7 Easy Tweaks to Uplevel Your Health This Summer
Summer is the perfect time to recommit to healthy habits and make positive changes to your diet and lifestyle. With longer days and warmer weather, it's easier than ever to get outside, stay active, and enjoy fresh, seasonal produce. But overhauling your entire routine can feel daunting. The good news is, small changes implemented consistently can make a big difference over time. Here are seven simple tweaks you can make this summer to look and feel your best:
Prioritize Quality Sleep
Aim for 7-8 hours of restful sleep per night. Most of the body's restorative functions happen during sleep, and research links inadequate sleep to higher BMI. Lack of sleep can also negatively impact food choices, causing people to eat more and make poorer nutrition decisions. To improve sleep quality, try having two kiwi fruits or drinking chamomile tea or tart cherry juice before bed. Avoid large meals, especially those high in added sugar, right before sleep.
Get More Steps
Walking revs up metabolism and reduces stress. Take advantage of pleasant summer weather to move more throughout the day. Park farther away, take the stairs, walk while your coffee brews, or take a few 10-minute walking breaks. These small bits of activity add up! Summertime is also ideal for active pursuits like hiking, outdoor volleyball, swimming and rock climbing - great workouts that double as fun social activities.
Make Smart Swaps at BBQs
Navigating summer barbecues while sticking to your goals can be tricky. When possible, opt for your burger or sandwich on a lettuce wrap instead of a bun to cut back on refined carbs and calories. If having bread is a must, choose a light, whole-grain option. Swap sweetened drinks for sparkling water with cucumber and lime. Grilled chicken is a leaner choice than a burger patty. Make healthy swaps at some, but not necessarily all, of your summer gatherings.
Cook More At Home
Preparing your own meals allows you to control ingredients and portions in a way that supports your health and goals. Hit the farmers market or produce section for the season's freshest fruits and veggies, then get creative in the kitchen. Meal prepping ensures you always have nourishing options on hand. When dining out, balance indulgences with lighter, veggie-forward choices.
Practice Portion Control
It's easy to overeat snack foods straight from the package. Measuring out single portions into individual bags or containers ahead of time makes for easy grab-and-go snacking. Log your snacks for simple tracking and increased awareness of your intake. If you're still hungry after one portion, follow it up with fresh veggies and hummus, plus a glass of water for added volume and nutrition.
Fire Up the Grill... For Veggies
Your grill isn't just for burgers and dogs! Summer is prime time to load up on produce. Toss assorted veggies in avocado oil, season well, and cook in a grill basket for a flavorful, nutritious side. For perfect grilled corn, coat each ear with oil and seasoning, wrap in a damp paper towel and foil, then grill for 20 minutes. Aim to fill at least half your plate with grilled vegetables.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Adequate hydration is always important, but even more so during hot summer months. Keep a water bottle with you, and drink a glass upon waking and before meals and snacks. Jazz up plain water with fresh fruit or cucumber slices for flavor without added sugar or calories. Track your intake to ensure you're meeting your body's fluid needs.
Small habits, practiced regularly, are powerful. Challenge yourself to adopt several of these tweaks, and see how much better you feel by summer's end. For an extra dose of motivation, join the Summer of You Campaign by logging 30 meals and 5 exercises in your tracking app this June. Here's to your healthiest summer yet!
