Make 2022 Your Healthiest Summer Yet!
Ahh, summertime… the time of year we wait all winter to enjoy. Long days, warm nights, fresh air, holiday travels, and fewer clothing layers. Summer may seem like the optimal time to be your most vibrant and healthy self, but it can be challenging to stay on track with backyard parties, family BBQs, patio lunches, and inconsistent schedules. Stick with us as we tell you how to make this your healthiest summer yet!
Include exercise in your summer plans
The best way to stay healthy this summer is to keep moving.
- If you plan to explore your city, go on a walking tour, ride your bike, or rent one from your local bike-share program.
- Before heading out of town for the weekend, check out the area online and pick a few interesting hikes you’d like to try.
- Make some new friends by joining a recreational sports league, like ultimate frisbee or beach volleyball.
- Pack the exercise bands on vacation, or see if the hotel has a gym so you can stay on track with your workouts.
- Plan an active vacation by exploring new cities using public transit, and this will naturally build in a lot more walking than if you do all your sightseeing by car.
Get outside
Use this time of year to go hard on activities you can only do in the summer:
- Exercising in your backyard or in the local park
- Swimming laps at the community pool or nearby lake
- Picking up a new hobby like mountain biking, long-distance hiking, or trail running
- Moving small group work meetings to outdoor seating areas
- Having a walking meeting with your colleague
These few warm months are the one time of year you can do mostly everything outside, so take advantage and bring the workout gear out of the house to add variety to your exercise routine.
Get a summer buddy
If you and your usual accountability partner have alternating summer schedules, find a new buddy for a few months. Choose someone who enjoys the activities you’ve always wanted to try, like SUP yoga, renting a kayak at the waterfront, or visiting our national parks.
Eat fresh and local
Local summer produce is delicious, colourful, and packed with nutrients. Now is the time to visit the farmer’s markets, go strawberry picking, stop at the roadside veggie stands, and subscribe to a community-supported agriculture program. This summer, prioritize a healthy and satisfying breakfast and lunch to start the day with a good foundation. By the time the after-work patio invitations roll around, you’re more likely to make better menu choices. With the increase in social gatherings, it can be challenging to stick with your meal plan so opt to bring your lunch or a potluck dish you’ll enjoy that will keep you on track.
Stay hydrated
With the heat and humidity comes an increase in sweat, so it’s a must to stay adequately hydrated. Optimally you want to drink half an ounce to an ounce of water per pound of body weight, so if you weigh 180lbs, you’re drinking 90-180 ounces of water per day. If you’re thirsty, your body is already dehydrated so bring a water bottle with you on your summer travels. An abundance of fresh and local produce means it’s time for smoothies and green juices. Juice up your diet and take your morning elixir on the go to stay hydrated. Sarah – does Reflex have an electrolyte beverage we can plugin here?
Go play
The easiest way to make this your healthiest summer yet is to fill it with activities you enjoy. Bring your portable gym equipment to the cottage rental and turn it into a family affair. Have competitions, make obstacle courses, or create a circuit. Visit the Canadian destination you’ve had your eye on for the past couple of years, take the whitewater canoe course, dust off your old rollerblades, or design a scavenger hunt around town with the kids.
Pro-tip: Remember, every body is a beach body. Whatever health or fitness stage you are at, don’t hold yourself back. Get out there and have fun.
As our BodyBreak friends, Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod, would say, ‘Keep fit and have fun!’. Here’s to your healthiest summer yet.
