Summer is officially here!  Kids are out of school (or almost out of school) and home from college. The weather is getting warmer, and most states are opened up and people are starting to socialize again.  Although it is all good, especially after last year, it is an adjustment and sometimes the change in season can throw off your healthy routine a little. It also may be tempting to throw in the towel and wait until things settle down in the fall. BUT, now is not the time!  Here are 4 tips for a healthy living summer –

Summertime makes it so difficult to stay focused on your health goals. With constant obligations, it is so easy to get wrapped up all the summertime fun and festivities, especially when it comes to eating and drinking and having fun! Not to mention the heat and all those summertime cocktails! It definitely happens to me and my nutrition clients.  However, there are so many ways to embrace the distractions and continue moving forward with a healthy lifestyle if we put our MIND to it.

 Tip 1 –  STAY HYDRATED!

It is so important to stay hydrated all the time, but more so in the hot humid summer months! I start each day by filling my 32oz water bottle with ice and water and sometimes some frozen fruit or a flavored Fizzy. Then I take it everywhere.  I work to get those 32 ozs. down by 2 pm so that I can fill it up again and get another 32 oz down by 7 pm. Now that is just me. You should aim towards getting half your body weight in oz. consumed daily.  Yes, you may be hitting the bathroom pretty frequently, but that is good for your kidneys!

 Tip 2 –  STAY ACTIVE!

Exercise is the best medicine! It is essential to exercise or move your body daily to maintain a healthy lifestyle and the summer offers so many fun ways to do it and get the kids involved too.  Here are some great suggestions to get moving-

-Take an early morning walk before the day warms up too much or an evening walk if you are not that early morning riser.
– Do a home workout- no equipment- improvise with things around the house.
– Try some summer chores of gardening and mowing the grass- both are great for getting in some movement
– Track your steps and aim for 10,000 per day! I get that every weekend that I work in the yard all day. Movement thought the day goes a long way!
– Try out some summer fun activities like beach volleyball, swimming ( a fabulous healthy exercise as it takes all the pressure off your joints), or jogging on the beach.
– And if you are working at a desk this summer- try to make sure you are getting up every hour and getting in at least 250 steps. Having trouble remembering- set a timer on your watch. But if you are getting in your water- use it as a time to hit the restroom!

 Tip 3 – LOAD UP on Fresh Veggies and Lean Protein!

Summer is the time to keep the house cool- so it is a great time to fire up the grill!  Grilling lean meats and veggies are a fast and easy way to cook dinner for the family- and it is fun! But now it, not the time to throw the rest of your clean eating out the window-

– Watch your portion sizes and remember some of those wonderful summer salads may be packed with more fats than you usually eat so choose carefully!
– Focus on proteins and veggies especially at picnic and barbeques.
– Skip the sugar as much as possible- yes, I know sugar hides in almost everything these days. But try to limit those sugary treats of ice cream, cookies, and cakes to special occasions and limit yourself to one small serving. Or better yet- opt for fruit instead. Oh, and watch the sugary drinks and try getting in some extra fruit-flavored water instead.
– Try the 80/20 rule. If you focus on eating a healthy breakfast and lunch- you afford yourself a little wiggle room with dinner. Eating on track through the week affords a LITTLE wiggle room on the weekend for a special treat!
– Keep food prep simple- summer is not the time to spend hours in the kitchen cooking or prepping meals! Try to fire up the grill daily, or make nutrient pack smoothies or protein shakes, use shortcuts as necessary as frozen veggies premade burger patties- grass-fed preferred, or throw everything into a nutrient-packed salad and call it dinner!

 Tip 4 – Choose Alcohol WISELY!

Be picky when you decide to consume alcohol- and then LIMIT that consumption just like those sugary treats! It is no secret that summer is FULL of opportunities to drink- but no one says you HAVE TO DRINK.  Alcohol is just empty calories at its best. Stick to special occasions or just the weekends and skip that glass of wine during the week. DECIDE your limit and STICK to IT! No exceptions! Be the designated driver if you have to. Looking for alternatives? Try mocktails and flavored waters or seltzers in a fancy glass with a yummy fruit garnish and Enjoy!

Looking for more summer healthy living tips? Check us out at www.WellnessbyKim.com or join me in The Wellness Cafe!