5 Ways to Stay Fit This Summer
Whether you’re hitting the gym year-round or a person who wanted to slim down and muscle up for a New Year’s resolution, the summer months can be a tricky time to maintain good habits. With more frequent travel, fun events like backyard barbecues, and a focus on unwinding, regular routines are often forgotten. Luckily, the warmest time of the year is one of the easiest times to build on your fitness, health, and happiness, even if your regular regimen has been temporarily left by the wayside.
1. Go for a hike.
Hiking is where exercise and relaxation meet, and summer is the best time to get out into nature. An hour of hiking burns close to 500 calories as you work your way up mountain slopes or through hilly terrain. For a more strenuous workout, consider finding somewhere to rock climb, strengthening muscles while burning up to 900 calories per hour. No matter the activity, spending time in green spaces is also good for your mental health, supporting relaxation and reducing fatigue. If you live in an urban area, look for short hikes in local parks or set out to explore new parts of the city.
2. Have a beach day.
Sometimes hitting the beach means sipping cocktails and working on your tan, but don’t forget to enjoy all the beach has to offer. Whether your beach is lakeside, oceanside, or on the banks of a river, swimming is an amazing exercise with many benefits. Swimming is great for low-impact resistance training to keep your muscles strong, and you’ll be having so much fun you’ll forget you’re even working out. The cool water will also keep you comfortable on even the hottest summer days. When it’s time to dry off, unpack your frisbee or volleyball and keep moving! If you can’t get to the beach, your area might have a public pool to get you off the couch and into the water.
3. Find outdoor fitness classes.
For those seeking a more intense burn, taking an exercise class in the fresh air is an amazing option. Depending on your location, there might be yoga in the park, cross-country running clubs, outdoor boxing lessons, and more. You could also pick up a new skill like horseback riding or archery. Science shows that exercising outside supports mental and physical health in a variety of ways no matter what activity you’re doing, so take advantage of the nice weather and get outside ASAP.
4. Enjoy your gym’s AC.
If you’ve had enough of the great outdoors for one day but still want to stay active, don’t forget your local gym. Working out indoors lets you cool down in the air conditioning while giving your body a break from the harsh summer sun. Moreover, visiting the gym in the summer helps to build a year-round habit, meaning improved fitness and health even outside of beach body season.
5. Focus on fruits and vegetables.
Staying active is just one part of being fit, and with barbecues, picnics, and pitcher cocktails your summer diet might be out of balance. Enjoy yourself, but don’t forget to watch your portion sizes and consume your daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Produce is low-calorie, high fiber, and packed with nutrients and antioxidants, all of which promote fitness and long-term health. Many different fruits and vegetables are in season during the summer months, so their flavor will be at peak intensity for maximum enjoyment. If you’re especially active, make sure you’re also consuming enough protein to support your energy levels as you power through activities.
With these five tips, you’ll have a summer that’s bursting at the seams with amazing experiences without sacrificing fun or your health. By combining movement with fun activities, you’ll stay active for longer periods of time and easily burn off the calories that come with summer socialization. Enjoy the summer months while they last, and when fall rolls around you’ll have plenty of great memories to look back on while you dig your sweaters out of storage.
