Summer Wellbeing - The only guide you need to be your best self this season
There’s a different vibe to the summer months. The sun is shining, the brighter clothes are out, Festival season is in full swings and it seems everyone is just in a better mood
but unless you take care of your wellbeing in these months, you can quickly derail your hot girl summer and end up with stickier situations than sitting on a plastic chair in shorts!
From keeping and looking cool, staying on top of hydration and nutrition and helping you enforce emotional and physical boundaries, we’ve created this guide to help you keep it simple this summer.
Tip #1: Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
It really is the most important tip and that’s why we’re drilling it home. If you come to our Bristol Studio you will hear us check everyone is hydrated before, during and after class not only in the summer but all year round. That’s because a lot of health issues can be linked to dehydration and if you are not performing to your best ability, you won’t get the most out of your Feel Fit Classes and you won’t get the most out of life itself.
Tips to increase your water intake -
- have a glass of water when you wake, a glass with a meal and a glass before you go to bed.
- Think about eating water rich foods such as fruit, veggies, salads not only helping you to hold on to the water you drink but provide you with essential vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy
- Hydrate before you caffeinated - It’s a common misconception that caffeine dehydrates you. It doesn’t directly cause dehydration but it is a diuretic, meaning that if you drink a cup of coffee, you will only retain around a third of the water. If you are already dehydrated, your body is playing catch
- Limit alcohol intake or ensure you are adequately hydrated the day before, during and then drink electrolytes the morning after. Hangovers are a sign of extreme dehydration and vitamin depletion.
Tip #2: Train Smart, Not Hard
Here in the UK we don’t have much time to acclimate to the warmer weather and sticking to a rigid, intense training plan can often be more detrimental to our health. There is no blueprint to working out in the heat as we are all so different, with different heat tolerances and health issues can also have an individual affect
Tips on summer training -
- Wear loose, cool clothing. We understand that body confidence issues can arise in the summer when clothing is more revealing. However, loose cotton t-shirts and vests with shorts or thinner leggings will help to wick sweat away from your body and keep your body temperature down. If you are struggling with your body confidence this summer, get into contact with one of our Feel Fit coaches to learn how you can boost your self-esteem without having to restrict your summer activities.
- Check the weather before heading for outdoor activities such as running, hiking or outdoor sports. Training outdoors can quickly go south if you are not prepared or are used to it. Hyperthermia can set in with feelings of dizziness, nausea and heat related illnesses can range from mild to deadly in a matter of minutes. Be smart about your exertion levels, stay hydrated with electrolytes, wear protection and find shade for regular rest intervals.
- Don’t have high expectations for your workout. Even if you are training in an air conditioned gym or studio, the heat can pre-exhaust you, especially if it has impacted your sleep schedule, if you have allergies and if you haven’t adequately fuelled. Just do what you can, stay in tune with your energy levels, and increase your rest intervals.
- Train in the cooler hours. Morning workouts seem to work best in summer when the day hasn’t had a chance to heat up. However, if you are not a morning person then you can ensure you follow our wellness tips above, stay hydrated and remember that afternoons are when the temperature raises higher. Your trainer doesn’t know how much you have slept, hydrated or rested so it is up to you to stay on top of your wellbeing and make the call as to whether you are well enough to push yourself.
- Boost your recovery. Hit your protein intake to reduce muscle soreness, eat your healthy fats and carbs to keep your body ticking over, drink electrolytes to hold onto your water, take your vitamins and stay cool during your sleep time. Recovery is key to an effective training session and a healthy body.
Tip #3: Build your Boundaries
The summer is a more sociable time. Festivals, Weddings, BBQs, Pub Gardens. If you have a social circle that centres around food and drink, the pressure to drink excessively, potentially engage in substances and even stay out in the sun longer than you want to is often what leads us to poor health and wellbeing. Having boundaries, or even speaking your needs can be scary and even have us feeling anxious about losing certain connections, but are necessary to protect and mental and physical wellbeing.
Tips on building better boundaries-
- Have open and honest conversations with your friends and family. Most often than not, we are more anxious about the thought of placing boundaries than the execution. Sometimes people are more understanding than you think, and being honest about whether you want to attend certain events, or how long for can benefit your relationships and build better understanding of each others needs.
- Learn that No is a full sentence. If you want to socialise but not drink, saying No is a scary thought, if we are not used to it. However, No is a full sentence and doesn’t require justification. Your presence is enough and those who are uncomfortable with your boundaries are often the ones who benefit from you not having any or have internalised your no as a threat to their choices. If you cannot have the open conversation surrounding the no with certain people, don’t be afraid to stand your ground for your own wellbeing.
- If certain events require you eat and drink out, don’t stress about it. If you have ticked off your boxes in the week, you’ve hydrated, eaten the nutritious food and moved your body, don’t limit your experience of life. Having weekend meals out isn’t going to damage your progress when you have a lifetime to tick all the boxes.
- However, if you are on a meal plan, or have dietary requirements speak out. Restaurants, Weddings and parties have the ability to cater to most dietary requirements and will not limit your ability to socialise with your nearest and dearest. As i said previously, people are more understanding than you think. If the venue doesn’t have the necessary adjustments, ensure you eat before and after the event and enjoy your company without the stress. Remember, it’s not the end of the world and it’s about the memories you make.
Tip #4: Get in tune with YOU
Summer is noisy, it’s busy and bustling. Life ramps up a notch or two and our own needs and wants can be overshadowed by all the noise. It’s so important to take time to listen to you. Do you need rest, do you need to move your body, do you need to take time out, do you need to nourish yourself, do you need to have better conversations. Only you know what you need, so getting in tune with your mind and body will help to not only keep you well in the summer months, but keep you well for life
Tips on getting to know you-
- Carve out a time in your week that you can list out what your non-negotiables to feeling well are. Everyone is different. It may be getting an early morning walk, prepping your meals, tidying up your sleep hygiene, having time to workout or simply getting 10 minutes of time outdoors. Having an awareness of what makes you feel well helps you to keep yourself accountable, and if accountability is a struggle, then hiring a coach can help you in more ways than you think
- Stop the doom scrolling. Living life through your phone screen can soon convince you that everyone is having the best summer of their lives. However, social media is a hub for only showing the best bits. Don’t get dis-heartened if you feel like you’re not having the best time. Life is full of it’s ups and downs and just because the sun is shining, it doesn’t mean that life’s hurdles will pause until it gets below 10 degrees. Take time away from looking at everyone else’s lives and fill your day with moments of enjoyment; from making your morning coffee, texting a friend in need or seeing a sunset. Life doesn’t have to be full of big wow moments to feel full. Fill up with the little things, get out of the online world and out into the real world.
- Life slows down when you do. Sometimes the hustle and bustle really carries us away and we forget to pause, re-ground ourselves and be present in our own lives. It’s ok to rest, it’s ok to take a day, it’s ok to slow down and not feel guilty. The gardening will be there tomorrow, the cleaning will get done on another day, the emails will get answered on Monday morning. Give yourself the grace to just be for the day. Rest will always benefit the mind, body, soul and consequently will give you more space to deal with life’s tasks when the next day rolls around.
Your health is your wealth. In spring, summer, autumn and winter and regardless of the weather outside, looking after yourself is a priority. Remember, when you are on a plane you have to put your own oxygen mask on before helping others and that applies to your life as well. Look after yourself like you would the child version of you, give yourself the best chance to experience life at it’s fullest.
If you want help in making yourself a priority, contact one of the Feel Fit team to discuss how we can help you get back to you again.