5 Tips for a Healthier Summer

I’m about halfway into a 6-week group challenge I’m running designed to help people stick to healthy habits and avoid crashing hard off the progress party train during the very busy summer months. 

For this challenge we’re focusing on moving more (2.5 total hours per week) and eating well *most* of the time (80%). We’re tracking this in an app but you can do it the ol’ fashioned paper/pen way too.   

The goal isn’t to be “strict” for these 6 weeks; instead, we’re aiming for consistency, just a little better each day and bouncing back quickly if we hit a hurdle.

No guilt and no drama around the ‘slip ups’, just acknowledging and moving forward. It really can be that simple. 

I’m happy to say just 3 weeks in and participants are experiencing weight loss, feeling more energetic, and finding personal “a ha’s” from noticing their own trends and triggers as it relates to healthy (and unhealthy) habits. 

Whether it is a new client or someone who’s done this before, the same success factors continue to pop up so I wanted to share those here. 

If these make sense for you, give it a try. If you read last week’s post, you already know to start with just one thing at first. Pick the one that sounds easiest and do it for a few weeks before stacking on more. 

There’s still a lot of summer left. Resist the urge to adopt the ‘eff it’ mentality, and also be realistic about what you’re willing and able to change.  

Choosing any one of these five tips will go a long way. Remember, pick the easy sounding one and get started now. 

1. Measure it. Whether it’s an app, a doc, or paper, track what you are eating and how much time you are spending working out. We’re using a photo food journal app in the current challenge; any kind of tracking will do. 
2. Eat High Quality Protein. If you’ve been following me for any amount of time you are definitely tired of hearing me talk about this one but it’s too important to stop reminding you. Protein will help you feel full, creating less room for the junk food, and will help you build and maintain muscle, which we ALL need to live feeling young as long as possible. 
3. Notice Low Key Sugars. It’s no surprise there’s sugar in the few pieces of candy or cookies that you might be snagging daily but what about the other stuff? What’s in your coffee or tea? How about the morning bagel or muffin? Or that ketchup you’re dipping your fries in? These seemingly small amounts add up. If you’re going to have sugar, at least make it worth it (e.g., cookies) and find swaps for the other stuff where the sugar is less obvious.  
4. Plan Ahead. You don’t have to go full on meal prep status but do think about your week ahead and create a loose plan for what you’ll eat and when. A few minutes spent planning can save a lot of mental energy and junk calories. Don’t waste your precious decision making energy on choosing a snack, decide that stuff in advance and apply the extra brain power to something way more interesting. 
5. Find an Accountabilibuddy. Choose a friend, partner, group, or coach to do this with. Share your goals and plans, check-in with each other, and celebrate wins together. You’re going to need others who feel as energized as you to keep up with the new you anyway; might as well do this together ;)