5 Summer Health Resolutions Which Banish Pounds

Summer has arrived and many people may be thinking that ‘being healthy’ is just another chore to add to their already bursting To Do list. There’s the vacation to plan, the kids to entertain dring the summer holidays, the bills to finance, and then there’s keeping up appearances with local friends and neighbours at the frequent barbecues. Life is packed with other activities.

Yet here are five actionable resolutions which anyone can easily incorporate into their daily summer lives which are healthy for the body, mind and spirit and deliver real calorie-burning and healthy results.

1. Eat More Colourful Fruits

Fruit in all colours and shape are packed with nutrients which do natural and a fabulous job of keeping bright eyes glowing, bones supple, skin repaired and clear, hair super shiny, and generate good energy. Summer is traditionally the season of abundance.  During the summer grocery stalls overflow with punnets of juicy peaches, cherries, oranges, bananas, apples and local regional fruits which serve to increase the your intake of  the most common types of vitamins as well as vital minerals from potassium, phosphorous, calcium, iron, sodium, zinc, copper and manganese. The supermarkets also have better deals on fruit during summer as these foods are more perishable during this time and people are actively looking to incorporate more of them into their diets. Summer is time to take on the fruit challenge and quickly notice a real physical weight loss difference.

2. Reduce Sugary Alcohols

There is often the temptation to indulge in a sugary alcoholic drink or two after work to wash away the day’s exertions. However alcohol is high in starch and natural sugars. A glass of wine contains as much sugar as four cookies.  A pint of bitter equates to a large slice of pizza.  A bottle of alcopop equals one onion ring. The problem is that these sugars are ‘empty’  – they don’t help to sustain the body and add to a weight problem, and when they energy wears off what remains is a feeling of exhaustion as the body’s organs have no real fuel. The easy way to stay strong, fit and healthy in the summer is to make a commitment to cut back on the drinking. Or if you’re good cut it out altogether. It may mean changing your habits though it’s possible to lose many pounds in the process if alcohol features routinely in your diet, as well as save in financial pounds.

3. Develop A Positive Affirmation

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. If you’ve not had time to fit in the ten week muscle producing diet plan then there’s no reason to think that you’re not just as gorgeous as you are in summer, as long as you’re not under or over- weight. Having a positive mental affirmation such as: ‘I am powerful, and I am loving,’;‘I have much to give to this world.;’I am a person of worth,’’ ‘My life is evolving perfectly.’; ‘I deserve to be loved’ every day can help you to beat the grinding blues during the heat. Over the season an affirmation will help you to develop a truly positive vibe about you and to those around you, which will make the summer and all other seasons in life a more pleasant experience overall.

4. Skip The Mid-Afternoon Snacks

As busy people we tend to snack after lunch wears off. A mid-afternoon treat prevents us from feeling cranky and starving.  A survey by Sergento with SHAPE magazine earlier this year found that 90% of women admit to snacking. Men as just as tempted as women by this habit. There is a difference between snacking on a fatty packet of crisps or a flapjack. Light and healthy summer alternatives which will leave you energized, stronger, fitter and positive include: seeds, wheat crackers,  unsalted nuts, dried fruit and low calorie trail mix.

5. Smile More Every Day

A beautiful smile is god’s gift to our natural physical assets. Having an outwardly healthy approach to life can mean a small change like smiling more every day. The advantages of smiling more can mean we are more confident and  approachable, appear more attractive to the opposite sex, are likely to have our ideas listened to at home and work, and may also mean we live longer. Best of all, smiling is free.