Top 10 Tips for Surviving the Summer

By Karen McCoy

There’s always an abundance of both food and time in the summer, but it’s the riskiest time of the year, the time when all our good health intentions can go out the window.

How to stay on track? Try these top tips to stay lean and light all summer long!

1. Always eat protein for breakfast. Aim for 20 grams first a.m. to really rev up your metabolism. Try a protein shake. It’s fast, absorbable and will stop the cravings for sugar that usually follow in the afternoon.
2. Replace all juices, milk and sodas with water or green tea. The worst weight offender is liquid sugar, which is exactly how the body views these. (And remember, diet sodas cause weight gain!).
3. Toss out the bun. If you’re having a burger, pass on the bun. It used to be frowned upon years ago, but now it’s become quite main stream.
4. If indulging in alcohol, go for wine spritzers (with soda) or gin, vodka or rye with soda, tonic or water. Nix the coolers, beer, mixed cocktails. And limit your indulgence to 1-2 drinks and weekends only.
5. When camping, resist the urge to snack all day long (a few bites here and there can easily add up to the caloric value of a whole meal! Stick to 3 meals and 2 planned snacks, and include your protein!
6. Carry a small bag of protein powder with you. Before a big outing (or if I’m getting hungry) I mix some protein powder with water in a cup with a lid, shake it up, and drink it. It keeps me full, it cuts the cravings, and I eat less food! And it revs my metabolism at the same time!
7. Taper your carbs: if you want to keep the weight off this summer, eat your heavier carbs earlier on in the day, and resist eating them after 3 pm (this includes bread and bread products, pastas, grains and beans). So eat protein with a salad and fibrous veggies for your dinner to stay light and lean!
8. Replace all breads with wraps. Or better yet, use lettuce leafs for wraps – wrap your egg or tuna salad inside tasty, fresh lettuce leaves.
9. Minimize the fruit. You heard right! Those sweet, tropical fruits like pineapple, cherries, bananas and mangos are high octane sugar! Eat low glycemic fruits like apples, grapefruits and pears in summer, and if weight is an issue, eat just one piece a day.
10. Fast one day a week on juices. For just one day, drink only real juice (up to 500 ml) and lots of water. It helps detoxify the cells on a weekly basis, will not hamper your exercise regime, and will keep the weight off. Use real juices (no V-8, sorry!) or blend your own. Try Knudsen, Biotta, Santa Cruz or Lakewood, available at most stores.

 

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