Stick to your goals this year during vacations and BBQs: Here are 5 practical ways to stay healthy this summer no matter where you’re at!
Hey friends! Summertime is fast approaching, and our outdoor schedule is getting put together. I’m heading down to Denver this coming weekend for a fun race and obstacle challenge, we just finished a 6-mile hike yesterday (I’ll share photos next week!), and we have our regular road races set up for the summer with hopefully some trail races added, too.
Summer is an interesting time: on one hand we stay pretty active doing things outside like races and hiking, but on the other hand my regular strength training workouts sometimes fall by the wayside and healthy eating takes a backseat at holiday BBQ’s and summer events.
If you’re like me, I don’t feel like my health should be seasonal: we should work towards great health all year long! No matter what your summer holds this year, here are 6 practical ways to stay healthy this summer:
1. Schedule it!
It’s too easy to let your workouts slide when you get busy traveling, working, and relaxing during the summer. Sit down at the beginning of each week with your schedule and set up appointments with yourself for workout time. Make the time for exercise, even if it’s for 20 or 30 minutes
2. Keep moving
Make sure that you’re moving daily outside of exercise. Research has shown that NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) is an important factor in maintaining a healthy weight, even more so than exercise. NEAT includes taking the stairs instead of the elevator and standing at your desk instead of sitting.
All those small daily movements add up! Invest in a step tracker and set step goals for each day and work towards ways to reach them.
3. Workout early
If you can, schedule your workouts earlier in the day to avoid the heat if you are doing outdoor workouts. Working out earlier in your day will also allow you to get your workout in and done before getting sidetracked by work and daily tasks.
4. Make better food choices
When you’re at gatherings, make the best choices available to you, but don’t get consumed with perfection. Don’t miss out on those great gatherings with friends and family! Let go of the idea that things need to be perfect. Instead, make the best choices available to you at the moment, and if you can, bring a healthy dish to share with others.
Plan ahead as well. If you know that there won’t be a lot of healthy food choices at a gathering, eat a bit of healthy food before going so you won’t be starving when you get there and more likely to overeat unhealthier choices.
5. Stay hydrated
Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, especially in the summer heat! A general rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight (in pounds) in fluid ounces of water daily, and more if you are heavily sweating or exercising outdoors. For example, a 150 pound woman should be drinking about 75 ounces of water daily.
If you love to exercise outdoors in the summer, make sure you are replacing sweat with an electrolyte drink that is low-sugar (unless you’re an endurance athlete) and has sodium, potassium, magnesium, and trace minerals.
Making your health a priority
If you’re trying to keep your activity levels high this summer (it’s road race season!), then chances are you’ll have some muscle soreness from the exercise. Make sure you’re doing plenty of stretching, foam rolling, and yoga to keep your muscles and fascia healthy and to balance out your workouts with recovery to speed tissue healing.
If you are working to stay active this summer and are looking for energy and stress support, then check out the Every Woman’s One Daily Multivitamin from New Chapter Vitamins.
Every Woman’s One Daily Multivitamin is professionally developed for active women with nutrients for energy, stress†, immune and bone support*.
This multivitamin from New Chapter is made with superfood herbal blends that include ginger, organic Turmeric, Chamomile and European Elderberry and has won the BEST Multivitamin Award (Delicious Living 2016 Supplement Awards).
Every Woman’s One Daily Vitamins are:
- Fermented with probiotics and whole foods
- Gentle enough to take any time – even on an empty stomach
- Made with organic ingredients
- Non-GMO
- Vegetarian
- Kosher
- Gluten Free
- No Synthetic Fillers
New Chapter Vitamins takes a sustainable, whole-food approach to supplements, and the ingredients are responsibly sourced for safe and high quality products!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, care, or prevent any disease.
Disclaimer: this information is intended to be informational only and is not intended to replace the advice of your qualified healthcare professional.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Sarah Jane Parker is the founder, recipe creator, and photographer behind The Fit Cookie. She’s a food allergy mom and healthy living blogger based in Wyoming. Sarah is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Certified Health Coach, Revolution Running certified running coach, and an ACE Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist