6 Ways to Get Your Health Ready for Summer
Summer means spending more time outside, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be active. Instead, you might lounge on the beach, go to fairs with plenty of fatty foods, and finally make time for all your friends. Unfortunately, while many people believe summer is the perfect season to get into shape, it’s filled with tons of temptations that can lead to weight gain and cause you to feel lethargic. Getting your health ready now can encourage healthy habits this summer to ensure you look and feel your best. Here are a few ways to improve your health and get ready for summer:
Exercise
Most people avoid exercise until they realize how great it makes them feel. Exercise boosts the happy hormone serotonin while improving confidence and health-beneficial results. Cross-training, running, lifting weights, and doing yoga are all great ways to stay in shape. Additionally, the sooner you start making them a part of your routine, the faster you can see and feel results. You can get ready for summer by starting your fitness routine now to ensure you won’t miss a day even when you’re distracted by all the beautiful flowers.
Start a Diet
Like exercise, watching what you eat now can help you build a routine you can maintain during the fun summer months and let you enjoy summer backyard barbecues stress-free. If you want to be beach ready, you need to start investing in a healthy diet as soon as possible. The type of diet you choose will depend on your individual preferences and overall health, but you should start being more conscious of the foods you put in your body. Remember food is fuel, and anything you eat impacts your mood and overall health. Additionally, you won’t feel like doing the fun activities you planned if a poor diet leaves you lethargic.
If your goal is to lose weight before the summer, you should start dieting now. A healthy diet focuses on restricting calories, leaving you in a caloric deficit. However, you shouldn’t restrict calories too much because it can lead to malnutrition and a calorie deficit that leaves you tired and weak. Instead, aim for a diet that allows you to get all the nutrients you need to be healthy and strong while reducing the junk food from your lifestyle.
Improve Your Sleep
Sleep issues can affect you regardless of the time of year. However, sleep is essential for your body’s critical functions, including muscle repair. If you exercise, you should know the importance of rest. The same is true for your mental health. Your body and mind will thank you for getting enough quality sleep every night. Unfortunately, you can’t start perfecting your sleep schedule in the summer because there can be many distractions. Summer is when people start breaking their habits. You may be out later or want to spend more time awake to enjoy the warm weather. However, breaking your sleep routine can make you tired and moody and affect your workout performance.
Instead, focus on setting a sleep schedule now that you can maintain during the summer months. If you’re a night owl, consider going to bed around eleven or midnight. If you’re an early bird, go to sleep around ten and wake up at six. If you’re unsure of the best sleep schedule, consider your work schedule and what will give you enough time to relax in the morning before heading off to work.
Supplement Your Diet
Whether or not you’re dieting, you may not be getting enough of the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive this summer. However, you can supplement your diet and support your health with immune supplements that can help you stay healthy and fight viruses and illnesses.
Drink Plenty of Water
Your body needs water, and if you’re busy, you might forget to drink enough of it every day. Most of us survive by drinking coffee, but water is essential for our bodies and minds. Drinking enough water is more effective at keeping you more awake and focused than coffee, and it will ensure your body functions properly.
Even minor dehydration can lead to complications, causing headaches and fatigue throughout the day. So if you forget to drink enough water, now is the time to find more ways to stay hydrated throughout the day. Summer is hot, and your body needs more water than during the cooler months, so if you’re not drinking enough now, you’re unlikely to drink enough this summer, which can lead to severe and dangerous dehydration.
The easiest way to start drinking more water throughout the day is to set the alarm on your phone. However, you can also invest in a water bottle that tracks your water intake, motivating you to drink more.
Protect Your Skin
Whether you’re lounging on the beach in your favorite string bikini or wearing shorts while running errands, you must remember to protect your skin. During the cold winter months, you’re covered by layers of clothing, jackets, and coats. However, during the summer, you’re baring more skin, making yourself more susceptible to harmful UV rays from the sun.
Add sunscreen to your skincare routine before you leave the house, especially in the summer when UV rays are their most powerful. Of course, you should put sunscreen on any skin not protected by clothing regardless of the season, which means you should consider using a moisturizer or makeup with an SPF of at least 15, even on cloudy days. Additionally, after applying sunscreen, allow for fifteen minutes for the effects to work before venturing outside.
Final Thoughts
Getting healthy for the summer is about more than just getting your summer body ready; it’s about how you treat your body and take care of your overall health and wellness. Taking proper care of your health now can help you build it into your routine so you’re ready for summer.
Megan Isola
Megan Isola holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and a minor in Business Marketing from Cal State University Chico. She enjoys going to concerts, trying new restaurants, and hanging out with friends.
