I still need to keep my health as a priority even when my productivity may dip, and it’s replaced with rest, recreation, and relaxation.
Summer Means Fun
As a child growing up in the 80s, summer was a three-month break from school, meaning long days out playing in the sun, enjoying summer walks, and enjoying cool summer treats. Because cell phones and the Internet were non-existent back then, we had to create our own summer fun. The 80s were a decade where advertisers capitalized on kids’ love of bright colors, crazy cartoon characters, and red dye 40! The extreme summer heat even where I lived was, at times, unbearable. Food and drinks helped comfort us during those lazy days.
Health Must Be a Priority
As an adult, I realize I ate way too much high fructose corn syrup and refined carbohydrates and much less fiber and complex carbohydrates. Although I'd love to go back to being a kid sometimes and eat what I used to eat, my health is something that must take a priority. Therefore, I must choose healthy eating habits during the summer to cool down my body to sustain me for the days ahead.
Here are some healthy eating habits to embrace in the summer months:
The Lighter the Better
When the heat and humidity are too overwhelming, I don't feel like eating a big meal. Additionally, I don't want to turn on the oven and create more heat in the kitchen. With creativity, I could simply cut up fruit and vegetables ahead of time to enjoy instead of having meat and potatoes. Lighter foods help me feel energized and cool fruits help cool down my body. Charcuterie trays are also a great way to enjoy a light snack without having a huge, heavy meal.
Make It Simple
Although fall is my favorite time of year, summer is a time when I can keep things simple. Making foods ahead of time, cooking meals one day a week, or simply opting for cereal or salad for dinner might be a better option than creating complicated meals with entrees and side dishes. Chopping up salad ahead of time and having it two or three days a week is a much easier and simpler option than trying to create every meal as if it's a Sunday family dinner.
Hydrate
Drinking water is vital during the summer months. Although it's difficult, I must remind myself to drink my eight glasses of water a day. When I drink eight glasses of water, I feel better, more energized, and less tired. I know I'm giving my body the water it needs. I lose water through exercise, strenuous activity, and stress, and I don't even realize it. Yet, I must take the time to replenish those fluids instead of my body working from a deficit. Having a large water bottle that has markers to indicate how many glasses of water I've drunk throughout the day helps. I can measure and keep track of how much water I'm drinking. Some water bottles have expressions like “You got this!” and “Keep going, almost there!” as incentives to keep drinking the water. Like anything else in life, the hard things can be difficult. But with perseverance and determination, I can reach my body's water intake goals.
Get Sleep
Summers are meant for long vacations on slower days. While this is wonderful for our central nervous system, it may not be good for our sleep patterns. Because I don't have to be anywhere the next morning, it's easy for me to stay up late and get off my rhythm of healthy sleep. Even in the summer, it is vital to keep the same sleep pattern. Go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time. While sleeping in may be a necessity for reducing stress levels, it is still good to have a good night’s rest to keep cortisol levels low and give my body the energy it needs to get through whatever the next day's activities may be. Because I may be exercising more through sightseeing or other activities, my body needs sleep so it can endure whatever activities come its way.
Exercise When You Can
During the fall and winter months, I often use my indoor treadmill or gym to get a workout each morning. While this is a great way to start my day, it's easy to fall out of rhythm once the summer comes. As a mom, my kids are in and out of the home rather than at school. Therefore, I must capitalize on what little alone time I have in the house. I may opt to walk outside but may have to do so in the early morning hours in the cooler time of the day before the sizzling heat. I may also opt to take a walk or activity with my children and count those steps in rather than going to the gym. I realize I need to vary my exercise routine to keep my body responding and maintaining a healthy weight. Summer is not a time for exercise to fall by the wayside. I still need to keep my health as a priority even when my productivity may dip, and it’s replaced with rest, recreation, and relaxation.
Vacation
For many years, my family could not afford a vacation. But the years where we've scrimped and saved to have a vacation have been an incredible gift and blessing not only to bond us together as a family but also for my own physical health. During vacation, I can let go of my own worries. I don't have to worry about bills, household chores, or any other responsibilities at home. I can instead focus on seeing new sights, enjoying activities, or just having fun. Having just come out of the global pandemic, I must remind myself that life is short. Although it is not wise to spend money frivolously, it is important to continue to have fun and enjoy life as God has created life to be abundant and fulfilling. Having fun with friends, going for a walk, or seeing a new sight helps me explore my world, allows my mind to focus on new activities to unleash creativity, increase my joy, and lower and reset my central nervous system so that when I return, I can be as stress-free as possible.
Although I enjoy the cooler months, summers as a kid have been chock full of fun activities, memories, and special times. But summer was a time to take a break from the mental, emotional, and physical energy required to complete school or work jobs. As an adult, summer is still a time when people take a pause from their everyday routine and focus on their family and their lives. Having a summer to reset is a wonderful opportunity to take a break, practice meaningful rest, and reflect on memories of food, fun, and fellowship. But summer’s still a time when we need to embrace healthy habits, not only to treat our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit but also to re-fuel ourselves so that when fall activities begin, we can approach life with energy, zeal, and vigor, rather than fatigue, chronic pain, and emotional baggage.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Imgorthand
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