Eating Healthy in the Summer: It’s Not Impossible!

Summertime means fun in the sun and at ballparks, picnic grounds, and the beach. While your thoughts may be all about putting on the right amount of sunscreen or having a great swim, you will find that you should also be thinking about what you are eating. Summer is a time when plenty of people get careless about their eating habits. It’s easy to eat carelessly when you are having a great time out of doors, and because you may be getting more activity, you will be hungrier than you are during the winter. Before you let your summer eating get out of hand, check out these great tips for eating well under the summer sun.

Eat After Exercise
It is easy to eat whenever you please during the summer. After all, there’s plenty of ice cream and junk food available, especially if you are traveling or otherwise on the road. Instead of snacking whenever the mood takes you, save your food until after you have had some physical activity. Physical activity makes you hungry, and it makes the food that you eat more satisfying. Also, the best time to eat in general is after exercise, because then your body is cued to turn the nutrients from the food into muscle. Eating a healthy meal after workout will leave you feeling better than ever.

Snack on Fruit
Due to the increased amount of exercise that you get during the summer, you will find that you become hungry more often than you would otherwise. This is something that can be frustrating to deal with, especially if you have some food restriction! Instead of reaching for the cotton candy or the ice cream, however, reach for some fruit instead. Fresh fruit is a great choice when you want to stay healthy, and if you have trouble finishing it quickly, choose dried fruit instead. Denying yourself snacks is not the right way to go when you want to make sure that you are eating well, so choose meals that are good for you!

Bring Healthy Food to Picnics
Picnics are great places to hang out with friends and family and to have a day of fun, but you will find that they are far from suitable for you when it comes to food. For example, even things that are called salads are usually laden with mayonnaise and sugar, and there are plenty of sugary drinks around. If you want to make sure that you are eating healthy at your next picnic, make sure that you bring a plate to share that is relatively healthy. A tossed salad with a homemade dressing is sure to impress, and a simple veggie plate is always appreciated. If you want something for the grill, consider marinating Portobello mushrooms overnight in a mixture of honey and balsamic vinegar. After that, you can eat them like hamburgers! If you eat from the unhealthier fare, take tiny portions and go back for more if you want to.

Buy Local
If you live in a place with a farmer’s market, take advantage of it. The farmer’s market is an excellent place to get unusual vegetables that are in season, and the prices are typically significantly lower than what you might expect to pay for such good produce. If your farmer’s market is large enough, you might also find that it is an excellent place to pick up animal products as well, including beef, chicken, and pork, as well as less common meats like bison and ostrich. A farmer’s market visit allows you to support the people in your area, and it also allows you to eat healthy, fresh food.

Pre-Eat
Sometimes, you are going to be going to a place where no healthy food is to be found at all. For example, part of the fun of going to the county fair is checking out all the things that they have deep-friend and then coated in sugar. Before you go to a place like this, make sure that you eat a full meal. This will lessen your craving for things that are not good for you, though you will find that it does not make it go away! However, if you eat a full meal before you go, you will find that it is more likely that you only eat something small rather than gorging on lots of food that is not so great for you.

If you want to enjoy your summer without forcing your stomach to suffer for it, employ summertime eating habits that will see you through.

Eating well is one proponent of living a healthy and balanced lifestyle.