For many people, summer is about getting lots of fresh air, going away on holiday, eating great food and having fun; but it’s also the time when you are mostly likely to be concerned about your weight. We tend to wear more revealing clothes during the summer, and it’s not a very nice feeling when you suddenly realise you don’t fit into last year’s swimsuit anymore!
We are going to show you how you can enjoy your summer and create or maintain a healthy lean body at the same time.
Get Some Exercise
This isn’t the time to hit the gym: make the most of the sunshine and warm weather and take your exercise outdoors (although be careful of the sun and dehydration). Go for a run on the beach, swim in an outdoor pool or do circuits in your local park. Generally try to be more active and spend time outside – even walking the dog or walking to work rather than taking the bus will help you to get fit and lose extra pounds.
TOP TIP: Find a couple of friends with a similar fitness level to you, find a sporting event in two or three months time and enter it – it could be a race for life event, long walk or short run, for example. They’ll normally provide you with a training plan and you can have fun raising money and training together with your friends.
Eat the Right Foods
Eating healthy foods doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy summer treats – there are so many delicious foods that are really good for you. Throw a BBQ for your friends and family and cook some yummy lean chicken and vegetable stacks, or enjoy a refreshing salad full of different summer vegetables. Avoid processed foods that have been refined and include various different additives or preservatives; instead, increase the number of foods that are ‘close to nature’. This means foods that are still in their natural state and haven’t been altered, added to or processed in any way. There is so much choice during the summer that there’s no excuse for not creating great tasting, healthy foods.
Drink Plenty of Water
Drinking water is always important, but it is even more so during the summer. Invest in a good quality water filter and ensure you drink enough water each and every day – especially if you are outside on a hot day, or exercising. You can make a refreshing drink simply by adding a little grated ginger, fresh lemon juice and mint leaves with some water and crushed ice. Cold peppermint tea is another great alternative if you get bored of water.
Avoid caffeinated drinks and sodas, and if you are going to drink alcohol, opt for ‘clean’ alternatives like gin or vodka with tonic water or sparkling water.
Cleanse Your Body
Toxins can affect your ability to lose and maintain weight, and they can also drag down energy levels and cause other problems. Most of us have acidic, toxic bodies due to eating poor quality processed foods and drinks, eating fruits and vegetables grown in mineral-depleted soils, and leading a modern, stressful and busy lifestyle.
Removing these toxins will help return your body to its natural balance, and many people find they lose weight and increase energy levels. Make a decision to make this summer the one when you make a lasting and positive change to your health by completing a gentle whole body cleanse.
As you will know from looking at our website, we recommend the Isagenix Cleanse. Isagenix is a gentle nutritional cleansing program that works in harmony with your body to gently remove toxins and impurities, and feed your body with the nutrition lacking from your daily diet. Over the past few years, many thousands of people have improved their health and wellness using the 9 day or 30 day nutritional cleansing programs.