Many of us tend to think about our health at this time of year. The lure of beaches and exotic escapes often throws us into panic mode at the gym, but your bikini body shouldn’t be your only concern this summer. Healthy living is something that can make us roll our eyes at times, but being healthy doesn’t have to revolve around buying endless supplies of avocados and living in the gym. It’s actually very easy to make positive changes to your lifestyle that will benefit both your mental and physical health. If you’re keen to live your best life this summer, here’s a foolproof guide.
Exercise (and have fun at the same time)
If you’re an avid Instagram fan, you may be fed up of seeing gym-honed selfies and video clips of gruelling workouts. The truth is that exercise is brilliant, but you don’t have to devote all your time to working out to enjoy the benefits. If the thought of going to the gym or running around the streets of your local town fills you with dread, don’t write off exercise altogether. There are multiple ways you can burn calories, tone up and even have fun without donning lycra or sweating in front of a room full of strangers. Enjoy the great outdoors and cycle or hike, join a local tennis club or visit the pool from time to time. Work out at home using DVDs or online workouts or join a Latin dancing, Zumba or spin class. Try and vary your sessions, take a buddy with you and find exercises that make you feel great.
Sleep
If you’re tired all the time, this can prevent you from fulfilling your potential at work, and it may also affect your health and your social life. Ideally, adults should get around 6-8 hours of sleep per night. If you fall short once in a while, it’s highly likely you’ll be able to bounce back without any problem, but if you don’t get enough sleep on a regular basis, it’s wise to try and identify issues and find solutions. Is your mattress old and uncomfortable? Are you going to bed too late? Is your mind always active when you get into bed? Look into buying a new mattress if yours has seen better days or you’re struggling with back pain. Reading reviews online and trying different styles at a showroom can help you find the best mattress. If your bed isn’t the issue, take a look at your bedtime routine. If you go to bed at a different time every day, establish a regime, which has a set bedtime and allows time for relaxation during the evening.
Diet
Summer is a great time to evaluate your diet and try and make improvements. To be healthy, you don’t need to cut out foods completely or stock your fridge with nothing but leaves. It’s all about finding a balance and choosing foods that have nutritional value. If you’re trying to lose weight, keep an eye on your calorie intake and opt for foods that are good for you, such as fish and lean meat, fruit and vegetables and whole grain carbohydrates. You don’t have to survive on nothing to drop a dress size. There are many healthy meals and snacks you can enjoy. Vary the ingredients and allow yourself a treat from time to time.
Are you keen to boost your health this summer? If so, these simple steps will ensure you’re heading in the right direction.
I need to get more fruits and veggies into my diet! I can tell when I’m slacking and binging on the junk because my skin breaks out something awful! Roll on a summer reboot!
Sarah 🙂
Those are three very good things to remember this summer!
I definitely eat better in the summer, it’s easier to eat light I think. I could use some more sleep though, that’s a goal of mine for this weekend!
I’ve taken up a zumba class, and have been trying to get into a better sleeping pattern – even with my odd shift patterns. It’s a small start at least 🙂 Tania Michele xx