Summer is in full swing- and here in Saskatchewan, we have to make the most of those precious couple months of sunshine and heat. But how do we balance that enjoyment with maintaining the progress we’ve made in the gym throughout the long winter?

Today, we share our top 4 tips for staying on track throughout summer. Keep these in mind as you navigate the many BBQ’s, patio drinks, and vacations coming your way!

1. Stay consistent with your workouts. You’ve built up the habit already – keep that momentum rolling! Take the time to schedule in your workouts; so instead of trying to squeeze them in among the many, many invitations you’ll receive for summer activities, you’ll squeeze the activities in around your training. Make a commitment to show up and not blow it off every time an opportunity to do something “more fun” presents itself. But, when you inevitably do miss a workout, remember that it’s not an all-or-nothing lifestyle, and get right back on that horse at your next scheduled workout. You’ll be glad you did!

2. Find fun ways to get active outdoors. What better time of the year to get outside? Challenge yourself to go for more walks or bike rides by the river, enjoy a round of golf, or start a pick-up game of spikeball (or volleyball, or soccer, or basketball, or football, or horseshoes…). Instead of defaulting to all of the boozey summer get-togethers, grab a couple friends and get moving!

3. Enjoy yourself – but don’t use it as an excuse to fall off track for extended periods of time. When you attend BBQs or go out for drinks with friends, don’t be afraid to indulge once in a while – one meal will not make or break your progress, and you should enjoy the social aspects of sharing food with friends. However, if you live out the whole summer with a “treat yo’ self” attitude, you can expect to lose some of that progress you spent hard hours earning in the gym.

You can enjoy the best of both worlds by indulging in moderation and seeking out some healthy options to fill the rest of your plate – for example, choosing more fresh veggies at the BBQ and watching how many portions of potato and macaroni salad you load up on. When you go camping, plan ahead and pack some healthy options instead of relying on a diet of hot dogs and sunflower seeds to carry you through the week.

4. Get enough sleep! Sleep is invaluable for recovering from workouts, losing weight, managing appetite, and reducing stress levels. This doesn’t become any less important when we go on vacation! The late sunsets and early sunrises in the summer months can also disrupt your regular sleeping patterns – so try to make the room as dark as possible and get to sleep around the same time every night to ensure you’re getting your eight hours.

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