At Encompass Fitness, we often encourage our members to 鈥渃hoose their hard.鈥� When it comes to summer, staying fit and active can be a challenge, but so can taking a break for the summer.
Especially when fall rolls around.
Being mindful while enjoying summer doesn鈥檛 have to be hard 鈥� neither do the consequences.
What 鈥渉ard鈥� will you choose this summer?
Moving your body or taking a break?Staying active over the summer can be hard. But, try to strength train a minimum of two days a week to maintain strength and boost your metabolism, as you can lose strength in a matter of one to three weeks. (And it鈥檚 more challenging to gain back than it is to lose it).
Sure it鈥檚 more fun to be outside, but you can still strength train outside, or hit the gym a few days a week and add in outdoor cardio or activities to enjoy the sun and keep your heart healthy.
Eating well or eating what you want?Eating healthy in the summer can be hard. But it can be easy (and delicious) too! Summer doesn鈥檛 mean you have to deprive yourself of all things good, cold, delicious or the barbecue to eat healthy. We encourage our members to choose what they want the most 鈥� do you want a burger on a bun with salad, or perhaps a burger with no bun and fries? Do you want ice cream or a cold beverage? Being empowered to choose what you want most, you can forgo what you want least to be able to enjoy every bite knowing that you made a wise decision to fuel and nourish your body (and enjoy it).
Feeling guilty or moving on?It鈥檚 easy to beat yourself up if you overindulge. Instead, learn from it and move forward or celebrate the things you did do differently. If you overindulged, acknowledge it and move forward. If you haven鈥檛 exercised or have fallen off track, go for a walk and start fresh. If you had a few too many treats but were more mindful than you used to be, celebrate that and move on. Beating yourself up never changes anything, but taking action and moving forward always will.
At the end of the day, we get to make the choice 鈥� to choose hard in the moment, or to accept hard as an outcome. What do you want most, and what will you choose (or accept) this summer?
