Indian summers are long and sweltering. It’s Mid-April and temperatures are already soaring high. A change of season should ideally elicit a change of routines and habits from you as well. The hot, sticky weather can act as a deterrent from exercise for a lot of people. This along with other seasonal changes can make it very hard to stay fit during summers. But worry not! We have five simple changes you can make to your lifestyle to help you stay healthier during this hot season.
Hydrate regularly and properly: Although hydration is always important, it’s even more important during the summer season because our body loses a lot of fluids through sweat. With our busy schedules it’s easy to forget about hydrating and only drinking fluids with our meals. To remedy this, here are three tips to ensure you hydrate properly-
-
Keep a track of the amount of water you consume and check if you’re meeting your goal
-
Include water-based foods in your diet like watermelon, cucumber, lettuce, coconut water etc.
-
Sip on healthy beverages like iced and herbal teas
Improve your quality of sleep: When we talk about leading a healthier life what comes to mind? Exercise? Diet? Correct. But the importance that good quality sleep has on your health and fitness should be underestimated. So how do you go about improving your quality of sleep? Here’s how-
-
Start by fixing your sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time is a good place to start.
- Create a restful environment to sleep in. Dim lighting. Comfortable bed. No technology.
-
Sip on some relaxing chamomile or lavender tea before bedtime to help you unwind and relax.
Reduce your soda/alcohol intake: Yes, we get it. A nice, tall glass of some sugary soda or a chilled beer is a very tempting thought after you come home from work with your shirt sticking to your back and your hair plastered to your forehead. But if you could substitute sugary beverages and alcohol with some chilled iced teas and cold brews, you would be doing your body a favor. Sure some occasions call for it, but simply making this change during all other times, you would be taking a huge step towards staying fit.
Fuse exercise with fun: Look it is hard to find the motivation to hit the gym when you start sweating the moment you step outside the shower. Going to the gym, let alone maintaining grueling, rigid routines can feel like a chore. Going for long solo runs in this heat is another unpleasant thought. So what can we do to stay fit? The trick is to have fun. Here’s how-
- Find friends, family, or even colleagues and encourage them to become your workout buddy. Then partake in fun activities like morning bike rides or swimming.
-
Begin a hobby that will get you off the couch like gardening on your balcony or terrace, getting in a few rounds of table tennis, or even dancing!
- Yoga. That’s it. Nothing better than stretching out your muscles in the morning or at night before bed. It’s relaxing and it’s very beneficial. And you won’t even break a sweat!
Keep an eye on your diet: This one is a no-brainer. It's summer and we know it can be hard to follow these extensive, strict diets because they can be very demanding. What we’re advocating for, is balance. Including healthy elements into your diet like green vegetables, fruits, and plenty of protein can do wonders for your overall fitness and health. During summers, our body is more susceptible to falling sick and by maintaining a balance in your diet, you improve your immunity. Additionally, including tisanes of your choice is a good idea to get in those antioxidants and nutrients.
Once you start making these small changes to your daily summer life, you will begin to notice changes in how you feel. You will begin to experience the results.
After that, there’s no stopping you!