Don’t let swim suit season stress you out! Here are five simple tips to help you stay healthy this summer and feel great on the beach:
Stay Hydrated!
Water is the absolute key when it comes to managing weight and staying healthy. We often feel hungry because we are dehydrated. Since we sweat more in the summer heat, it is super important to constantly drink water throughout the day.
Here is a formula for how much water you should drink each day:
Total body weight (in pounds) ÷ two = number of ounces per day
*Secret tip: Drink at least eight ounces of water 10 minutes before every meal. This will help you feel full, fight dehydration and prevent overeating.
The Power of Lemon
Lemon is an alkaline fruit that has natural fat burning powers. Not only will adding lemon juice to your water give it a great taste, but it will also rev up your metabolism.
Another use for lemon:
While salads are a great meal for summer, salad dressings often have tons of fat calories. Eliminate salad dressings completely and make your own:
Juice of half a lemon + 2 Tbs. olive oil + sea salt (or your favorite herbal seasoning)
*Secret tip: Start your morning with a cup of warm water and lemon juice. This will jump start your metabolism and promote healthy digestion of toxins and fat cells.
Limit Eating After 7 p.m.
If you can commit to not eating anything after 7 p.m. you will see huge results and feel so much healthier, energetic and vibrant. This tip has nothing to do with “just not eating” to spare calories, but rather a functioning of the digestive system. By not eating at night several hours before sleeping, your digestive system has time to work effectively.
*Secret tip: If you get really hungry and can’t bear it, try eating a brown rice cake, raw veggies or sipping on herbal decaf tea.
Eat More!
Although it’s beneficial to not eat at night, eating more often throughout your day is a great way to naturally increase your metabolism. Eat five to six small meals or healthy snacks rather than three big ones. This will keep you energized, keep your metabolism running and prevent overeating at meals.
*Note: a small meal is about 200-300 calories. Here are some options for healthy snacks:
· Half an avocado + a sliced tomato + olive oil and sea salt
· Almond butter + banana + coconut
· Nonfat Greek yogurt + blueberries + sliced almonds
· Carrot sticks + hummus
Go Green!
Increase your consumption of green leafy vegetables. Believe it or not, they are actually a great source of protein. Green, leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and arugula have a ton of fiber, which will keep you full for longer and give you energy. Here are tips for how to easily add green leafy vegetables to your diet:
· Add a handful of kale or spinach to a fruit smoothie. You won’t even be able to taste it!
· Use baby spinach or arugula in a salad as your lettuce
· Throw a handful of spinach into whole grain pasta and lightly sauté with cherry tomatoes, olive oil and seasoning