Summer days are here and it’s officially pool day, lake-side sitting, barbecue gathering time. And let’s be honest, it can be hard to stay on track with the new healthy lifestyle you have adopted. You see all the foods, sweets and drinks and suddenly everything you’ve worked for goes out the window. If you can’t relate, well congratulations you have reached a different level of commitment in your journey.
But if you are like me and get tempted easily when seeing all the goodness and need a little guidance on how to better stay on track, then you are in the right place.
I am human. When I see pizza, macaroni and cheese, fries, etc. I think, “just one bite”. But that one bite turns into 2, turns in 3, turns into I’ve eaten a whole pizza by myself. Hey! Don’t judge we’ve all been there. So, how do we not do that? How do we not ruin all the hard work and still be able to enjoy ourselves?
I am going to give you 5 simple steps to help you stay on track. You need to remember though, when following these steps you have to have your goals in mind, the power within yourself to say no (willpower) and a plan of action. So, here we go…
If I am going swimming or to a barbecue, I make sure to meal plan/prep the day before. I sit down and create a list of breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 snacks that bring me comfort. I don’t just plan for half a day, I plan a whole day of meals. Even if I don’t plan on being there all day, it helps to see what I have to look forward to to eating and how my meal choices are helping me reach my goals. And by comfort I mean, if you are going to a bbq and they are cooking delicious hot dogs or hamburgers I will bring a lettuce wrap and fresh veggies to add to my meal -cutting out the bread and maybe not so fresh ingredients there. You can still enjoy your food while cutting out the unnecessary things.
Next, after you have planned out your meals, it’s time to get that handy cooler or lunch bag out and pack all your food, including drinks. I pack each meal and snacks, as well as my own water because staying hydrated is important and it helps me stay on track. I know how much water I drink a day (the goal I have set for myself and everyone is different) and if I pack what I drink, I am more likely to reach my goal of water intake. I make sure to tuck my list of meals into the side of the lunch bag or in my bag so that I have something to refer to throughout the day.
Helpful tip coming up here -ask the person throwing the shindig what they plan on having on their menu. If you know what they plan on cooking, you can create your meals based off of those things but with much healthier ingredients. Not making sense? Example time. If my friend is making macaroni and cheese, I am going to bring my own healthier version of macaroni and cheese. If my friend is going to have a desserts table, I bring my own sweet treats that give me just what I need to meet my sweet tooth needs/cravings. Base your meals and snacks off of what will be on the menu. You can still enjoy delicious comfort foods without sabotaging your whole day and healthy lifestyle change.
Let’s be honest, summer pool days always include an alcoholic beverage or two! If you aren’t of legal age to drink than this doesn’t apply to you and you better not be drinking. Shame. Anyways, back to what I was saying. Choose healthier drinking options. I will list some below:
- Try the Smirnoff RTD line, Skinny Girl Brand Sangria or Margarita, Bacardi Classic Cocktails Light, Truly’s (my personal favorite), Artic Summer Ginger Lime Hard Seltzer or Cutwater Spirits Fugu Grapefruit Vodka Soda.
- Other options include: Saint Archer Gold, Yuengling Light Lager, Heineken Light, Corona Light, Miller Lite, Michelob Ultra or my personal favorite, Blue Moon LightSky.Last but not least, have some willpower or better yet, have a TON of willpower. Look choosing healthier options, when all the bad stuff is in front of you, can be hard. It won’t be easy and I never said it would be. I get it, I’ve been there and I still struggle some days. But I have learned it’s never worth it. I start by telling my friends my goals and how I am choosing to live my life. I ask them to please encourage me and be my extra voice when I am thinking of breaking (have a good support system). I constantly remind myself of my goals and my “why”. My why is so important to me and honestly, I keep motivational progress pictures (the pictures are of where I started and where I am) and quotes in my phone. Looking at my progress pictures helps me see how far I am have come and why ruin the new healthy version of myself for a minute of pleasure, that turns to regret, that leads to negative self-talk. Not worth it and don’t have time for it -I’ve come too far.
I hope these 5 simple steps can help guide you to stay on track and keep you motivated. Remember you have to put in the work, nobody is going to do it for you. It takes time, so forgive yourself when you mess up and learn to keep going. Don’t beat yourself up for too long because that won’t help you either. You can do this!
