With summer comes warm weather. With warm weather comes dresses, tank tops, muscle shirts--and bathing suits. If you're already on a weight-loss plan to slim down for summer, you may need some extra inspiration to get you on the right path.
Get Out
Take a half-hour to an hour walk through your neighborhood. Explore a local nature trail. Go for a jog through the city park. Maybe take a bike ride through town. Whatever it is, being active is a sure way to burn calories, so make the most of outdoor activities when the weather is fair.
Eat in on Vacation
A weeklong vacation can ruin a whole summer's worth of work toward weight loss and healthy living if you don't plan well. Find a way to cook your own meals, at least as many as possible. This may mean renting a house at the beach instead of a hotel room or getting a cabin or villa near your favorite amusement park. By limiting the number of meals you eat out, you can keep yourself and your family on the right track.
Grill Your Foods
Grilling is healthy way to prepare foods. You can make tasty dishes without adding oils and butter. Although it is a great way to prepare food, you must still be conscious of what you are grilling. Chicken, fish, vegetables and fruit all grill successfully. Good vegetable choices include corn on the cob, baked potatoes, squash, zucchini, asparagus, onions and mushrooms. Some good grilling fruits are pineapples, apples and bananas. Other popular grilling items are hot dogs and steak. Make sure your dogs are light, low fat or non-fat. Steak can average near 600 to 800 calories for a 10-oz. cut, so keep portions small.
Snack Smart
Choose your ice cream wisely, if you decide to indulge--sundaes can be more than 1,000 calories and most ice cream cones are over 400 calories. Other summer treats to avoid are caramel apples, funnel cakes, candy apples, cotton candy and snow cones. Find a sugar-free or low-calorie treat at your local grocery store in place of a visit to the ice cream parlor. Watermelon is an excellent summer treat because it is comprised of half water. An apple is fine without the candy and caramel, and many other fruits are also in season during the summer.
Eat Out Carefully
During the warm months, you probably want to get out more, and that may mean eating out more often. Meals at restaurants tend to exceed normal serving sizes and most don't take into account the calorie count of their meals. Some restaurants serve low-calorie meals or a healthy menu, so when you do eat out, ask the restaurant about its healthy dishes or if it has a special menu.
Drink Water
Summertime drinks tend to be high in sugar. By avoiding one glass of a sugary juice or soda, you can avoid 100 calories per day. Over the three months of summer that 100 calories totals up to almost 3 lbs. Instead, drink water or unsweetened ice tea. Not only will this cut calories, but also by staying hydrated you suppress your appetite. Also carefully watch artificial sweetened drinks. Some sweeteners, such as aspartame do not actually sweeten the drink but instead make you think you are drinking something sweet. These chemicals tend to create cravings for sweet foods, which can lead to unhealthy snacking.
Choose Blue
If you buy special plates for summer or are going to buy paper or plastic plates for picnicking, choose blue plates, cups and place mats. The color blue has been known to suppress appetites. So having blue objects around during meals may keep those proportions in check.
Shop Healthy
Shopping at a farmers' market to stimulate the local economy and help you make healthy selections on food. If you don't have one, shop at a grocery store that carries a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, and expands its selection during the summer months. If you do go to a grocery store, have a plan. By having a prepared list, you limit your impulse buys that tend to be unhealthy.
Think Small, Eat Small
Warm temperatures also tend to suppress appetites. During the summer take advantage of this smaller appetite and eat smaller portions. One idea is to plate the food before a meal (restaurant style), limiting the want for seconds or grabbing too large a portion. Or, eat a frozen meal a day. Choose a low-calorie or healthy, balanced frozen dinner to limit your portions and balance your diet.
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