How to stay fit & healthy during the summer

​Spring has come and gone. Your diet’s been so good: salad everyday, protein with each meal, macros on point, and all that damn water. You’ve been sticking to your exercise plan. You feel good, strong, and a lil sexy even. But oh no, summer’s here. And with that- summer travels, ice cream, backyard BBQs, drinks after work, drinks on the patio, drinks at the beach... what’s with all the drinking? And let’s not get started on all the events that keep popping up: weddings, birthdays, showers, parties. How are you going to stick to your macros??

​Don’t fret my friend! Life is too short to be stressed over how to eat and drink during the summer. Summer comes and goes in an instant. Let’s enjoy ourselves. Here are my favorite tips on how to have fun, treat yoself, and continue to look and feel your best this summer. 

1. Drink smart

• Opt for straight booze. My go-to drink is vodka with soda water & a slice of lime. Or a glass of red wine. Stay away from cocktails with sweet mixes, beer, and sugary wine. They are calorie bombs.
• Get it in a tall glass. This will trick your brain into sipping it and enjoying it a bit longer.
• Limit yourself to 2-3 drinks max. This will average ~ 300 calories.
• Eat before you drink. This prevents the buzzed out munching that will easily put you over the top.
• No late night drunk eating allowed! Thus the 2-3 drink rule. Any more than that, your inhibitions will go down and the “screw this” attitude will be coming in hot. 

​2. Work out first thing in the morning
Set your alarm a bit earlier and get your workout done first thing in the morning. It will rev up your metabolism for the rest of the day, get those happy endorphins flowing and set the tone for an awesome day ahead. Don't make excuses. Just get up and get it done. All you need is 20 mins! We’re not looking for big gains here. Instead, we’re looking to maintain our exercise habit and not have to start from scratch like most people come autumn. 

3. Be that person that brings healthy stuff to a party
Yes, you know the one. Now that’s you. Bring a veggie platter. Or a big salad. Or cut up fruit. Everyone at the party will appreciate it. Dip and chips get really old after a while amiright? This applies to anywhere you go, not just parties. Heading to the beach or lake? Pack healthy snacks. Heading to the cottage? Pack healthy snacks. Heading on a road trip? PACK HEALTHY SNACKS. 

4. Go outside and play
Summer is the best time to explore nearby trails, to hit the lake, to swim, to kayak, to hike, to play, to ride a bike. Not only will you be burning calories, you’ll be soaking up vitamin D and enjoying what the season has to offer. Walk everywhere. 

5. Stay hydrated 
It’s easy to forget to drink water when you’re playing, chilling, travelling, partying, etc. Chug a liter of water as soon as you wake up. Always make sure to have a water bottle within arm’s reach and sip on it throughout the day. Aim for a minimum 3-4 liters a day. Oftentimes we may feel hungry but we’re really just dehydrated. I love chugging 2 cups of water when I feel hungry to see if it’s legit hunger pangs. 

6. Skip breakfast
Got a big day of drinking and eating coming up? Skip breakfast. You’re probably not even hungry anyways. By skipping a meal, you could be saving yourself up to 500 calories that you can use later. It’s all about finding balance.

7. Hold the bun
Eating out? Ordered a burger? Hold the bun and wrap it in lettuce or turn it into a burger salad. Taco night? Skip the tortillas and make yourself a big taco salad instead. It tastes just as good plus you’ll be getting in extra veg. Going for Indian? Pick the naan or the rice, but not both. The key point here is to go for what’s really worth it. Do you absolutely love your burgers in a bun? Then no fries. Love fries? Make sure they’re the best damn crispiest most amazing fries ever. Be a picky eating. Make it totally worth it.

8. Sleep
It may be tempting to stay up late now that the days are getting longer. But prioritizing 8 hours of sleep will have you functioning your best- physically and mentally. Ever feel extra munchy and wanna eat everything when you haven’t slept well? Adequate sleep also helps to regulate the hormones that control appetite and satiety. 

9. Step away from the food
At parties, everyone usually congregates around the table of food. This is the danger zone. It is so easy to eat up to 1000 calories mindlessly: handfuls of chips here, a few ounces of cheese there, bits and bites of this and that. Do you ever keep popping cheese and pepperoni into your mouth while chit chatting? I do. Instead, fill up a plate with lots of veggies and a few “worth it” items. Then go sit down away from the food and eat your food mindfully. You can always have more if you’re still hungry after.

10. Be present
It’s easy to worry about our future and fret about our past. Just try to be present. Right here, right now. Put your phone away. Put the food down. Just be present. Enjoy the conversations you're having at the party instead of focusing on what you ate.

11. Be kind to yourself
So you messed up your diet. Over ate? Over drank? Haven’t worked out all week? It’s ok! Don’t beat yourself up. Being mean to yourself, hating yourself, judging yourself… This is not going to serve you. How would you treat your best friend or child that’s going through this? Would you berate them? No you wouldn’t. Show yourself compassionate. Then revisit your “why”. Why do you want to eat well? Why do you want to exercise? And then get right back into it. 

How do you stay healthy during the summer? Do you have a tip to share? Please comment and let me know your thoughts! 

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