Many of us get really motivated in the run up to summer to get in shape as we know we are going to have to have more flesh on show and won’t be able to cover up under the layers of clothes the way we do in the winter, or you may have a holiday come up that gets you motivated to be in shape. Then summer comes and before you know it all the hard work is undone:- by the time we have gone on holiday, had barbecues, enjoyed more ‘refreshing’ alcohol drinks than normal and had too many alfresco lunches with friends we are back feeling flabby and out of shape.
Many of our clients in Glasgow come to us with the goal of weight loss, and we try to give them tools that make it achievable and more importantly sustainable. They often come back from holiday shocked that for the first time ever they have not came back having gained weight and feeling rubbish. Today I wanted to give you some ideas on how to enjoy your summer whilst you stay in shape.
Tips on How to Survive Your Holiday
Like everything it is vital that you develop a plan before you leave. Choose when you are going to take some down time and eat and drink some less healthy foods. For example I am going to the Yorkshire dales next week on holiday and I will choose 3 treats I will indulge in over the week. I am guessing one will be an ice cream (my achillies heel) at the beach, another might be an Indian meal out (another achillies heel) and the third will be open to whatever takes my fancy. By doing this I am staying in control and won’t feel guilty for not sticking rigidly to my healthy eating plan. In between this I will be eating lots of really healthy but tasty foods.
Ask yourself this question, why am I going on holiday? I am guessing the majority of you answered to relax and recharge the batteries (me too!). Well if you think about it logically if you drink lots of alcohol and eat rubbish food for 1-2 weeks you are likely to come back feeling rubbish and more than likely with a cold or flu as the overindulging has suppressed your immune system. Doesn’t sound relaxed and recharge to me. But if you take treats it in moderation then you will come back looking and feeling great.
Another trick is to get some exercise in early in the morning; going a run, doing a quick body weight circuit or doing some yoga on the beach can be a very enjoyable way to start your day and will set you up to be more healthy the rest of the day. As much as you may enjoy lounging about all day, we are designed to move and you feel better for doing some movement even if it’s just a nice long walk along the promenade.
Tips to stay on track at home
At home the biggest risks are drinking more alcohol when it nice outside, having barbecues full of bread and poor quality meats and skipping workouts to get out in the sun.
Ok let’s start with the alcohol, again think about your goals or how hard you have worked to get in shape. Regularly drinking alcohol will scupper any hopes that you may have of achieving your goals and will very quickly cover up those lean toned muscles that you have worked so hard to get with some nice layers of fat.
For barbecues, it is just a case of being creative and finding foods that are just a s tasty and healthy. My personal favourite is salmon and sweet potatoes cooked on the barbecue with a nice fresh salad.
I know in Scotland if you blink you will miss the summer and you want to be outside making the most of the sunshine when it is here. But you can make your workouts shorter and more intense. Aim to get in and out the gym in under 30 minutes (come on your not telling me that you can’t resist the sun for 30 minutes)
If you give it some thought and planning the summer time can actually be a great time to get in shape. Metabolically our body is primed to lose the fat that we have stored over the cold winter months. The foods that are in season are also generally healthy, you can’t beat the fresh salads and fruits that you get in the summer. Finally that urge to close the blinds and eat comfort food that you get in winter should have gone making it easier to curb the bad food choices.
At Get Results we run a personal training business in Glasgow that helps hundreds of clients like you achieve great things with their health and fitness. Click the link to find out more and to receive your Free Ebook on How to Be Fit After 40
