Summer, Summer, Summertime

This past Friday my children finished up school for the summer.

It is somewhat bittersweet in that I now get to sleep in a little bit each day and spend more time doing fun things with them but there is also very little time to catch my breath or focus on myself.

So, if you are anything like me and are juggling multiple responsibilities such as work, children, familial obligations, all the while starting or continuing your health journey, I find summer to be a great time for inspiration. You don’t have to look far to find motivation everywhere.

The sun makes you feel good… the vibe is relaxed… and we’re more encouraged to exercise and eat right. We relax into the longer days and evenings.

So here are a few tips to start your summer off feeling healthy and inspired:

1. When you go to clean out your child’s backpack why don’t you also clean out your pantry? Cleansing your cabinets of foods that are not supportive to your health is a good place to begin. If it is there, you will probably eat it! Now it is time to restock with healthy options, options that are easy to grab at any moment of the day.  The last thing you want to do is open the refrigerator at lunchtime, starving with no healthy option to grab. This is a recipe for disaster.
2. Don’t beat yourself up if you do not have large chunks of time to get a workout in. Maybe you have 30 minutes, maybe it is just 10 minutes 3x/day. There is a lot you can do in that time. Pushups, planks, KB swings, a few yoga poses to name a few. (A few days ago, I did a post showing my 3 favorite go-to yoga poses when I am short on time—check it out!)
3. Summer is great time to work on hydration. Try drinking half your body weight in ounces. I know it seems like a lot but your skin and waistline will thank you. I am also a fan of adding a hydration multiplier to my first glass of water in the day because after being dehydrated throughout the night, the hydration will get to my cells faster. I truly notice a difference between starting my day off with a glass of water vs. a cup of coffee. 
4. Walk more! Walking decreases cortisol levels and improves cardiovascular health and fat loss. Again, if you only have 10 minutes, get outside for a quick walk and get some steps in. If you have 30-60 minutes, great, aim for Zone 2 or the fat burning zone. This is where the body taps into fat as its fuel source, as opposed to workouts such as HIIT, which burns carbohydrate stores. (When you are in zone 2 you should be able to comfortably have a conversation with someone).
5. Try a new activity. Remember arts and crafts at summer camp? Now that we’re all grown up, we can still try new things. Keep a child’s curiosity and sense of wonder about you, with your eyes open and your heart full of gratitude.

What do you want for yourself this summer?

How do you want to feel? 

Embrace your possibilities!!