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Are You Suffering From Summer FAT Gain?

Are You Suffering From Summer FAT Gain?

I will use myself as an example : ). I worked super hard over the winter went from 240 to 217. I went on ONE…flipping one week vacation and I was back to 225. Granted, over the course of this summer I have kept it dialed and worked and ate right on the week days and mostly on the weekends as well. Insider tip, you have to be consist, you need to develop good habits (discipline). Any way, I am currently 215.2 as of this morning…really pushing for 214.

Enough about me, I will chose to believe you spent the winter working hard getting ready for summer just like me. You exercised consistently, you were careful to eat more healthy foods and you watched your portion sizes (my biggest problem by the way…portion sizes).

Why? So you would look great at the beach (I LOVE THE BEACH) or the lake and have plenty of energy to enjoy summer. I will even go so far to assume, you greeted summer with a lean, jiggle free body, or mostly jiggle free…right : )?

Then summer hit : (. Sure you had tons of fun and were able to relax. Unfortunately summer can be a cruel mistress and she seduces us and then deals us a cruel blow when it comes to our fitness. Like to me when I was away for 1 sticking week.

Maybe you are in denial, maybe not. But…have you noticed the scale creeping up a little over the last couple of months? Be honest: ).

If so, you are not alone. Summer is a very easy time to overindulge and pick up those pounds that you shed during the winter months.

Side note, at the end of the day if you are like me, we train to eat…even if that isn’t ideal. I don’t know about you, but I love food, healthy food and unhealthy food a like. But we all need a plan, we all need a habits (discipline) to make sure we get the body we want and the food we like.

The question then becomes, “Are you willing to get plan and develop habits (discipline) that will help you accomplish your goal?

Remember that bad habits (lack of discipline) creep in slowly. Perhaps you are skipping your workouts a couple days each week, because ‘You have so much to do.’ Or maybe you have been indulging in unhealthy food or drinks a little more frequently when you are with friends. It happens-little by little. It happens one small choice at a time. But those choices add up fast.

If you realize that you have been slipping up, it’s not too late to turn around and get back on track. Really! There is still plenty of summer left for you to regain whatever ground you might have lost and get back to awesome.

Here are a few common reasons that people gain weight in the summer and how to remedy them.

1. Disrupted sleep cycle. Summer brings with it more daylight and longer days. This extra sunshine can cause our circadian rhythms to change which causes us to sleep less. But if we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies will respond by packing on a few extra pounds! The solution? Be diligent to get at least seven hours of sleep each night. The Huffington post also address this issue, click here.

2. Baby, it’s hot out there! When it’s hot and humid, we tend to move around less. Our energy is lower and besides, who wants to sweat even more, right? But the less you move, the slower your metabolism is and the fewer calories you will burn. Be intentional about keeping up with your exercise. Find indoor exercise alternatives like boot camp classes or maybe even take up swimming. Just keep moving.

3. On the road again. Summer meals travel and travel means healthy eating just got harder. Eating on the road presents big challenges if you are trying to eat clean. Before your summer trips, brainstorm some ways to reduce the amount of fast food that you will consume while you are away. Consider packing a cooler with hummus, nuts, lean proteins sources like chicken, fresh fruit and raw veggies.

   4. Caution: Cookouts! Ahhh…summer cookouts, parties, family reunions. All this spells danger because the food at these festivities is usually about as unhealthy as you can get! Make sure you pass on the hotdogs, potato salad, oily salad dressings and rich cakes. Look for grilled vegetables, fresh fruit and lean cuts of meat prepared without greasy marinades.

Don’t let the summer creep undo all the hard work you’ve done to get you where you are right now. Decide to fight back. Make up your mind to finish well this summer. Your future self will thank you!

Go be awesome!

KELLEN LAKE – Being real and honest : )