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How to take care of yourself in summer: 5 keys to maintaining metabolic balance

Alimentación y nutrición Metabolismo y peso
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With the arrival of summer, it's normal to be more lenient. We find it harder to maintain our exercise routine or watch our diet. And if we've stuck to it strictly all year, it's common to have intrusive thoughts, like feeling like we've thrown away all the effort of so many months.

This doesn't have to be the case; in fact, it's even counterproductive, since the key to a healthy life also involves enjoying vacations without restrictions, guilt, or extreme demands. Remember that "every little bit counts." Any minute of exercise, serving of vegetables, fruit, or portion of protein adds up.

That's why we're sharing a short list of very easy-to-incorporate tips to maintain our body composition in summer (and above all, stop blaming ourselves):

Train less but don't stop moving

Saying goodbye to the gym for a few weeks doesn't have to mean giving up on movement altogether. There are exercises or activities that also count as exercise, such as:

  • Swimming in the pool or at the beach, as it activates our body without harming our joints. A practice that also has multiple cardiovascular benefits, as well as a relaxing effect.

  • Walking is one of the best exercises for optimizing insulin sensitivity, especially after eating.

  • Climbing stairs or incorporating any outdoor routine, such as exercises with resistance bands.

In summary, keep staying active. The important thing is to maintain the same habits, -even with less effort- to avoid losing muscle mass.

Try to incorporate protein or fiber into your meals

Eating out frequently leads to a more frequent or higher intake of salt, carbohydrates, or saturated fats than usual.

It's okay! The important thing is to try to incorporate at least one source of protein or fiber each day. Ideally, consume it at breakfast, as it's the meal most often eaten at home. Egg whites, whipped cottage cheese, tofu, plant-based drinks, or soy-based dairy are some of the best options.

Another alternative worth incorporating is fiber: foods like lentils have the advantage of providing both of those sources. This will help us improve glucose, cholesterol, or triglyceride levels, and gut health.

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Take care of your rest

The heat, late dinners, and changes in routine disrupt sleep. And not sleeping enough affects hormones, appetite, and energy.

Therefore, it's recommended to maintain a cool temperature for sleeping: between 18 and 20 Cº.

Try to reduce alcohol

The best alcohol is always the alcohol not consumed. According to Dr. Medical-Scientist Isabel Viña, there will never be a healthy or justifiable amount of alcohol. However, it's most common for alcohol intake to increase in the summer, especially in Spain.

Therefore, if we are going to drink more, the ideal is to alternate drinks with water to avoid dehydration and hangovers. Remember that alcohol can disrupt sleep and our metabolism.

Avoid fluid retention

As we discussed in previous articles, it's normal to feel more bloated or heavy in the summer. The heat dilates blood vessels, and excessive sodium intake increases extracellular fluid retention.

Therefore:

  • Include foods rich in potassium in your diet, such as avocado, banana, sweet potato, spinach, or tomato.

  • Natural infusions and supplements like nettle, dandelion, horse chestnut, or diosmin.

  • Stay well hydrated and move regularly to improve circulation.

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