Summers are to be fully enjoyed. Many of us spend months and months locked in our houses, waiting for the warmer temperatures and the sun. And when summer comes, we should go out for as much time on the beach, bike riding, hiking, and BBQs as possible.
But while most of us are aware of our tendency to gain some weight in the winter, we may be less aware of the pounds that we can gain during the summer. It is not the end of the world if we are enjoying ourselves and are able to balance it in the fall, but there are some potential difficulties to be aware of.
The good news is that there are some simple tricks to avoid them, without avoiding all the fun.
4 problems that make you fat in the summer (and how to avoid it)
Lack of sleep
Rest and your weight are connected in many ways. Losing sleep can divert your hormones and cause your body to retain your fat stores. Also, when you're tired, it's more difficult to control your food cravings.
There are a few reasons why you may be losing some sleep during the summer:
- You will be out later in the evening . During the winter, it is common to find comfortable clothes and on the sofa at 7 in the afternoon. Long summer days and warmer temperatures can cause you to stay out later and possibly lose a few hours of sleep.
- The change in the season itself . If your air conditioning is not cutting you off and your room reaches 24ºC at night, you will probably wake up. The number is not exact, according to the National Sleep Foundation, but there is an agreement that a cooler room, closer to 18 degrees, is optimal for sleeping. With summer there are also longer days, which means there may still be light at bedtime. This can also affect the quality of sleep.
- You are drinking more alcoholic beverages . Yes, drinking alcohol can make you drowsy and even help you fall asleep, but it doesn't do you any favors when it comes to how well you're sleeping. In fact, drinking before bed worsens your sleep quality by interrupting your sleep rhythms, circadian rhythms, and simply causing additional trips to the bathroom.
To avoid all this, the first thing to consider is the link between lack of sleep and weight gain. If possible, avoid drinking before bed and create a room in which you sleep well by lowering the temperature closer to 18ºC and closing the blinds or curtains to block additional light.
Ice creams, barbecues and other summer delicacies
Summer foods (potato salad, cakes, ice cream cones, cakes, etc.) are a lot of what makes summer summer. Getaways, beach days, and weekend barbecues can make it difficult not to consume too many extra calories from these temptations.
You don't need to skip these foods entirely, but keep your portions under control. Try balancing indulgent options with other seasonal foods like green salads, fresh corncobs, watermelon, peaches, and strawberries.
You don't have an established routine
Going on vacation or just being in vacation mode (hello, summer Friday) means a more relaxed pace of life, which often results in less structure today. It's healthy for us to get into a rhythm , it's good for our mental well-being, but be aware of how this may be affecting your eating and drinking patterns, along with your physical activity.
Long weekends can wreak havoc on daily routines and healthy habits you may have established. It can be more difficult to schedule workouts, when and what you are eating can get a little messy, and alcohol consumption can increase a little.
Enjoy the slower pace of your vacation but don't throw all your healthy habits out the window. Try to eat regularly to avoid being hungry and overdoing it at your next meal. Whether it's walking, swimming, or any other exercise, try to ensure you move in some way every day.
Cold summer drinks
When it's hot, nothing beats a cool, refreshing drink for adults. The problem is that many of these, like a frozen margarita or daiquiri, are high in calories and sugar. An example: A typical margarita has approximately 275 calories and 36 grams of sugar.
In addition to this, our summer beverage arsenal has exploded lately. Beer, wine, and spirits have expanded to hard seltzer and kombucha, canned wine, wine-based cocktails , etc. And it is those prepared cocktails that seem to be our choice. This is fine, but knowing how many you are going to take. The calories or grams of sugar in some of those drinks can be difficult to discover.
Drink in moderation and alternate between a drink and a glass of water if you drink some alcohol. Stick to the lower-sugar options you're familiar with, or if you branch out, look for products that provide nutritional information.
