By Coach Brielle
Here’s the point of view: Your nutrition is better than ever. You have a plan and routine that was developed during the winter and spring months. You are high energy and crushing your workouts. You’re prepping meals on the weekends after your morning grocery shop and you feel oh-so accomplished.
Then…summer hits.
Oh, summer! The picnics, hot beach days, and festivities at night. Dinner with friends and lake days with ice cream!
Ah, who doesn’t love summer?!
However, it becomes a little difficult to maintain a well-balanced routine around these gorgeous sunny days when your friends and family are passing around the fancy drinks and snacks.
Hear me out when I say “been there and done that”!
I always regret it once the holiday season comes around because it would feel as though summer is the gateway to giving up on my nutrition until the new year.
Especially with the cozy fall season of pumpkin muffins and the holidays to follow.
It’s a downward spiral and I am here to remind you of a few things to help give some sort of consistency this summer.
1. It is perfectly normal for your routine to change with the seasons.
But what must stay the same is your consistency around specific habits, like drinking enough water to hydrate your body, getting some form of movement throughout the week, and having a balanced plate.
Some days will feel like a flop because you didn’t “stick to the plan” but zoom out for a second, you don’t have to have a plan your whole life! It’s about doing what feels good for your body.
2. You should enjoy the fun summer foods!
Again, keep that “balance mindset” as our center focus here – have the fun pasta salad or fancy drink! But also think about what you are eating before and after that.
If you are enjoying some fancy adult beverages with friends at a picnic, let’s start our day with a high level of hydration and electrolytes! If you know that dinner is going to be big, stick to upping your veggies and/or fruit with those fun foods!
Plan out your day of meals and snacks before events. It can be super helpful to keep a balanced routine around food without feeling too strict.
3. Focus on movement!
A great way to keep feeling good all summer long (and to also help with the digestion of food) is to MOVE! The sun is shining and there is no reason to not go outside for a neighborhood walk or hike!
Movement can look like, be a few classes/week at the gym or just by upping your steps. For those who want to keep their caloric expenditure in a good balance, adding extra steps with the extra food intake can keep it at bay!
All in all, summer in New England doesn’t last long and you should enjoy yourself not only in this season, but all seasons! Finding a balanced routine that is maintainable and allows for some flexibility ALL YEAR will always be the routine that sticks.
I encourage you to think about your big, long-term goals – what are they? Then, decide if your lifestyle supports that.
Don’t know where to start?
Sign up for 1:1 Nutrition Coaching with one of our amazing coaches! Click the link below to schedule your FREE Nutrition Intro! Let’s figure out a plan that works for you and your life!
