Summer Fitness Makeover

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This time of year always seems to motivate many to start taking better care of their health. The beautiful weather had everyone outdoors walking, hiking, cycling or just playing with their kids at the park. But the nicer weather also causes many to become more body conscious. There seems to be a common interest in shedding extra body fat in order to look our best once we begin donning our summer attire.

You would think with the nicer weather, longer days and extra outdoor activity, everyone would be leaning up quite nicely. But that’s not often the case. Many people report that they gain weight in the summer time!

Holidays, travel plans, kid’s clinics and camps, and camping can mean an unpredictable schedule that can get us out of our fitness and exercise routine. In addition, summer life can be so busy that it becomes difficult to stick to a healthy eating plan causing a double whammy.  As a result, many will start to notice they are starting to pack on the summer pounds and of course, with less clothing, it can be more obvious and disheartening.

Here are some summer time workout and nutrition tips to keep your health in check:

Exercise: 

You gotta know that this would be first on my list!  But the key is how to your stick to your fitness plan when you’re traveling, kids are home from school and you’ve got conflicting events/activities taking you out of your routine?!

• Schedule Active time with friends and family – Swimming is a fabulous workout to do with your family. Kayaking, paddle-boarding, wake-boarding & water skiing are all fabulous water sports that can be fun and a great workout. Schedule a hike or bike ride with friends or family. Workout at the park while your kids play. Take advantage of the amazing weather and scenery and make the outdoors your gym!
• Get up early and move your body– Take some time for yourself first thing in the morning before anyone else wakes up. There are literally hundreds of exercises you can do on your back deck, patio, an open field…literally anywhere!
• Something is better than nothing – Your time will be more limited so even just a 20 minute high intensity workout will do the trick. In the summer, sometimes you have to focus on quality more than quantity/duration.
• Schedule your workouts – A friend or a trainer waiting for you will keep you on track!

Healthy Eating:

The problem with most Americans is that we consume a great deal of calorically dense and nutritiously poor foods.  On top of this, our portion sizes are much larger than they should be.  One easy way to shed a few extra pounds is to trick your body into thinking you’re full causing you to eat fewer calories than you normally would.  Here’s a couple ‘tricks’ you can play on your stomach:

• Drink a ton of water – not only is it healthy, but water has a filling effect.  Approximately 5-15 minutes before each meal or snack, drink 8 ounces or 1 cup of water.
• More fruits & veggies –Because of their fiber content, they will cause you to feel fuller.
  • Fruit, fruit, fruit – that’s the beauty of summer.  Everything is in season and it tastes great.  As soon as you get home from grocery shopping, cut up watermelon, mango and pineapple so it’s ready to go.  Wash your strawberries, cherries, plums, peaches and nectarines so you can grab and go.
  • Grilled Veggies – So yummy and so healthy! Fill up on the veggies and that will help minimize the amount of meat and all the toppings that you will consume.
  • Get your blender out and mix up some healthy veggie and fruit smoothies.
  • Mix a different salad each day to have for lunches and dinners. Include apples, strawberries, carrots, cranberries, goat cheese and whatever other great produce is in season.
  • Take containers of veggies and fruits with you to the beach, camping, sport clinics, games or wherever you go so you are consuming throughout the day. Remember that we often crave what we consume often so get in the habit of getting the good stuff and your body will want it!
  • Freeze your fruit or juices as wonderful, healthy summer treats – Frozen grapes are wonderful on the go!
• Choose a smaller plate – If you find yourself overfilling your plate, just choose a smaller plate.  It tricks your mind into thinking that you’re actually eating more than you really are.
• Brush your teeth – if you find yourself eating late into the evening (this can be a problem in the summer with the longer days), many find it helpful to brush their teeth right after dinner.  It sends a signal to the brain that the eating frenzy is over!

Enjoy your summer, have fun and stay healthy and fit!
Join us for the…..
34th Annual Hagg Lake Triathlon & Weekend Sports Festival!
July 9th, 2016
The Hagg Lake Triathlon is one of the nation’s oldest and longest running triathlon events, Hagg Lake enters its 34th year and it continues to draw upwards of 600+ athletes.