July has arrived and so have the supposed dog days of summer. Although is seems as though we are still waiting for our Alberta heat wave, warmer weather brings out the summer itch in all of us. We crave to be outdoors and in the sun - whether that be on a patio, in the river valley or at the lake! The problem with Alberta is that our summer seems so short... we desperately try to pack in a year full of outdoor fun and celebrations into 8 short weeks! As we make plans to attend summer BBQ's, weddings, weekends at the lake, etc, we are quick to put our health and fitness goals on the back burner. We figure that since it is summer we already move more and when it's hot we eat less, but is that actually true??
The average 'cold one', yes, I mean beer, has 100-200 calories per 12 ounces (ordering a pint? Increase those calories!). Don't drink beer... The average 4 ounce glass of wine has 80-100 calories, however most glasses are 6-8 ounces or more!! Cocktails? A simple gin and tonic will run you 200 calories and a margarita or long island ice tea can be as much as 550 calories!!! Of course, this assumes that you will just stop at one...
The other bad news in this equation... your body chooses alcohol as it's primary energy source when in your system. That means that the fat you are normally burning at rest is staying stored and your body is using the alcohol that you are drinking. If it doesn't need it all, which it normally doesn't, it stores the leftovers as fat too!
No matter how you slice it, those summer beverages can add up quickly. Decrease your activity level and it's a double whammy! Plus we haven't even talked about hamburgers, hot dogs, s'mores and more. If you can maintain your workouts for the summer and spend just a few hours a week working out and being active, the pay off is huge! We are quick to think of the Christmas season being harmful to our waistline and it's only 2 weeks long. Summer is 8, imagine the damage you can do in that time!?!?
The moral of this blog... summer is not the time to put your training on hold. Take a vacation from work and every day life BUT do not take a vacation from your health. Research shows that you only need to do 1/3 of your normal activity to maintain your fitness... everyone can commit to at least that. Incorporate outdoor time into your regime or make your workouts fast and effective. But most importantly stay consistent... it's the only way to achieve results!
Questions, we are here for you.
In Health,
Jessica & Tristan Zapata
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