7 Ways Summer Beats Winter For Nailing Your Weight-Loss Resolutions

Unlike winter months, which often have added pressure fromNew Year’s resolutionsand limited daylight hours, summer lends itself well to万博彩票下载安卓. It presentsplenty of fun opportunities to burn calorieswhen it’s nice out, eatseasonal whole foodsand more.

“Summer is theperfect time for weight loss, and it doesn’t have anything to do with fitting into a swimsuit — it’s about getting healthy,” says Sarah Pflugradt, RD, author of “You Get One Body.”

Here, seven reasons why the warm-weather months can helpfuel your weight-loss success, according to fitness and nutrition experts.

“Outdoor activitiesare way more accessible during the summer [than winter], and they’re fun,” saysBen Tzeel, certified strength and conditioning specialist and registered dietitian. “While people tend to think of exercise in traditional forms likegoing to the gymorlacing up for a run, being outdoors allows for a wider variety of activities likehiking,swimming, kayaking, canoeing and more.” This season, get moving withcalorie-torching summer activities, includingbucket list-worthy wildflower hikes,vacay-friendly workoutsandwatersports.

In the summertime, not only are the days longer, but there are also numerous opportunities to be active, even if you aren’t working out. Exercise pros refer to this day-to-day activity asNEAT(aka non-exercise activity thermogenesis), and boosting yours by moving more can help you burn more calories andtip the scale in your favor.

Activities liketending your garden, cleaning your yard, playing with your kids, taking trips to the beach, and even doing chores can all add up, says Wyosnick.

“As the temperatures increase in the summer, your thirst instinct is also likely to increase,” says Wyosnick. This is helpful for weight loss becausedrinking waterfills you up and curbs hunger (which is easy to confuse with thirst).

Instead of reaching for high-calorie, high-sugar beverages such asjuice, get creative, and quench your thirst withsummer sipperslike slightly-sweet “spa water” infused withfresh fruit and herbs. Wyosnick’s current favorite: Water with chunks of watermelon and a few sprigs of mint.

“The abundance offresh produce in the summerfrom backyard gardens andfarmers marketsmakes it the perfect time to increase the amount of healthy, whole foods in your diet,” says Pflugradt. Summer fruits likeberrieshave ahigh waterandfibercontent, both of which make you feel full with fewer calories.

Head for your local pick-your-own farm to stock up onfresh strawberries, blackberries, blueberriesand more. You’llboost your step countand eat healthier. For example, trymaking your own jamwith the fruit you pick, suggests Pflugradt. “That way, you cancontrol the amount of sugar.” Knowinghighly processed foods are linked to weight gain, the more you can stick to whole foods and homemade versions of your favorite jellies and spreads, the better.

In the summertime, it’s easy to embrace theMediterranean diet呼吁新鲜水果和蔬菜,lean proteins (likefish,chickenand lamb) andhealthy fatslike olive oil, says Pflugradt. If you’re overweight or obese, the Mediterranean dietcan help you lose weightand improve your blood pressure, among numerous health benefits,per a reviewin the American Journal of Medicine.

For your next cookout, tryMediterranean chicken meatballs, asalad with crispy chickpeasor sauteed kale withwhite beansandhard-boiled eggs.

One of the greatest perks of slimming down during the summer is many of your favorite pastimes —like grilling— can easilysupport a healthy lifestyle. “While veggies may not be your go-to,grilling vegetablesgives them a whole different taste profile and can make them extra appealing,” says Tzeel. Thefiberin veggies helps fill you up and keeps you satisfied withsmaller portions, whilelean grilled proteinslike chicken, turkey and salmon can supportimproved body compositionandreduce muscle loss, he explains. So, go ahead — load up thekebabs.

Poorsleepis aweight-loss nightmare: “It not only halts weight loss, but also induces weight gain,” says Tzeel. “Sleep deprivationalters hunger and satietyhormonesghrelin and leptin, which makes you feel hungrier and may explain why you tend toovereat on days you’ve slept less,” he explains.

If you’re low on zzz’s, asummer camping tripcould help byresetting your body’s biological clockto be more in tune with thenatural light-dark cycle. As one (albeit, small)study in Current Biologyshows, one week of camping with exposure only to natural light (yep, that means no glowing cell phones) can helpreboot your circadian rhythms, potentially giving you a leg-up on your weight-loss efforts.

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