By Coach Ashley
Own Your Summer Without Compromising Your Goals
With These 5 Tips!
1. Get Outside and Move
Movement matters, and not just the movement you get when you are in the gym! Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy we expend not sleeping, eating, or doing purposeful exercise. It includes walking to work, cleaning the house and yard work, even getting your groceries and cooking. It contributes to total calories burned and not only that, moving is what we are meant to do! Increasing your NEAT may also help you reduce your time on the phone, in front of the TV or computer, or even get you out more with friends and family. There’s no better time than summer in New England to get outside, soak up some sun, explore nature, and rack up that movement!
2. Plan Ahead
Planning and preparation is a great strategy for any time of year, but especially during summer when temptations are high and we are out of the house more! Preparation may look different for different people depending on time, resources, and preference, but it’s all about having good choices available, ready, and convenient. For some, planning ahead just involves a grocery list and meal ideas or a flexible menu for the week that can be thrown together when it’s time to eat. For others, planning ahead may include meal prepping and actually putting “grab and go” meals and snacks together into containers. It could also be finding a local meal-delivery service and stocking up on some good meals for the week or weekend when you know you’ll be on the go!
3. Prioritize Protein and Veggies
Whether cooking at home or eating out, choosing things that are higher in protein and full of vegetables is usually going to keep us moving in a good direction! This is also a great way to start the day if you know you will be out later and not as in control of what options might be around for you.
4. Consider the Awesomeness
With so many yummy things to choose from, consider which ones feel the most valuable to you. At Port Nutrition, we believe in living your life and enjoying it at the same time, but we also know that moderation is helpful when it comes to working towards body composition and health goals. Is ice cream with the kids after a hot day something you really love? Are you planning a barbeque and you’ve been craving Doritos? Or maybe it’s an extra drink or two at the family summer get-together. Consider which ones feel the most awesome to you and enjoy the heck out of them! You might also decide to share it, too!
5. ENJOY!
Summer is often a time of celebration. Many of us take vacations and get together with our loved ones, which oftentimes is centered around delicious food and drink. We encourage you to take some pressure off yourself and simply enjoy those weeks, weekends, or moments, without guilt or hesitation. And when you do feel like you’ve splurged, simply get right back on track in the following days. Remember, one weekend isn’t going to ruin all the progress you’ve made, just as the first two days in the gym don’t get you to a point where you can Clean and Jerk 300 pounds. Your health and body composition goals, just like your fitness, are an accumulation of consistent choices and effort over time and everyone needs some time off sometimes!
