By Alex Kelly
While it may be tempting to go into full vacation mode in the summer, it’s important to remember that taking such a long period of time off from mindful training and nutrition will significantly impact your fitness goals. Despite feeling like you might want to take the time off, sticking with your program during the summer will benefit you for the rest of the year. Below are five tips for staying on track this summer!
- Outdoor exercise is not the be all and end all:
Outdoor exercise is encouraged as it is great for the mind and body. However, it should still be used as a supplement with strength training to maintain muscle mass (since most outdoor sports and hobbies are cardio based and/or can cause muscle imbalances). CLICK HERE to schedule a Strategy Session to learn about our strength training programs.
- Maintain food AND beverage tracking:
Although the summer months make it tempting to have slushies or if you’re over 21, refreshing mixed drinks, it is important to continue eating and drinking mindfully, ideally still tracking your intake in order to meet your goals. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t indulge every so often, but consistency is key with nutrition. CLICK HERE to find out more about our nutrition programs and sign up for a nutrition consultation.
- Plan ahead with a written or digital planner:
The summer is a busy time. Work is still going on, the kids are out of school, there are vacations and weddings to prepare for, but you still have to make time for what’s most important- your health. Many people think that they don’t have enough hours in the day so working out generally falls off of people’s to-do. If you log what you do in an entire day, you’ll likely find that the extra you spend on your phone or watching TV or sleeping in is more than enough to fit in a quick 45-minute workout. Physically budgeting a block of time into your calendar to work out can help immensely with actually completing it. Vacations and short trips are no different- you’ll more than likely have some excess time to spend at a hotel gym or even on a body weight calisthenic workout outside.
- Stay hydrated:
The warm weather might feel nice but the increase in temperatures and humidity can cause problematic dehydration, especially for individuals with high quantities of outdoor physical activity. Ensure that you not only are drinking enough water, but that you are also intaking adequate amounts of electrolytes such as salt, magnesium, and potassium. These electrolytes are critical for water balance and muscle function which both impact your ability to exercise and your exercise performance.
- Quit the vacation mode mentality:
The summer lasts about 3 months, you cannot be in “vacation mode” the entire time and expect any sort of progress or results. While it is important to enjoy some time off for relaxation, it is imperative not to get complacent for such an extended period.
Need some advice or motivation to adjust your health and fitness goals for the summer? CLICK HERE to schedule some time with our staff. We can help to make your summer enjoyable without losing all the gains that you have made during the rest of the year!
Photo by Rebeca Gonçalves/Pexels.
