Don't Start Over in September: A Realistic Summer Fitness Guide

I Hate Cliché Fitness Advice

You know the kind.

The stuff you read in every Yahoo Health article around the holidays.

"Eat before you go to the party so you don't overindulge."

Yeah, right. Just so I can eat before the party and then eat again at the party?

Or my personal favorite:

"Get shredded in 4 weeks!"

Unless you're already starting at a pretty low body fat percentage, getting shredded in four weeks probably isn't happening.

What is likely to happen, though, is that you'll diet hard for a month, make some progress—but not enough to qualify as "shredded"—get frustrated, and then binge on all the foods you cut out for the last four weeks.

Yeah, I hate that kind of advice.

Practical tips, though? That's my jam.

As summer activities ramp up, I want to share a few pieces of real-world advice that will help keep you moving in the right direction this summer—with minimal disruption to your summer fun.

And that's important for a couple reasons.

First, if you're not training to get stronger and maintain muscle mass, you'll slowly start losing it within a few weeks.

Second, we've all heard the story—maybe you've even lived it yourself:

"I was in great shape, then I got out of my routine, and I've never really gotten back into it."

That's often the story people tell in the fall after completely abandoning their training during the summer.

The truth is, training your body to do the things you love, continue doing them for years to come, and look and feel your best isn't a seasonal activity.

So this summer, keep it simple.

1. Keep Your Monthly Training Schedule Intact

If you normally train 8 or 12 times per month, plan on still getting those sessions in.

Going away for a long weekend? Missing a few days because of vacation or a family event?

Add an extra workout in the week before or after.

Your body doesn't know perfect 48-hour recovery intervals. In fact, if you're taking a few extra days off, you'll have more recovery time than usual anyway.

Squeezing in an extra session before or after a trip helps keep the train on the tracks—not just physically, but psychologically as well.

2. Keep Breakfast (and Maybe Lunch) Normal When Traveling

Vacation dinners, snacks by the pool, ice cream runs, and cocktails are part of the experience. Enjoy them.

But if you can keep breakfast—and ideally lunch—fairly consistent, you'll build in some wiggle room later in the day.

Think eggs and fruit for breakfast.

Maybe a salad with chicken, steak, or salmon for lunch.

Do that, and you'll have a lot more flexibility for the snacks, drinks, and dinners that make summer fun.

3. Get 10,000 Steps Every Day

Whether you're at a resort, camping, or spending the day at the beach, make it a point to go for a long walk.

You'll feel better, loosen up stiff joints, burn a few extra calories, and have uninterrupted time to connect with the people you're with.

Not a bad trade.

4. Drink More Water Than You Think You Need

Especially if you're enjoying a few more drinks than usual.

A good rule of thumb is to aim for roughly half your body weight in ounces each day.

You'll feel less stiff, less bloated, and generally better all around.

Simple? Yes.

Easy? Not always.

Especially when you're traveling.

But remember: you train all year so you can fully enjoy the things you love most.

Following these few practices allows you to maximize the fun while keeping your health and fitness moving in the right direction.

That's a win-win.