in turn make us feel tired and groggy and leave us craving more sugary quick fix foods.
Instead, maximize your intake of plant-based foods like brightly colored fruits and vegetables, whole grains, pulses (the edible seed from a legume plant), nuts and seeds. Alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks should be minimized and you should be flushing your system regularly with plenty of water, diluted vegetable-based juices and herbal teas.
Get Your Zzz’s
In the summertime many of us tend to stay up late catching up with friends, watching movies or walking along the beach. Getting an adequate amount of sleep plays an extremely important role in our health and well-being. If we don’t get enough quality sleep regularly, the risk of many diseases and disorders such as heart disease, stroke, obesity and dementia will increase. A good night’s rest also improves our brain performance, mood and our overall health.
Drink Up
Did you know that more than 40% of people who exercise are at least partially dehydrated during their workouts? The warmer temperatures that summer brings along with our increased activity will make the consumption of more water essential. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends active people have at least 16-20 ounces of water 1-2 hours before outdoor activity. This means you need to drink up before you even start your workout to stay hydrated.
Herbal and fruit teas are okay as long as they are free from stimulants and diuretic chemicals that can actually dehydrate us. To make water more appealing try using an infuser bottle and add flavors such as fresh citrus fruits, mint leaves, muddled berries or fresh ginger.
In Conclusion
So, go ahead! Have that frozen cocktail. I’ll have one too. Remember, it’s not what you do once in a while, it’s what you do every day that counts!
You don’t need to spend hours in the gym to stay healthy and fit. Just be consistent, stick to the plan and know what your fitness goals are.
Remember, you are making “lifestyle” changes that will help keep you healthy and fit today, tomorrow and for seasons to come. Good luck to you!
I have been a personal trainer for over eighteen years and I absolutely love what I do. I honestly feel that I have one of the best jobs out there! The most rewarding part of my profession is helping one of my clients succeed at reaching their personal fitness goals. Making a difference in someone’s life makes it all worthwhile. I am currently certified by the National Sports Conditioning Association, Apex Fitness Group, and the International Sports Science Association.
