4 Easy Summer Slim-Down Hacks

In the past few months, the goal might’ve been to tone up or lose a few pounds so you felt comfortable donning your bathing suit on the beach or by the pool. If so, we’re proud of you for setting goals and working toward better summer health!

Still, the journey doesn’t stop here. A significant part of living a long, healthy life is maintaining good habits throughout the year. However, if you’ve lost motivation or need to start over with your weight loss goals, we can help.

Here are a few ways you can keep slimming down and toning up:

Eat healthy foods. Instead of restrictive diets or skipping meals, make sure your three daily meals and two snacks are rich in seasonal fruits and vegetables as well as lean proteins. Studies show that increasing protein intake can boost metabolism, make you feel fuller for longer and help preserve muscle mass. While it can vary by age and activity level, the general recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. For example, a woman weighing 150 pounds would need between 54 and 55 grams of protein per day.

Drink more water. Drinking water 30 minutes before meals will help you eat less. Remember, dehydration is linked to more fat storage around the organs, diabetes and higher body mass indexes. However, drinking more water can help you burn calories while boosting your metabolism. Men should aim to drink 15.5 cups per day, while women should drink 11.5 cups.

Incorporate strength training. While the National Institutes of Health recommend engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise weekly, it’s also important to get in strength training at least two times per week. Strength training can help you strengthen your bones, build lean muscle mass, boost your metabolism and burn fat. But if it’s been a while since you “pumped some iron,” you might want to start small with “bodyweight exercises” that use your body’s weight as resistance. Some examples include lunges, planks, push-ups and squats.

Get your beauty sleep. You may not know it, but even if you’re eating less, lack of sleep significantly hinders weight loss. Sleeping fewer than seven to eight hours a night also increases cravings for high-calorie foods, stress, hunger levels and your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Celebrate non-scale victories. It can be disappointing if you don’t see the number on the scale get lower right away, but progress is more than just pounds. If your clothes are fitting better, your sleep has improved or your energy levels are higher than ever, that’s still a win. Non-scale victories aren’t luck, but a product of your hard work.

Remember, just because swimsuit season is almost over doesn’t mean it’s time to put away your health goals, too. Why not build a body that’s strong and healthy for every season?

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