4 Ways to Beat Summer Weight Gain

You spent the winter working hard, you exercised consistently, you were careful to eat more healthy foods and you watched your portion sizes. Why? So you would look great at the lake and have plenty of energy to enjoy summer. You greeted summer with a healthy and toned body, but summer can be tricky and give us a cruel blow when it comes to our fitness.

Have you noticed the scale creeping up a little over the last couple of months?  If so, you are not alone. Summer is a very easy time to overindulge and pick up those pounds that you shed during the winter months.

Are you willing to undo all that you worked so hard to accomplish? Remember, bad habits creep in slowly. Perhaps you are skipping your workouts a couple days each week because there is so much to do or maybe you have been indulging in unhealthy food or drinks a little more frequently when you are with friends. It happens little by little, and it happens one small choice at a time. 

If you realize that you have been slipping up, it’s not too late to turn around and get back on track. There is still plenty of time left for you to regain whatever ground you might have lost and get back to awesome.

Here are a few common reasons that people gain weight in the summer and how to remedy them.

1. Disrupted sleep cycle
Summer brings with it more daylight and longer days. This extra sunshine can cause our circadian rhythms to change which causes us to sleep less. But if we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies will respond by packing on a few extra pounds! The solution? Be diligent to get at least seven hours of sleep each night.

2. Baby, it’s hot out there!
When it’s hot and humid, we tend to move around less. Our energy is lower and besides, who wants to sweat even more, right? But the less you move, the slower your metabolism is and the fewer calories you will burn. Be intentional about keeping up with your exercise. Find indoor exercise alternatives like boot camp classes or maybe even take up swimming.

3. On the road again
Summer meals and travel means healthy eating just got harder. Eating on the road presents big challenges if you’re trying to eat clean. Before your summer trips, brainstorm some ways to reduce the amount of fast food that you will consume while away. Consider packing a cooler with hummus, nuts, lean protein sources like chicken, fresh fruit and raw veggies.

4. Caution: Cookouts!
Ahhh…summer cookouts, parties, family reunions. All this spells danger because the food at these festivities is usually about as unhealthy as you can get.  Make sure you pass on the hot dogs, potato salad, oily salad dressings and rich cakes. Look for grilled vegetables, fresh fruit and lean cuts of meat prepared without greasy marinades.

At Superstition Mountain we are all about helping our members get healthy and fit. For a complete list of fitness activities offered at the club visit our website