Summer is here in full gear, bringing with it warm weather, longer days and more social gatherings than usual. With so much going on it’s important to feel confident and secure in your own body so you can make the most of this beautiful season. Here are MCC’s top three tips to help you achieve that beach body:
THINK OUTSIDE THE FOOD BOX
I want to start with this tip, because it is often the most passed over health strategy, the mind body connection. If you want the body to be in shape, your mind must be on the same page…
Sleep more: Lack of sleep can cause a decrease in metabolic activity and can also lead to overeating. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
Reduce stress: In times of stress the body releases excess cortisol, also known as “the stress hormone”. This disruption in hormone balance can lead to excess weight gain specifically in the abdominal area. Try to eliminate as much physical and psychological stress by doing things in the summer that relax you. For example; gardening, reading a book outside, meditation, finding time to go to the park/lake, etc.
Exercise: After being forced indoors for the past 6 months in avoidance of becoming a human popsicle… go outside… defrost! Take advantage of this beautiful weather and try a new activity. You could take part in outside yoga classes, challenge your balance by paddle boarding (http://www.thepaddlecoach.com/SUP.html), try rollerblading again, go for a nice swim, or add an extra MCC exercise class to your schedule.
CREATE A HAPPY TUMMY
A healthy gut is the foundation of good health, not only will you have reduced bloating, buty Add more Omega 3 in your diet to help reduce inflammation in your body and obtain a leaner/healthier look. You can add an Omega 3 supplement or if you take this supplement already increase the daily amount. You can also incorporate more fish (salmon and tuna) into your diet. Try these MCC recipes: Tuna chick pea salad and Power Hummus.
- A great super food to help reduce bloating is ginger. The compounds of ginger can help with GI issues as well as with the release of bile from your gallbladder to help break down fat. Ginger is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties. Try grading ginger roots and add to stir-fry, smoothies, and green tea.
NOW THE INEVITABLE…food strategies
Before we talk about the general do’s and don’ts of summer eating, It’s up to you to do them…take these tips for what they are worth…
Avoid Temptations:
- There is no way not to enjoy summer without the iced Frappuccino’s, ice cream, nights out at the patio, picnics, etc. But with all the fun comes added temptations to snack more on either sweet or savory treats. Here are a few ideas to help you:
- Make homemade iced coffees with whole ingredients …can even add in a scoop of vanilla whey protein and a teaspoon of fish oil with coffee and ice in the blender along with a light breakfast.
- Try adding milled/ground chia seeds to your water: not only are chia seeds extremely rich in fiber but they also expand in your stomach helping you feel fuller longer allowing you to avoid any temptations.
- Make smoothies your best friend: by adding more bananas and less liquid to your smoothie you can give it a thicker ice cream like texture… to help satisfy the sweet craving. Add protein powder and flax seeds for a source of protein and healthy fat.
Cut The Unnecessary Calories:
- take a look at the daily coffee, BBQ sauces and refreshing juices and find simple alternatives to cut the calories.
- 2 tbsp of BBQ sauce has only 47 calories BUT 8g of sugar.
- Easy Fix: low sodium dry rub
- 2 tbsp of BBQ sauce has only 47 calories BUT 8g of sugar.
- 1 cup of orange juice has 122 calories and 30 grams of sugar. This is equivalent to 2.5 tbsp of WHITE SUGAR
- Easy Fix: Infuse water with fruit, tea or milk
- 2% milk has 122 calories and 4.8 grams of fat per cup, 1% has 100 calories and 2.4 grams of fat, 0% has 86 calories and 0.4 grams of fat. If you have 1 cup of milk per day in 1 year you can save 10,000 by switching from 2% to skim- That’s 3lbs of body fat!
Get Back To The Basics:
- The summer is a time where it can be really easy to “fall off your diet wagon”. Review your limits and portion size once a week to make sure you are staying on track. A great way to check this is to record your food. Use a food journal, phone, napkin, anything that’s handy will work!
