It's officially summer time! School is out for everyone and even the calendar finally says its summer. With summer comes more cookouts, parties, graduation parties and lots and lots of snacking. Snacking can be the downfall of many people's diets or plans to get fit. But no need to worry, I'm here to help! Here are a few tips to help you start or continue eating right in the sunshine and heat.
- Plant a vegetable garden- whether you're in an apartment or a house, you can have homegrown vegetables! Herbs are easy to grow and don't take up much space. You can even grow them inside on a window sill in a little pot. Window boxes are also great for growing things like lettuce or even radishes. And growing tomatoes can be as easy as getting a picking up a tomato kit from your local grocery store or home improvement store
-Buy foods from local farms- When you buy local you not only support your local economy, but you're almost guaranteed that what ever you're buying is just as fresh as if you were growing it at home. I recommend looking up what's in season before you go to the grocery store to buy to make sure you are buying the freshest produce or fruits available.
Now, fruits like blueberries and strawberries are in season where I live. Try going out and pick strawberries and blueberries at a local fruit stand that offers these options. It can be much cheaper and a lot of fun to pick them yourself. One of my favorite memories of growing up is picking strawberries with my family and then making fresh strawberry ice cream.
-Swap out milkshakes with smoothies- A hot day sometimes calls for a refreshing and cool treat to make the heat a little more bearable. Smoothies are an easy and delicious treat to help withstand the heat. Grab a blender, throw in some of the fresh fruit you just picked or grabbed at the store, some ice, and yogurt or milk and blend. Viola! You'll have a cold treat to help you cool off in the summer heat. Protein can be added too to make a great post workout drink. If you aren't able to finish off all the smoothie you made, you can pour it into Popsicle or ice trays and put them in the freezer to have later.
-Skip the chips and dip and try veggies and hummus- Crisp potato chips and dip can taste really, really good, aren't the most nutritious choice for a snack. Instead of bringing chips or crackers and dip to your next cookout, bring a vegetable tray with some homemade or store bought hummus! Vegetables and hummus is a low calorie, highly nutritious snack that won't leave you feeling bloated or guilty like chips and dip will. You'll still get a great crunch, without all the costly calories.
-Drink lots of water- it is no surprise that with increased temperatures comes the increased risk of dehydration and heat illness. To be sure you wont be missing out on any of the summer fun due to feeling tired or sluggish, make sure you're getting 10-12 glasses of water a day. Our bodies are about 70% water, and without an adequate supply, our bodies will not function properly.
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