Summer is always such a positive and uplifting time of the year, especially if the winter has felt like it dragged on forever! Summer is also that time of the year where we experience longer days, warmer weather and a desire to be outdoors as much as we can. So how can we best prepare ourselves to enjoy wonderful health and wellness during this time, and really experience all that summer has to offer?
These tips below might be a helpful place to start.
Drink plenty of water
Now this is something that we know we should be doing ALL year round but it’s even more crucial in the summer. With the heat, we tend to sweat a lot more and our levels of perspiration affect the amount of water we need to stay hydrated.
As a general guide, you should aim to drink 30ml for every kg you weigh. So if you weighed 100kgs, you should drink 3L per day and allow for more (up to 1L) in the heat and while training.
Follow the basic rules:
- a) Drink if you’re thirsty
- b) During exercise, drink water every 15-20 minutes
- c) Want a simple test for hydration? Look at the color of your urine. It should be pale in colour. Yellow/Dark yellow is a sign of dehydration and you should drink up!
Also read: How Much Water Should You Be Drinking Each Day (And How To Drink More Of It)
Enjoy exercise outdoors
We have the luxury of more daylight hours to enjoy being active outside so we really don’t have any excuses!
Utilise the lighter mornings to get your workout done earlier, and to avoid training in the heat of the day. Take advantage of the great outdoors on the weekends for bike rides, swims, trips to the beach or walks in nature. You could even catch up on all those outdoor jobs like gardening or mowing the lawns. Just be sure to wear protective clothing, a hat and sunscreen (and keep that water bottle handy)
Wear sunscreen
This should become a daily ritual like brushing your teeth. Did you know that we’re actually supposed to wear sunscreen everyday? That’s right – it’s not just for use when we’re at the park or going for a swim. So create space in your day to apply it. Perhaps after your morning shower. It’s not often those days at the beach that make you most vulnerable, but the daily doses to the sun that can cause the most damage.
Cook on the BBQ
The last thing you may feel like doing on those hot summer evenings is to spend loads of time cooking inside on the hot stovetop or feel the oven heating up the whole house.
Keep dinners simple and light by throwing together a lovely summer salad and grilling some lean protein on the barbie! A perfect dinner, if you ask me!
Here’s a recipe I love: Warm Lamb, Pumpkin And Pomegranate Salad
Start each day mindfully and gratefully
Some mornings we might feel as though we bowl into the day and hit the ground running. Life can feel busy and hectic but with a different approach, we can help to set a different precedent. I recommend waking up 15 mins earlier than usual (it might help as the sun streams in the window and the birds are chirping!) to practice some meditation or to write in a gratitude journal.
