Keeping Healthy Habits with Summer Shifts

It’s that time of the year when people enjoy the warmth and sun with some well deserved relaxation. Whether you’re going away, or have some visitors, this often means a week or a couple of weeks not being in your normal routine. What does that look like? Usually, more eating out, more alcohol, more snacks, and less time exercising. And why not? You deserve to let loose and spend time with your loved ones without too many worries. But when that makes you stressed or anxious, thinking you may lose all you worked for, it’s not exactly fun and relaxing. Rest assured, one week (or even a couple of weeks) will not make or break your yearly health. But a whole season could get you into a pattern that will affect your goals. Let's look at how we can avoid that.

Accept and Share Your Lifestyle. If you’ve been eating healthy and working out regularly, this is your lifestyle. Odds are, you enjoy those habits or how they make you feel. You’ve found a sustainable way to add health into your routine, and there’s no need to change that routine just because you’re in a different place or around different people. You can take 45-minutes away from your guests or our plans to be active. You can choose the salad with grilled chicken over the fried food. It’s not selfish to take care of yourself, and chances are you will feel more like yourself after you’ve checked off your usual boxes. You’ll probably even have more energy and feel more confident for the rest of your day.

Get Creative and Keep It Low Pressure. You can exercise anywhere at anytime. Get rid of the idea that your workout session needs to look a certain way. If you're working, it's working. Hotel gym? Lift some dumbbells. Beach? Go for a jog or roll out a mat for body weight exercises. Guest room? Household objects make great props.There are a ton of resources on Google and Youtube to help you with a quick, makeshift workout, and your trainers are more than happy to recommend some ideas as well. We can even do a virtual appointment right from your location! All you need is the motivation to schedule some kind of movement into your day and give it your best.

It’s Not a Diet. There’s no need to follow strict food rules, let alone when you’re trying to relax. Eat and drink what will help you feel good. If it makes you feel good to eat a cheeseburger, go for it; just make sure you’re either watching your portions at that meal or watching what you eat for the other meals that day, so you don’t feel like you overdid it. If you don’t love ice cream, no need to skip the trip to the parlor with your family, just opt for bringing a piece of fruit or get a coffee instead. You don’t have to restrict, simply indulge carefully and respect your body.

Rebound Quick. Even if you do take a complete break from working out or eating healthy, it’s okay. Just try to get back to things as quickly as you can. The goal is to prevent that from becoming your new lifestyle or feeding habits that don’t fall in line with your goals. Treat it as an unusual week, and then get right back into it. In a few days, it’ll be like you never paused.

Life has its seasons, and your healthy lifestyle may ebb and flow. That’s normal and nothing to stress or feel ashamed about. The most important thing is that you make sure you’re practicing what makes you feel good and not letting other people or circumstances change how you like to live. Be flexible, but to a point where you still feel like your best self. As usual, we’re here for you and would love to help you strategize. Happy Summer!