Most of us like summer. This is a great time to enjoy life and let yourself be tempted by a few treats, but be careful not to gain weight. Holiday means more time for you, so more time to think about your health and stay slim! Here are some tips and advices from nutritionists on how to get in good shape during the summer.
Summer means swimsuits
You’re going on holiday under the sun but the idea of wearing a swimsuit makes you nervous? Summer is a good time to get back in shape and try to lose some weight before going to the beach. According to Julie Ferrez, health & well-being French coach, the easiest way to stay fit is “to limit the consumption of carbohydrates at lunch and dinner.” Avoid bread and foods high in sugar . It’s also important not to change your eating habits even though we tend to have late breakfast during holidays and replace lunches by snacks or late dinners. Staying on the right track is essential for your metabolism and it is better not to skip meals. Without a regular intake of energy, you will cause natural insulin spikes, which provoke cravings and fat storage. As you can see, the most important thing is to maintain a rhythm of three meals a day, even if you have to reschedule the time of your meals.
How do you put this into practice? Even if you get up late, eat a light breakfast, e.g. a fruit, some almonds and a cup of tea. For every meal, prefer vegetables and fruits, not only is it excellent for your body, but it’s also good for your beauty. Indeed, melon, carrot, apricot, or peach contain among others nutriments that help your tan. In addition, Julie Ferrez recommends “fruits such as apple, pear, pineapple, mango, watermelon, melon or strawberries and raspberries, which are rich in water and less sweet. ”
Others suggestions? During your holiday, choose the right cooking method for a lighter diet:
- Steaming is the cooking method that retains the most flavor and nutritional value. I highly recommend this.
- Foil cooking also helps keeping the nutritional value and flavor of foods without fat and without added water.
- A good tip for baking is to replace all fat with lemon juice, water, or with aromatic herbs and spices.
- Cooking with just a nonstick pan that allows quick and easy cooking with no added fat.
Another tip to stay fit: Bring a “test outfit” on your holidays, i.e. an outfit you wear often, which allows you to control your waistline. Your Withings body scale of course helps you controlling your weight during your holidays. Put it in your suitcase because if there’s no wifi connection around, no problem, the Withings body scale saves your last 16 measurements! When you go back home, the data will automatically be transferred to your personal space.
Summer goes with relaxation and sport too
In summer, people frequently have aperitifs and picnics with friends and family. There is a lot of opportunities to have dinner outside. The trap is not being able to control what’s on your plate. If you have drinks before your meal, turn down crisps and appetizers and prefer raw vegetables and boiled eggs. Also, stay away from the breadbasket and do not refill your plate. Regarding alcohol, you’ll be happy to learn that champagne is low on calories: the average glass of champagne contains 91 calories. If you prefer wine, enjoy it slowly with a glass of water. Maia Appleby, professional weight loss adviser, also advises to always have water with you throughout the day. “Do not wait until you’re thirsty to drink. “In average, you should drink 2 to 3 litres of water a day”, she says.
Some final advice: Holidays are supposed to be relaxing and fun but why not use the opportunity to do some sport outdoors? For example, walking 30 minutes each day is an excellent exercise for everyone! For the more active or courageous ones, a programme of 2 or 3 sessions of cardio a week will help you maintain your vitality. For example, you can combine fun and exercise by taking dance classes or jogging for 45 minutes. It is important for your well-being to get some fresh air. This will impact on your metabolism and your shape.
And how about trying water aerobics too! This is an efficient, simple, pleasant, and above all non-traumatic gym. This gives a smooth contour just after 10 sessions of fifteen minutes each. And the good news for the gentlemen is that this sport is not only for women as one might think. The advantages are that it muscles with finesse, your abdominal muscles (often not used) are permanently working during the session, better oxygenation of muscle tissue, and no risk of muscle soreness after exercise. You just need to find an activity you’ll enjoy! For example, you could find some exercises from timeforfitness: “For hips and glutes: Facing the edge of the pool, hold on with both hands and slowly bring one leg out to your side, keeping your back straight. Exhale while you bring it up as high as you comfortably can without turning at the ankle (this probably won’t be as high as you could if you did turn your ankle). Bring it back down and repeat, doing a full set for each leg.”
I hope these tips will be helpful. Feel free to share your own tips and tricks.
copyright photo : Photo par koadmunkee / CC BY 2.0, tchi-tcha / CC BY 2.0
