After a weekend of fun in the sun, you might struggle to get back into your usual schedule come Monday. If you’re wrestling with guilt over what you ate and drank, and a serious lack of motivation to get into the gym and train – you’re not alone.
Summer is usually a big shift away from your normal routine. This disruption can be challenging for busy people to navigate. If you live in a climate where the summer season is short, it’s very likely you will want to spend more time outside, and less time in the gym.
How do you balance awesome summer weekends and holidays with maintaining your fitness and nutrition goals?
Stay on track this summer, with these quick tips!
Workouts That Work
Create a summer workout schedule that is realistic for you, and then commit to it. This starts by planning ahead. What does a typical summer week look like? How much time do you have? What equipment do you have access to? What are your priorities?
I live at the lake now in Kenora, and I know I want to spend more time outdoors. I also want to maintain my strength and gymnastics skill set. A great balance for me is 3-4 workouts in the gym (depending on the weather) and 1-2 workouts on my dock in a bikini and barefoot, in 20 minutes or less. If you’re on Black Sturgeon lake, you might see me doing burpees and swimming on Saturdays! I can make a promise to myself that this will happen, and I can keep it.
Make a plan that honours your goals and allows you to have some fun as well.
Food That Fits
Days at the beach, weekends at the lake, nights on the patio – most of the time these scenarios include fun foods and extra alcohol. In moderation, it’s totally fine. But if this is a daily routine, or even 3-4 days a week, you will be on a fast slide away from your goals.
The truth is anything in excess usually hurts. Too much restriction – not a great plan. Too much booze and fast food – welcome to the hurt locker. The sweet spot is the place where you prioritize feeling good, having energy, and of course enjoying the great weather.
Prioritize protein and fibre as much as possible. They can be convenient choices like deli meat, pre-chopped veggie and fruit trays, beef jerky, cheese slices, and protein bars. Sometimes the heat can suppress your appetite, so having smoothies is another great choice for summer. I toss in my favourite protein powder and have a quick and easy meal on the go. This is a summer staple for me!
If you’re planning to have drinks, don’t go into the evening or get together super hungry. Make sure you have eaten and plan to have some water in between beverages. This will pace you and help you stay hydrated. I like to have a non alcoholic beer in between beverages. My current obsession is an IPA called “Partake”. Crisp, refreshing and only 10 calories. It helps me strike a great balance!
Remember – you are likely to experience some inhibition around food after a few drinks. So if you’ve already had a great supper – you’ll be less inclined to order that extra large pizza at midnight!
Stack Your Wins
Each week that you make a plan and stick to it, you make it easier to keep going! Habit formation takes repetition. If you form the habit of not working out and not grocery shopping – it will stick. If you decide to train 4 days a week, plan your meals in advance and you feel amazing – that will stick too! And the best part is you can plan to enjoy yourself knowing you’ve created the perfect balance between having fun and achieving your goals.
If you’re looking for a personal trainer to help you this summer at the lake and you’re in North Western Ontario, click here and let’s connect!
