More Healthy Summer Tips
As a continuation of last week’s blog, enjoy the tips below to get as much out of your Summer without letting your Winter and Spring efforts go by the way side. Here’s to a healthy and fit Summer!
Yin & Yang Foods?! Enjoy the abundance of fresh local fruits and vegetables summer has to offer. Eating more yin (cooler, calmer – think “Yin Yoga”) foods like berries, peaches, grapes, watermelon, pineapple, grapefruit, lemon, cucumber, zucchini and all kinds of raw seasonal greens will cool us down on a hot summer day, helping restore the body’s yin and yang balance.
Save the warm, slow cooked stews for the winter and instead reach for cooling, hydrating foods. When it’s hot and humid lighten up with fruits and vegetables with a high water content such as watermelon, berries, cucumber and all manner of lettuce.
Eat in season. Food grown in season is fresher and (usually) cheaper. Check the Uxbridge Farmer’s Market for herbs, lettuces and (berries) coming soon! You’ll have the opportunity to shop local, meet the farmers, eat fresh and vibrant foods, and support your local community!”
Exercise during the coolest hours of the day (early morning and evening) to avoid exhaustion. Drink raw coconut water after hard workouts to rehydrate. And wear a sleep mask to cover your eyes so you can be sure you’ll get at least 8 hours despite the late sunset and early sunrise!
Get more purple cabbage in your diet! Purple cabbage contains a powerful antioxidant called Anthocyanins that are responsible for its beautiful purple color. I love using this to top salads and tacos, it can even be added to smoothies for an antioxidant boost. I’ve found a great pre-made broccoli salad at Vince’s that has a high content of purple cabbage – bonus!!
Cutting out sugar from your diet is important, but you don’t need to quit sugar to live healthy. It’s all about adapting healthy sugar habits and choosing healthier sugar sources, and keeping an eye on the quantity is important too. The simplest way to beat sugar cravings is to reach for fresh whole fruit when you get a sweet craving!
Try Soaked Breakfast Oats/Quinoa. In the Summer you can swap out piping hot oatmeal for soaked overnight oats (1 part oats to 1.5 parts milk alternative + 2 tbsp chia, refrigerate overnight). Add a touch of stevia, a tbsp. of nut butter, and some fresh fruit. Soaked oats can also be added to refreshing smoothies.
Turn off the devices and connect with Mother Nature. Walk barefoot in the grass, go for a trail hike, dip your toes in the ocean or fall asleep in the shade of a palm tree. Not only will you relax and recharge, you’ll give your immune system a boost!
Soak up the Summer sun and enjoy the weather on lunch hour! Get outside and go for a walk or hit the gym for Yoga (here at NRG 4 Life on Thursdays at noon) on your lunch break. We’re always cool. Walk or bike over, do a few weights, yoga or even foam roll and then walk or bike home!
Avoid rigidity and help maintain the balance. Summer is short and we want to take full advantage of it. Most of us are skilled at crafting overflowing summer bucket lists but then too often head into fall feeling frazzled or unrested. What if we first get super clear on HOW we want to FEEL this summer and then identify the specific goals or intentions that will best support us in feeling this way? If you have a vacation on the horizon, here’s a question to consider: How healthy do you plan to be on your vacation? This isn’t a trick question! It may surprise you to find out that as a fitness centre owner, I don’t necessarily recommend you stick 100% to your healthiest plan on vacation. As you know, we believe in moderation and that also includes moderation on how strict you are with yourself. When you go on vacation, one of the main benefits is rest, relaxation, and a time to get away for a while.
Get outside earlier in the day! It can be cold and dark in the winter months, so it’s important to take advantage of the warmer weather and longer days in the summer. To support this natural fluctuation in our hormones we can get outside earlier in the day and expose our eyes and skin to the light of the sun. Doing so can help us sleep better at night, but remember to make sure to avoid bright lights in the evening, especially a couple of hours before bed.