Isn’t it funny how many people think that summer officially starts on Memorial Day weekend, when in fact it actually starts on June 20th (or 21st, depending on the summer solstice)? That means summer (this year) doesn’t end until September 22nd, so if you’re trying to get in shape for the summer, you still have time.
Okay, but what do you do when you want to look fabulous in a monokini while enjoying the best food this time of year? If this is your personal dilemma, you’ve come to the right place. Here are 10 tips to help you get in great shape while still enjoying your food and staying healthy. Let’s do it.
1. Start the day with a breakfast salad
If you grew up thinking that breakfast was the most important meal of the day, a new study finds that skipping it entirely may not be as bad for your health as we’d believe. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some major benefits if you love breakfast: It helps fuel your day. It boosts your metabolism. It may also lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. The key is to eat as healthy a breakfast as possible. Two very popular options at the moment are breakfast salads and breakfast toast.
2. Make your own smoothies and popsicles
Speaking of breakfast foods, breakfast is not my favorite meal, but peoples do like smoothies, preferably homemade. It is definitely one of the fastest, easiest and most convenient ways to get a lot of nutrients into your body on the go. If you are not a big fan of raw fruits and vegetables, you can get them into your body in an easy to “digest” way by making them into smoothies. Not to mention, smoothies are great for gut health and also help you lose weight in the summer.
The key is to balance the amount of sugar (men only need 9 teaspoons a day, while we only need 6). Oh, and if you get bored of smoothies or want to try a different option, make your own popsicles or slushies. You can even add fresh fruit to them, which will help you stay hydrated while providing a healthy snack.
3. Enjoy all the “high water content” foods
Even if water isn’t your thing, you can still stay hydrated by eating foods with a high water content. These include watermelon, strawberries, cucumbers, melon, lettuce, tomatoes, and cauliflower. These are all light, “cool” foods that are good for this time of year.
4. Eat your carbs before 2pm.
Even if you can’t imagine going through the summer without ice cream, french fries, or even sushi (rice is high in carbs), no one says you have to. The key is 1) to eat plenty of carbs in moderation, and 2) to try to eat them as early in the day as possible. Most of us are active during the day, so if you’re worried that eating chocolate ice cream will make you fat or spike your blood sugar, eating it while you’re out for a walk or before your evening workout will make you stress-free. Treats to make them. Science supports this assumption.
5. Support local farmers (and farmers markets)
In addition to supporting local farmers and farmers markets being a great way to financially support your community, there are some health benefits to be had from it too. The food is fresher, requires fewer preservatives (since it’s not being shipped from state to state), and there’s less guesswork when trying to figure out exactly where your food comes from.
Well, a great first or second date is to meet someone early in the day at a farmers market. If all goes well, have a picnic in the park later that afternoon with the produce you bought. Thank you later.
6. Healthy Snacks
If you were raised to believe that was absolutely taboo, let’s be honest: there are benefits to snacking throughout the day. It can give you more energy, prevent you from overeating when it’s time for a full meal, and provide important nutrients that you don’t (automatically) get at breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
The key to healthy snacking is to eat healthy foods. Foods that taste especially good at this time of year include nuts, berries, hummus, dark chocolate, cheese and crackers, beef jerky, olives, cherries, Greek yogurt, and guacamole (in moderation, the latter can be a bit greasy).
7. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, watch your sodium intake
Most things in our culture are fads. Veganism is not exempt from this. But if you’re vegan or vegetarian, it’s not helpful to look down on meat eaters when meat substitutes are loaded with sodium, preservatives, and additives. That said, if you’re planning on putting your meat substitute on the grill this summer (more on grilling at the end), be sure to read the label on the package beforehand. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in black women, and too much sodium in the body can contribute to heart disease on many levels.
8. Bring water to drink your cocktails and mocktails
Remember how they mentioned earlier that staying hydrated is super important, especially in the summer? Plus, They are always shocked when they read articles that say a whopping 75% of Americans aren’t just dehydrated, but chronically dehydrated. With so many outdoor parties and vacations in the summer, Just think it would be silly not to mention that alcohol is a diuretic (meaning it can definitely dehydrate you)
So if you do go, make sure you drink (at least) a glass of water for every two cocktails you have. And what if you like non-alcoholic versions of cocktails, so-called mocktails? The same water rules should apply to cocktails, too, because sugar can also be dehydrating, and many mocktails are loaded with sugar.
9. Grill Lean Meats
If you plan on enjoying lots of grilled meats in the coming months, here are a few things to keep in mind. First, while grilled meat is certainly healthier than, say, fried meat, the smoke and carcinogens that can come from this cooking method may increase your risk of cancer. Incidentally, measures like trimming fat, pre-marinating meat, lowering grill temperatures, and shortening grilling times can help make grilling healthier. The same goes for eating red meat, which is lower in saturated fat but still provides you with the nutrients you need.
10. You don’t have to go to every BBQ, good lord. LOL.
Let’s not sit here and act like going to a BBQ is the best thing you can do in the summer. The problem is, they often serve the most unhealthy foods (and drinks), from hot dogs and ribs with BBQ sauce to potato salad (loaded with mayonnaise) and soda. That said, if you get invited to multiple BBQs, try to either not attend every one or eat something healthy beforehand. This way you can eat one burger instead of three, or one rib instead of a whole slice.
Now that peoples know how to act responsibly, let’s all enjoy the flavors of summer!
