Say No To Summer Weight Gain

Now that we’re full-blown into summer, let’s talk about summer weight gain.

You likely spent the winter working hard and if not, definitely the spring because summer was right around the corner and you wanted to look good.  You exercised consistently, you were careful to eat more healthy foods and you watched your portion sizes. 

Why?  So you would look great at the lake and have plenty of energy to enjoy summer.  Everyone wants to greet summer with a healthy, toned body.

But summer, in spite of all the fun and relaxation it brings, can be tricky and can deal us a cruel blow when it comes to our health and fitness.

Do you tend to notice the scale creeping up part-way through summer?  If so, you’re not alone. Summer is a very easy time to overindulge and pick up those pounds that you shed during the winter months.

No doubt that’s not what you want.

Remember that bad habits creep in slowly.  Perhaps you’re skipping your workouts a couple days each week, because ‘You have so much to do.’ Or maybe you’ve been indulging in unhealthy food or drinks a little more frequently when you are with friends.  It happens-little by little.  It happens one small choice at a time.  Unfortunately, those choices add up fast.

If this tends to happen to you every summer, there are some things you can do to save yourself this summer. Really! There’s no reason to let another summer pass by leaving you with guilt and feeling embarrassed to strut your stuff in your bathing suit by the end of August.  You can keep yourself looking awesome all summer long.

Here are a few common reasons that people gain weight in the summer and how to remedy them:
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1. Disrupted sleep cycle.  Summer brings with it more daylight and longer days.  This extra sunshine can cause our circadian rhythms to change which causes us to sleep less.  But if we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies will respond by packing on a few extra pounds because of the hormone cortisol!  So the solution is to get at least seven hours of sleep each night.
2. When it’s hot and humid, we tend to move around less.  Our energy is lower and besides, who wants to sweat even more, right?  But the less you move, the slower your metabolism is and the fewer calories you’ll burn.  Be intentional about keeping up with your exercise.  Find indoor exercise alternatives like boot camp classes,  or maybe even take up swimming.  My favourite is hiking through the woods. Whatever it is, just keep moving.
3. Summer means travel and travel means healthy eating just got harder.  Eating on the road presents big challenges if you are trying to eat clean.  Before your summer trips, brainstorm some ways to reduce the amount of fast food that you’ll consume while you are away.  Consider packing a cooler with hummus, nuts, lean proteins sources like chicken, some fresh fruit and raw veggies.
4. Summer barbeques, parties, family reunions.  I love them! However, all this spells danger because the food at these festivities is usually about as unhealthy as you can get!  It doesn’t mean you can’t go and still have fun though. Make sure you pass on the hotdogs, potato salad, creamy salad dressings and rich cakes.  Look for grilled vegetables, fresh fruit and lean cuts of meat prepared without greasy marinades.

Don’t let the summer festivities undo all the hard work you’ve done to get you where you are right now.

It’s not about taking the fun out of summer, it’s about making the best possible choice with whatever circumstance you’re in. 

If you find that you’re struggling with trying to eat healthy while you’re on the go, grab my Healthy Eating On the go guide for free HERE, and if you know other busy, on the go people that would enjoy this video, please share it!

If there's a topic that you would like to hear more about, please let me know in the comments below.
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Until next time,

May Anne xo
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