MAINTAINING FITNESS & HEALTH IN THE SUMMER 

 

It’s the most wonderful time of the yeaaaarrrr!! Summer. Travel, vacations… whether you’re away from home or you’re the “staycation” type, summer can mean a disruption in your schedule and your regular routine. Even if the change is that you’re blessed with summer hours at work, or the kiddos are out of school and you’re still at home, your routine is still probably taking a hit. We’ve all experienced these kinds of disruptions and yet somehow it always ends up going the same way – we don’t have enough time to get a workout in, yet there’s so much time to go out to eat and check out the newest happy hour hotspot. Regardless of what’s going on, the lack of motivation and the ability to fall off track during the summer is far too easy. But fear not – keep on reading to see some tips to help you keep up with your progress – you’ll find it’s pretty simple if you’re willing to put in a little bit of effort!  

 

First and foremost, for my “we’re summering at home” types:  

Don’t let your fitness be put on the back burner. For some, it may be easier to get yourself taken care of first, for others, it might be helpful to prioritize both yours and your family’s movement and nutrition.  

 

And for my “we’re summering here, there, everywhere” types:  

Don’t let your fitness be put on the back burner… Sound familiar?  

Case in point: with all the temptations we face in the summer, it can certainly be challenging to keep it together. You owe it to yourself to make your summer EXTRA enjoyable by staying up on your health and feeling amazing! 

 

Now the question is – HOW? How can you entertain the kids 24 hours a day or travel or have an entirely different schedule or accept all these invitations and still keep yourself in check? The answer: PLANNING. This goes for movement, nutrition, goals.  

 

PLAN meals: Whether you’re home or out, planning ahead of time will help to prevent you from ordering the most tempting option from the menu or rummaging through the kitchen for the quickest craving crusher or uncontrolled snacking. Do your grocery shopping – meals, snacks, beverages… and don’t forget some treats! Don’t try to prohibit foods when there are things that you really love. It’ll give you an opportunity to exercise portion control, as well as craving control and craving fulfillment and can prevent you from binging on something crazy that might make you feel less than great. Eating properly throughout the day can help you make better choices at restaurants – you’ll go into your meals without wild cravings thanks to the nutrition you’ve gotten throughout the day. Speaking of restaurants – some people find that checking out the menu before getting somewhere helps them to make a more nutritious choice than a game time decision would yield. Piggybacking off of the cravings discussion – hydration is extremely important, and helpful! About 60% of the time, our bodies mistake thirst for hunger. Drinking water and replenishing electrolytes throughout the day is an easy and failproof way to avoid overeating.  

 

HIT THE FARMERS MARKET: There’s lots of delicious, fresh produce available in the summer and implementing that into your daily diet will only help you reach your goals. Variety is great for your gut microbiome which affects just about every system in your body and it can contribute to exploring new recipes. You might even find a new favorite fruit or veggie out there.  

 

SET MOVEMENT GOALS: Whether you use some kind of step counter or you set a mileage or time goal for the day, if you have a value in mind that you want to hit, you’ll have something to work for, providing a little friendly competition with yourself and a little motivation. And at the end of the day when it’s time for dinner with friends, you’ll feel great about the whole day! If you really want to challenge yourself – set a SUMMER goal. That way, you can factor in days when you won’t be available or plan out making up for missed workouts.  

 

SCHEDULE YOUR WORKOUTS:  Just like you can do with Manduu, schedule future workouts! It will aid in making plans for the upcoming weeks, and it will hold you accountable! Either you’re going to be charged for not showing up, or your friends or trainer will be looking for you – keep everyone happy by following through.  

 

CHANGE IT UP: The heat can be a lot for many people, but it’s usually not as bad in the morning, or as the sun goes down. Not only is exposure to sunlight first thing in the day amazing for your mental health, but moving your workout outdoors in the morning will typically allow you to workout with some pretty peaceful vibes. What a way to start the day. You can run, hike/walk, complete a HIIT workout, take some light weights outside, do yoga, swim, ride a bike. The possibilities are endless! Variety will also help keep you on track; boredom is certainly not our friend when it’s already a struggle to workout to begin with. Remember: Outdoor workouts = hydration up, light colors, sunscreen 😊  

 

A few more great tips to help keep you working while away on vacation from your Memphis Director of Operations, Isaac!  Once again, with the exception of finding a hotel, these can be applied no matter where you are. 

 

Proximity Matters: Staying at a hotel that has a Fitness Center makes it more likely that you will stay active. 

 

Be a Tourist: While on vacation, get out and go sightseeing. Find a spot that’s pedestrian friendly, and walk from shop-to-shop. It’s a great way to get some cardio in. 

 

Get in the Pool: Swimming is an amazing way to stay active while engaging the entire body.  Believe it or not, the pool is not just for laying out at … get on in! 

 

Get the Family Involved: During vacation, give the entire family a fitness goal that’s attached to a fun reward. *Example: If each family member completes 10 squats, 10 pushups and 20 standing crunches in one day, the entire family gets a special dessert 

 

Wherever you find yourself this summer, remember that it’s ok to keep your health, fitness and overall happiness at the top of your list of priorities with everything else! Take this on as a little summer challenge – get others involved, try new things and enjoy!!  

 

Keep it up Team Manduu!

Nicole, M.S. EXNS