Start Having Fun and Losing Weight: Summer Activities Melt Away Pounds

We all know we need to stay active to help drop unwanted weight, but what better season to get moving than summer. It’s a great time of year to get active. Toss away your TV remote, get outside and start really living. There’s so much to do and so many hours of daylight in which to do it!

Instead of being stuck in the gym, you can get your daily aerobic exercise hiking, biking, walking or swimming. You’ll get your heart pumping and boost your metabolism. Set a goal of 30 to 60 minutes of activity each day, and, remember, that doesn’t have to be one solid hour of activity. It can be broken up into ten- or 15-minute bursts of exercise several times a day.

In addition to weight loss and just having more fun, the added benefits of being active include: increased production of HDL (the good cholesterol) which helps reduce LDL (the bad cholesterol), lower risk of diabetes and less risk of osteoporosis.

“Thirty minutes a day of walking will prevent many cases of diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic diseases."
- Surgeon General of the United States

So, if you’re looking for that bathing suit body, start by being active every morning. A walk, bike ride or swim before breakfast will rev up your metabolism for the day ahead. By starting early, you can avoid the high temperatures and dreadful humidity of summer. If you can’t make a morning walk, try the next best thing: an energizing, stress-reducing evening walk or bike ride.

Bring Along Your Best Friend — Water

Good hydration is always important to good health and weight loss, but it’s absolutely crucial during the warmer months – especially if you’re active. So, don’t start any outdoors activity without bringing along a fresh supply of water.

Avoid Summer Injuries – Stretch it Out!

If you’ve spent the entire winter as a couch potato, and even if you haven’t, it’s a good idea to stretch out your muscles before heading out for a jog, a brisk walk or even a bike ride. A few minutes of stretching will add flexibility and help prevent injury. Start with these:

Calf Stretch – Lean against a wall, put one leg straight back and the other bent underneath you, keep your back straight and lean hips forward. Keep your rear leg straight with heel on the ground. Hold for 30 seconds. Relax, then repeat for other leg.

Side Stretch – Stand with both arms overhead, then lean over to one side and then the other. Repeat several times in both directions.

Torso Twist – Stand with both arms out to the side with elbows bent slightly, feet should width apart, then twist your torso slowly first to the right, then to the left.

Thigh Stretch (quadriceps) – Lean against a wall to steady yourself, then reach back with your left hand and grab your right ankle, pull your foot back and away from your buttocks. Repeat on other side.

Hamstring Stretch – Sit on the edge of a chair or bench, bring one leg up, leave the other foot on the ground and reach with both hands toward the raised foot until you feel the stretch at the back of your leg. Relax and repeat with other leg.

Get Outside and Hit Your Stride

If you’re going to be walking on a daily basis, then it’s important to learn the fundamentals of good posture and form. What’s the sense in walking if you’re doing more damage than good?

1. Keep your chin up. Don’t stare at the ground when you walk and keep your shoulders and neck relaxed. Look 20 feet ahead, as you would when you’re driving. You may miss a random stray penny or two, but you’ll have better luck in keeping your body well aligned.
2. Stand up straight and tall. Don’t lean forward or back when you walk that will only slow you down and put strain on your back muscles. Don’t arch your back either, instead tuck in your buttock by rotating your hips forward slightly and suck in your stomach.
3. Walk heel to toe. As you contact the ground with your heel, roll the foot forward over the center of your foot and push off with your toes. Get the full power from your back leg as it rolls from heel to toe and pushes off.
4. Swing your arms. While keeping your elbows in toward your body and at a 90 degree angle, with hands relaxed, swing your arms back and forth naturally. This will counterbalance your leg motion and add power and speed.
5. Don’t overstride. Take steps that are natural for you. Instead of taking longer strides to increase speed, take more, smaller steps. Overstriding is inefficient and tiring.
6. Smile. You’ll instantly feel better and enjoy your walk more. Plus, a simple smile can brighten up a passerby’s day.

If you’re not used to walking, start slow: five minutes out and five minutes back, build up by adding two minutes each week and soon you’ll be going for 30 minutes or more. Keep your walking shoes handy and look for every opportunity to walk.

Be Active and Enjoy Summer

Romp, play and get outside. Burn calories and build muscle while having fun. Whether you love tennis, kayaking, horseback riding or look forward to a hike in the woods, enjoy a brisk walk on the boardwalk or get invigorated after a good swim, make the most of summer and take advantage of the best gym in the world – the great outdoors!