ENJOY YOUR SUMMER TO ITS FULLEST AND MAINTAIN YOUR HEALTHY HABITS

You CAN have it all... if you really want to!

Two things I commonly hear a lot from people are 1) they want to enjoy their summer without having to “worry” about their health and 2) it's difficult to maintain their health or fitness routine over the holidays  because their schedule is packed!

But… guess what?! You can do all of these things during the summer - you can enjoy yourself, eat the food you want, relax AND maintain a health routine and feel awesome. The best part, it's not as hard as you may think to do so!

Here's a few tips to keep in mind over the summer holidays that will help you prioritize your health, keep you feeling great AND still allow for plenty of relaxation and fun:

🌞 Don't beat yourself up if you didn't get a workout in or if you "overindulged" over the weekend. Feelings of guilt or shame will not help you in any way! Give yourself permission to enjoy yourself and then get back to your regular routine the following day!

🌞 Drink lots of water. Chances are you’re spending a lot of time outside in the sun and maybe even indulging in a few of your favourite beverages. Keep your body well hydrated to help keep those joints lubricated, your body temperature regulated and delivering nutrients to your cells.

🌞 Look for opportunities to move your body. Exercising doesn't mean you have to be in a gym or you have to take 60 minutes each time to do it. It can be a walk, a good stretch or a 10 minute circuit before you hit the beach. Find little pockets of time to move your body.

🌞 Be flexible. Did something pop up last minute during your dedicated exercise time? Go enjoy yourself and then make the time to do it tomorrow. Didn't eat any veggies yesterday or missed out on your protein? Then make the intention to do better tomorrow! Be flexible, be adaptable and look for ways to improve.

🌞 Lose the all or none mindset. A little bit of movement, a little bit of salad, water, meditation, stretches etc...is better than nothing at all! Your little bits of effort done consistently overtime, will add up to big results.

🌞 Plan an active vacation. Don't get me wrong, I love relaxing by a pool or the lake but try to plan activities that will get you up and moving and things that you enjoy, such as kayaking, swimming or a hike.

Most importantly and I’ll say it again, just never, ever forget that it is the little things that add up over time. Working out for 10 mins, meditating for 5 or drinking that extra glass of water is never a waste of time and something you’ll never regret doing for yourself.

I don’t know about you, I want to (and do) enjoy my summers but to me, enjoying my summer to its full potential includes taking time for me and my health. If I don’t feel good, strong and healthy, then it’s hard for me to really enjoy my summer to its fullest and do the things I want to do. So keep taking those small steps towards better health and I promise you not only will you feel amazing but you’ll still get the most out of your summer, if not more!

*If you're currently a MOVEHAPPY member, remember that we have sooooo many options in the movement library that are perfect for either summer holidays and require minimal equipment or if you're in a pinch and need something quick that's 20 mins or less!*