The end of spring is drawing near as hotter weather rapidly approaches. Most schools are wrapping up their last lessons as students anticipate the upcoming summer months. Families are planning family vacations while others look forward to summer events such as beach fun, poolside parties, picnics and BBQ’s. The longer, warmer days of summer can bring a feeling of laziness that may lead to a lack of activity. There’s plenty of ways to be active and still enjoy summer break while relieving physical and mental stress. With this in mind, it is important to stay cool, safe, and healthy during the hotter months and still have summertime fun.

ENJOY THE SUN WHILE STAYING HEALTHY!

SUMMER FUN

It is tempting to want to lounge around during the hot summer days, but why not take advantage of the hot weather and sunny afternoons and be active! Here are some ideas for summer activities that the whole family can enjoy:

–          Enroll your kids in a summer sports program of their choice. This provides physical activity for the kids as well as allows them to make new friends and be social. These programs can be organized by formal leagues, scheduled classes (like martial arts), or even be informal activities organized by neighborhood gatherings.

–          Plant a small garden, cultivate a flower box, or plant a few flower pots. This is an activity that the whole family can enjoy. Gardening involves strength, endurance, and flexibility, and may help in relieving physical stress and muscle tension.  It can also be a great stress reliever as well as lower blood pressure and improve the quality of rest/sleep at night. Not only is it a great bonding/learning experience for the kids, but it doesn’t hurt that it burns calories too!

–          Take advantage of the nice weather and participate in outdoor activities. Not all activities require you to spend money. Take advantage of the sun and take a hike with the family, enjoy a nature walk, play games such as tag, Frisbee, or dodge ball, go bicycling around the neighborhood or at your favorite park, stay cool and go swimming, or have slip-and-slide sprinkler parties! Not only does it keep you active and healthy, it’s a good bonding experience as well.

SUMMER SAFETY

While enjoying the fun summer activities, it is also important to be safe during the hot weather:

–          Keep yourself and your family hydrated. Stay cool with a refreshing glass of water before, during, and after physical activity to avoid dehydration. Add some fresh fruit and mint for some low-calorie flavor!

–          Protect yourself and your family from the sun. Wear wide-brimmed hats, apply water-resistant sunscreen with at least SPF 15 and re-apply every 2 hours, avoid intense activities between 12 noon – 3pm when the sun is at its strongest, dress appropriately for the heat, and wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.

–          Find some time to relax and unwind between activities.  It is also good for your body to take a break and relax between activities. Take time out of your day to meditate or have some quiet time to yourself. This can help lower your blood pressure as well as control stress hormones (such as cortisol) that contribute to a widening waist and the increase risk of heart disease.

SUMMER FOOD

Complement your summer activities with healthy eating! BBQ’s and picnics may not always promote health. Try substituting natural, low-fat ingredients in meals that your family and friends can all enjoy. Here are some ideas for healthy summer meals:

–          Turkey Burgers. Substitute a 3oz turkey patty for your burgers. It contains less calories and saturated fat than lean beef. Eat it with a whole grain bun, lettuce and tomato. Instead of cheese and bacon, add avocado for extra flavor and healthy fats. Substitute mayo with mustard or a low-fat mayo or dressing. Serve with grilled veggies or a crisp salad.

–          Sandwiches. Avoid processed lunch meats and sandwich fillings that are high in fat and calories. Try grilling chicken breast and eat it with whole grain bread or bun, along with BBQ sauce or low-calorie condiments, lettuce and tomato. Instead of the traditional mayo-based chicken, egg, or tuna salad sandwiches, try mixing them with homemade guacamole or low-fat vinaigrette. Add vegetables such as chopped celery, apple, or dried fruit. Serve on whole grain bread, whole grain or veggie tortilla, or a lettuce leaf and make it a lettuce wrap!

–          Pasta Salad. Use whole grain or veggie pasta. Add grilled chicken breast or another lean meat or substitute beans or hard-boiled egg as your protein source. Add your favorite vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, and olives for flavor and color. Top it off with vinaigrette and fresh herbs and enjoy!

–          Veggie Kabobs. Add a healthy flare to your BBQ with a flavorful veggie kabob! Grill your favorite veggies marinated in fresh ingredients such as oregano, olive oil, lemon, and garlic. Add some cubes of tofu or another favorite source of protein and you got yourself a perfect summer meal. An easy to make recipe that the whole family can enjoy!

Unfortunately, once I hit my thirties the sun lost its slimming powers and I found myself battling…dare I say … summertime weight gain. What happened?  Was summertime the problem or was it me?  I had to make some changes; that is, if I didn’t want the summertime splurges that passed through my lips to stay on my hips.

Don’t get me wrong… there are definite moments I can pinpoint, like the taste of Chicago and weekly street festivals, that likely contributed to the thickening of my thighs, but I later learned of some less obvious errors that also lowered my metabolism and made it harder for me to lose weight.

With that… I’ll share with you three unlikely culprits for summertime weight gain – and how to avoid them so you too can survive the summer.

1-      Kickin’ the schedule to the curb– I agree there is something freeing about being on vacation or staycation that allows you to temporarily turn off your blackberry (aka crack-berry) and kick your daily schedule to the curb. But while you’re enjoying your newfound freedom, be careful not to add extra calories to those extra hours.  Free time can often lead to free grazing and overeating.

Plan for success- Keep your belly happy. When hunger strikes it can kill the mood, so come up with a plan to keep your belly satisfied and your vacation/staycation on track.  Think about when you generally eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Your body likes consistency, so give it what it wants. Whether you’re at home, or on the go, eat each of these 3 major meals at the normal times.

In-between meals, reach for a packed snack.  Before you start your day, find at least 2 high fiber foods (e.g. fruit, vegetables, whole grains) with 3 or more grams of fiber per serving to fight hunger between meals.  Pre-pack the snack to limit yourself to the proper serving size. This will prevent you from accidentally polishing off an entire bag of chips while being engrossed in that book you’ve been waiting to get your hands on or that movie you’ve been dying to see.

2-      Soaking up the sun– I’m sure you’ve heard the dangers of overexposure to the sun.  We frequently hear warnings about things like dehydration, that it’s easy to become desensitized to it.  Well trust me; dehydration is not something you want to ignore.  As you may know, if untreated, severe cases of dehydration can lead to death.

But here’s something you may not have heard… Even minor cases of dehydration can hurt you where you’d least expect it- your metabolism.  Yep… I said it; dehydration can affect your ability to lose weight. Let me break it down for you.  You want your body to burn calories; well your body physically needs water to make this happen. (And no, you can’t meet your daily water needs by eating iceberg lettuce).

Imagine it, the key to your ability to lose and maintain weight has been in your water bottle all this time.

Plan for success– Always remember, if you’re thirsty your body is dehydrated!  There are a lot of beverage options out there, but only a few will actually fight dehydration and quench your thirst. Not all fluids are created equal! Consider this….

When it’s hot outside, those icy, sweet drinks can seem very appealing, but they’re loaded with extra calories. Some summertime drinks may pack as much sugar and calories as a Snickers candy bar, without helping to satisfying your hunger OR quench your thirst.

Although diet sodas are a much better alternative to full calorie soft drinks, diet sodas aren’t entirely safe.  If you want a treat, reach for a diet drink. If you are thirsty, skip the diet soda and head for the water. Diet drinks may have zero calories, but it doesn’t necessarily mean these beverages have zero consequences. Instead of quenching your thirst, diet sodas can make you thirstier. Diet sodas can also cause you to urinate more frequently, which will only increase your dehydration.

Water is the key to summertime success.  It will cool you down, curb your appetite (make you feel full), and prevent you from slurping down unneeded extra calories.

3-      Staying Cool– So you’re planning to beat the heat and avoid sunshine splurges by staying inside and blasting the air conditioner?  We’ll I wouldn’t get too comfortable. Before you close those doors and lock the cold air in, I want to let you in on a little interesting fact. Comfort can quickly turn into calories!

When you adjust the thermostat to change the temperature in the room, your body doesn’t have to adjust or maintain its internal temperature.  Not only does your metabolism not have to work as hard, but also comfortable living can quickly turn into comfort-based grazing.  We’ve known that foods and moods go hand in hand, but so do temperatures and temptations. Heat can decrease a person’s appetite, but some people escape the heat to find comfort in food.

Plan for success– When you’re coming in from the heat, avoid the temptation to turn the room into an icebox. Give your body a chance to cool itself down before you drop the temperature in the room. Sit down and relax with a nice glass of water.  The water will not only help to cool you down, but will also prevent you from reaching for a non-hydrating beverage or calorie filled snack. If after 5 to 10 minutes you still don’t feel cool enough, adjust the thermostat.

Who knows, you may find that you not only save a few calories but also a few bucks.

Stay connected with our blog for more tips on surviving the summer!!!

Related Posts:

Water Filled Summer – Know the signs of dehydration, what fluids increase your risk of dehydration, and tips for staying hydrated this summer

Surviving Your Summer Vacation/Staycation– Summertime should be enjoyed, but be careful of possible pitfalls, topics for the Skinny Gene Guide to Surviving the Summer

What is it about summer that makes you feel like you’re on a constant staycation?

You know, when the rules we create for ourselves on a normal everyday basis no longer apply. When you do things that aren’t necessarily “good for you”, but you justify them because it’s summertime?

Quick question- Since when did the unspoken rule that a person would could say  “I’m on vacation”, and  get a free pass for indulging in a few guilty pleasures, also start applying to the justification–“it’s summer?”

You’ve heard the excuse; you may have even used it. Maybe you don’t use the term summer. You may like to be a wee bit more specific, like…  “It’s hot outside.” “It was a BBQ.”  “The ice cream truck came by. What was I supposed to do, ignore it? That’d be rude.”

Don’t get me wrong, I believe that summer should definitely be ENJOYED! I like all aspects of summer, the sunshine, the summer concerts, and the trips to the beach. I like all of these things, almost as much as I love summertime food!

Oh, how I  love summertime! It brings back some great childhood memories, like dancing to this song.

My concern is that while the summer can be filled with endless opportunities to get out and enjoy life, it can also be packed with dangerous and common pitfalls that cause your summer vacation or staycation to end on a not so sunny note.

In fact for many people, particularly kids, the summertime may be the source of some drastic weight gain.  So over the next several weeks we are going to give you our Skinny Gene Guide to Surviving the Summer. You’ll learn how to get out and enjoy all that summertime has to offer!

Afterall, what happens during the summer should stay in the summer, not on your hips , thighs, booty or your belly!

A few upcoming topics in our series on Surviving the Summer blog posts may include:

•  How to Indulge in Summertime splurges: Having fun without adding the weight
• Tips for Surviving the Summer: How to avoid the pitfalls that lead to summertime weight gain
•  Healthy Home:  Why kids could gain up to 3x more weight during the summer. Learn how to keep your keep your kids healthy
•  Cookin’ up Summer Fun: Feel Free to indulge in some of these healthier recipes

So, don’t miss out. Follow our blog and be notified when these new posts have been added.