There’s just something about summer that makes you want to get more active and healthy. Maybe it’s the warm weather (or maybe it’s because everyone wants to feel confident for swimsuit season.) Whatever it is- summer is the perfect time to slim down and shed some pounds. So today we’re sharing…
Consider this your ULTIMATE Summer Slimdown Guide! From healthy snacks and meals to workout tips and weight loss tricks- we’ve included it all. We’re even sharing our favorite fitness products and gear. Since this is such a comprehensive list, we’ve divided it into categories to make browsing easier for you. Below you’ll find…
10 Healthy Summer Smoothies 20 Healthy Summer Snacks 10 Healthy Summer Salads 10 Healthy {Oven-Free} Summer Dinners 10 Healthy Summer Treats 10 Healthy Food Prep Tips 10 Summer Workouts Tips 10 Weight Loss Tips & Tricks 11 of Our Favorite Fitness Products
So stop what you’re doing and pin this sucker right now. (That way you’ll be able to find it easily whenever you need a healthy meal, a quick workout, or just some fitness motivation.) Then come on back and start scrolling through the different sections to find your favorites. Ready?! First up… Healthy Summer Smoothies
My “health journey” started with smoothies. After all, it’s a lot easier for me to sip on a yummy, cold drink than to try to make myself eat veggies that I don’t love. I started with fresh fruit smoothies and then started trying different variations of green smoothies. That was over 5 years ago and I’ve grown to love my salads and veggies- but I still love my smoothies! My kids do too. In fact, whenever we run out of spinach they are quick to remind me that we need to pick some up for our smoothies. I discovered a long time ago that when I let them help me pick the ingredients or even the color of the smoothie- they are excited to drink it. Sometimes they even ask if they can create their own smoothie recipe. You can follow the “green smoothie formula” to make your own recipe, or try one of these ten tried and tested smoothie favorites.
With the kids home from school sometimes the summertime snacking can get out of control. But snacking doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, eating small snacks throughout the day is good for your metabolism- as long as you’re picking healthy, nutrient-rich snacks. So stock your fridge and pantry with lots of healthy ingredients and options. After all- it’s hard to eat junk food if it’s not around, and it’s a lot easier to eat healthy snacks when the fridge is full of them. Here are 20 great ideas to get you started. The first ten snacks are savory and the last ten are sweet.
When we started changing our eating habits we started eating a LOT of salad. Don’t get me wrong- I love salad- but I also get bored really easy. So I started searching Pinterest to find fresh, new salad recipes to add some fun and variety to our healthy menu planning. I was amazed at how many different, delicious variations there are to choose from! Eating healthy doesn’t have to be bland or boring! Have fun with it. Try combining different fruits, veggies, meats, nuts, cheeses, and dressings and see what new concoctions you can come up with. Here are ten of my “gotta-try” favorites to get you started.
I don’t know about you, but on really hot summer days the last thing I want to do is turn on my oven. So I’m always on the hunt for oven-free dinners that are both healthy AND delicious. When I’m not making a salad, I especially love using my slow cooker in the summer. These are ten of our favorite, healthy oven-free dinners!
It’s fairly easy to find healthy lunch and dinner options, but sweet treats are a little harder to find. Luckily for you- we did the searching for you. Here are 10 guilt-free treats for those times when you just need a little something sweet without totally blowing your healthy eating plan.
We’ve learned a lot about health and fitness over the last couple of years, but I think this has probably been the biggest game changer for us. When life gets busy it’s really easy to fall off of the healthy bandwagon. (We should know, we’ve done it a lot.) But we’ve discovered that when we take one day each week to prep our food for the week- we have SO much more success. Then when our schedule is packed (and there is no way I have time to cook something nutritious for dinner), we don’t resort to the drive-through or easy packaged meals. Because it’s already set to go for us in the fridge. Yes, it takes a little planning, but trust me- it will change your life!
Okay, now that we’ve covered the healthy eating- let’s move on to exercise. You can lose weight with healthy eating alone, but you need exercise to get healthy, fit, and toned. Plus it’s great for relieving stress. I’m always in a happier mood after I workout and burn off some stress. My roommate used to always say, “Don’t be moody- move that booty!” Ha ha- I love it. Here are ten tips for your summer workouts.
Okay, we’ve gone over nutrition and exercise- now how about some quick weight loss tips and tricks to get you started dropping the pounds.
81. Track Your Water– Drinking water is such an important part of health and weight loss. You would think it would be the easiest thing, but in our workout challenge group we actually discovered that it was the thing that most people in the group were struggling with. You might be surprised what a difference it makes for you. Easier weight loss, less headaches, and better digestion are just a few of the benefits. These detox timer water bottles are a great way to track your water intake throughout the day. Or try the Absorb Water App. 82. Get More Sleep– Most people know that getting quality sleep is important for your health, but did you know it can be a big factor in your weight loss (or lack thereof?) Researchers at Columbia University found that people who sleep less than seven hours per night are heavier, gain more weight over time, and have a harder time losing weight! So make sure you’re getting between 7-8 hours of sleep each night. (Now that’s a weight loss program I’m willing to work on!) 83. Keep Your Fruits & Veggies Accessible– Instead of keeping your fruits and vegetables hidden away in the fruit and veggie drawers in the fridge- keep them somewhere accessible. We bought a fruit basket and we always keep it full on the kitchen counter or dining room table. Not only am eating more fruit, but the kids are too! And whenever they ask for snacks, I tell them to get something healthy from the basket. We also moved our vegetables from the fridge drawer to the fridge shelves. I’m just more likely to grab them if I can see them. 84. Divide Your Dinner Plate– Pay attention to how you fill up your dinner plate. Proper proportions make a big difference in your health and weight loss. Aim to fill it up half way full with vegetables first, then split the remaining half between your proteins and starches. 85. Cut Out Sugar– Sugar is biiiig problem in our country, just look at the statistics. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I have a HUGE sweet tooth. Sweets have always been my weakness. But you’d be amazed what a game changer this one can be! I was working out and trying to eat healthier, but I didn’t see real results in how I felt until I cut out the sugar. Suddenly I was having less headaches, feeling a lot less moody, and waking up with energy. Now that doesn’t mean that I never have sweets- but I try to limit it to once a week. It’s crazy hard at first, but it gets easier. And remember, just because you fall off the bandwagon- doesn’t mean you can’t hop back on. This isn’t a quick-fix, fad diet- it’s a lifestyle and it’s a learning process.
If you’re looking to invest in yourself and your health, then you need to check out these eleven products- they’re our fitness faves!
Hope you have a happy HEALTHY summer!
