In the winter, it’s easy to slip into bad eating habits and to decide that curling up under a blanket is all the exercise you need in a day, since you can easily cover the damage with a big bulky sweater. But when the temperatures start to climb and the pounds fall off your clothing, then you may suddenly find yourself in need of some great summer weight loss tips to get rid of the evidence from your months of comfort food and sedentary lifestyle.
The following summer weight loss tips will help you to get back into shape so you’ll be ready for the hot weather and will love the way you look.
Shut off your devices – that’s right, that includes your computer, television, tablet and even your cell phone. Unless you’re firing up a pedometer app and jamming your smartphone into your pocket, leave the devices out of it. This is especially important when you’re eating. The more you do while you eat, the less satisfied you’ll be by your meals. This was shown in a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Sleep well – this one may be easier said than done, but there is a lot you can do to improve your sleep even a little bit at a time. This is one of those situations in which every little bit counts, so it’s worth your while. Aim to get eight hours of sleep per night, but even if you can’t get that much, try for as much high quality, solid sleep as you can. Stay away from stimulants in the second half of the day, and have a steady wind-down routine that starts at the same time every night and that consists of the same calming activities in reduced lighting and without the use of a device screen (see a trend forming?).
Drink lightly – sitting out on the deck on a hot day can seem like the perfect opportunity to enjoy a few frozen cocktails. A margarita, strawberry daiquiri or even sangria can seem like the perfect choice…until you see the size of the calorie punch those drinks pack onto your daily total. If you want to have a cold drink, there’s no reason to avoid them altogether, just make the right choices. Avoid those that taste more like sweet treats than alcoholic beverages. You’ll likely guzzle through those more quickly and end up with far more calories in your body. Instead, try a tequila and seltzer on the rocks with a squeeze of lime juice. This will help you to sip more slowly and naturally reduce the total calories you’ll drink which will really help your summer weight loss efforts.
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