Looking for the optimal summer body? Here’s the 5 things to avoid doing to get there
Summertime is finally almost here! I can feel the warm and sunny days are right around the corner, especially here in Florida! I can’t wait to be sitting on a powdery sand beach, bathing in the sun and getting my tan on. There are always a few things that I love to make sure I do before any summer comes around, but I noticed a lot of people following some not-so-healthy habits to reach their health and fitness goals right before summertime. So I’ve gathered 5 things that you should definitely stay away from to reach those health goals for the summertime, get that summer body we all want, and avoid any fallbacks along the way.
Let’s start!
5 Don’ts for that Summer Body
1. Don’t fall into the fad diets.
Fad diets- they’re everywhere. The ketogenic diet, the South Beach diet, juicing, weight watchers, the Atkins diet… the list goes on and the results are lousy. See, the issue with these fad diets is that they’re not sustainable. Yes, it’s totally possible to lose weight while you’re following a very strict caloric deficit. But the issue with so many of these fad diets is that they’re not sustainable. What happens when you go back to eating carbs after a few months of going keto? Your body goes into a bit of a shock, and most people gain all the weight, if not more, right back.
The same thing goes for most of the “diets” out there, because they’re just not sustainable long term. And even though you can see weight loss, what’s the point of nearly starving yourself for a few months, losing weight, and then gaining it all back once you’ve reached your goals? That sounds like a nightmare! Wouldn’t you rather learn to lose weight in a sustainable and practical way? To really lose the weight and keep it off?
See, the thing about your “diet” is that it’s just that, the foods you continuously decide to eat. Not for 3 short months, but continuously. The lifestyle and diet that you truly follow every day is what’s truly going to help you reach your goals. So don’t fall into the fad diets trend, save yourself the time, money, energy, and learn to be your own best nutritionist. Become an expert of your body and create your very own #freshfitnhealthy life!
2. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
This one can be hard, and we’re all guilty of it sometimes. Even I struggle with not getting too beaten up over the small things. We all make mistakes sometimes, and it’s best to embrace those mistakes, learn from them and own them. This is not just about a destination, it’s a journey. It’s not a pass or fail exam like school. The only way you fail is if you give up and go off the deep end because you’ve made up in your mind that “you’ve failed” Get that outta your head right now sister!
If at any time we slip up, know that it’s okay and it’s to be expected. The key is to be able to know why they happened and how we can improve in the future. And it’s not jumping on that juice cleanse. A good way of not being too hard on yourself is to celebrate the small wins! Lost 1 pound? Maybe take a bubble bath to celebrate. Did you get in #freshfitnFIVE meals to curb cravings this week? Maybe treat yourself to some new products that benefit your health and home. Whatever it may be, don’t get hung up on the things that didn’t go right. Know that there are many more things that lay ahead that will go right, and focus on that.
3. Don’t only focus on the physical or the number.
Don’t get so caught up in having the “perfect summer body” (whatever that means), that you totally forget about mental, emotional, and spiritual health and growth. Of course, we all want to look and feel great while we’re sunbathing on a nice warm beach this summer. But what’s more important than that, is how we FEEL about ourselves, and the way we treat our mind and bodies. Put in the work to reach your summertime goals through eating nutritiously and moving that precious body of yours, but don’t neglect any other aspects of your health while doing it.
Action Step 1:
Do things to recharge and make you feel good and at peace with yourself and your surroundings. And form a good morning routine (I share mine here) that helps set your day on the right path!
Action Step 2:
Find a deeper WHY than just the number on the scale. Why do you REALLY want to better your health and feel your best? Finding a deeper why will keep you “feeling motivated” much more than a weight focus, and it will keep you going even on the hard days.
4. Don’t take advice from the wrong people.
It seems like everyone these days wants to put in their two cents when offering nutrition and healthy advice. Just scroll on instagram for a bit or look under the fitness related hashtags, and you’ll see it all over. When you hear people talk about the latest fad foods, diets, and don’t eat this, or only eat that, BE CAREFUL. Most of the time those people have no idea what they’re talking about.
Though their intentions might be good, a lot of times people just repeat the false advertisements they see on social media and think that it’s the one solution to all of their problems… and it’s not. So be very wary of what you decide to listen to, take everything with a grain of salt, and do your own research to find out what really works and what doesn’t. Anything that is a cookie cutter program, is not a sustainable, lasting solution. You are an individual. And the nutrition strategies and workouts and healthy lifestyle that will work best for your mom or best friend, are most likely not what will work best for you.
If you need help figuring out what works best for you, consider applying to my 1-1 personalized nutrition and healthy living coaching here.
5. Absolutely do not let stress overwhelm you.
This one is huge friends. Stress can be everywhere, and can come from many different places, people, and sometimes all at once. The thing about stress is that it can be even more detrimental than any of the problems you have going on. And it’ll definitely hold you back from your goals and from feeling your best much more than any chocolate cake or margarita will.
It’s a negative feedback loop. Stressing about something causes more stress, and the unhealthy cycle goes on. Stress isn’t all bad though, we all have small amounts of stress at any given time, and even a workout is a “stress” to the body! But it’s acute stress. And it’s the chronic stress that is harmful to our bodies. Chronic stress leads to elevated cortisol levels long term, and high levels of cortisol in our bodies are directly linked to increased fat and decreased lean muscle. Not something that we want for our bodies!
Plus, over-stressing about things can prevent you from actually getting things done and can be so destructive to your health and your goals. Address and fix the things that are in your power and that you can control, and try not to stress about the things you can’t control. If something is truly out of your power, there is no need to worry about it twice. So, when you’re feeling stressed out, take a step back, take a few moments to practice some breathing, know that everything will work itself out and be okay in the long run, and work your mind back to peace.
So there are the 5 things NOT to do for your summer body (or simply for long term health!). If you’re looking for a great way to “reset” your health in all areas, join the free 5 day health reset challenge right here.
