Embrace the Summer!

Summer is, hands down, my favorite time of year. I love it when it’s not dark when I head out for a run at 5:30AM and I’m not wearing gloves and a hat.  I love the reduction of chaos and driving around from one activity to the next.  I love spending time having fun with friends and family.  I truthfully think I go into a seasonal depression when the days start to get shorter and school starts again. 

There is one thing, however, that I find challenging about the summer.  When the weather is fabulous and the days are long, everybody loves a barbecue.  You round up family and friends, fire up the grill, serve up some cervezas, and feast. If you’re trying to, at the very least, maintain your weight, let alone lose any weight or adhere to healthy eating habits, these kinds of gluttonous food spreads can actually induce stress rather than the feeling of enjoyment that was the original goal.  I find summer to be just as challenging to maintain my weight and my healthy eating goals as the holidays. The holidays are approximately six weeks long, while summer vacation can be closer to ten weeks. 

So, what can you do?  Do you refuse an invitation to the Cape for the weekend?  Do you skip the neighborhood pool party?  Personally, I say no.  Life is short and you should take advantage of these opportunities.  However, navigating the plethora of cheeseburgers, hot dogs, chips and cocktails will require some planning and forethought. 

I’m a big advocate of the philosophy called the “80/20 rule” which suggests that you aim to live your life eating in a healthy manner 80% of the time, leaving room for more flexibility the other 20% of the time.  In my life the 80% is typically mid-week and the 20% is often on the weekends.  There are roughly 21 meals per week (7 days*3 meals per day = 21 meals total).  That means 20% is approximately 4 meals per week.   I typically only indulge for 3 meals (Friday – Sunday dinners).  There are some people who indulge one day per week for the full day.  If you were to apply this philosophy to your life, you decide which meals or days you apply to the 80% or 20%.  It can change each week.  Look ahead at your schedule and plan accordingly.  If you have a Girls Night Out on a Wednesday, then perhaps you begin your 80% on Sunday rather than Monday. 

Other strategies you can employ include, when you are invited to a barbecue, contribute something that’s good for you.  If you bring a healthy dish, you know that you’ll be able to get something nutritious.  Skip the mixed drinks which are high in sugar.  If you drink wine, consider making a spritzer that reduces the quantity of alcohol and consequently calories.  Finally, on the day of and day after a party make sure you include some exercise.  A day where you are mostly sedentary will only compound the impact of the calories consumed.   

While the summer is longer than the holidays, it is just as fleeting.  Before you know it, the back-to-school commercials will begin.  Look for ways to embrace the fun and festivities without concern and hesitation.  As with most things in life, I think planning is the key to success. 

Carpe diem - Seize the day!