How to Stay Fit During Summer in 5 Effective Steps

Summer is upon us people, and with it comes a dreadful heat wave bound to melt the foundation right off your face and dissuade you from maintaining your healthy habits. While it might seem overly enticing to just put your fitness goals on hibernate mode and lounge your summer away sipping cocktails under an AC or better yet, a palm tree, but you don’t want to become a chubby slob during the most festive time of the year!

Nope, you want to nurture those hard-earned pecs and a six-pack it took you half a year of blood, sweat and tears to chisel, so don’t put the protein shake down just yet – here are the best ways to stay fit this summer.

Hydrate properly

Dehydration is a soldier’s worst enemy, and wouldn’t you believe it, yours as well! The first rule of maintaining a fit, chiseled bod all summer-round is hydrating properly, and when I say properly, I mean drinking plenty more water than you would any other time of the year.

During the hot summer months, you sweat more, your body requires more water to function properly and if you don’t consume enough aqua during the day, your body will go into emergency mode, retaining water and making your six-pack disappear in a blink of an eye!

Stick to your diet plan

Much like your water intake, your diet has to be on point now more than ever (okay, perhaps the holiday season is worse) so that you can preserve your ideal weight and avoid the risk of losing muscle or retaining fat.

It’s easy to skip a meal or two during the day due to the fact that it’s just too damn hot to eat, and if you can’t force yourself to eat solid meals, just make protein-rich smoothies with your favorite veggies – problem solved!

Change up your routine

The summer makes it difficult to keep doing the same agonizing workout regime you’ve been doing when it was 20 degrees cooler outside, and your body deserves a break. You’ve been hammering at the weights for months now, and rather than passing out at the gym because you tried to go for a PR in the middle of a heat wave, why don’t you adopt a maintenance mindset?

Treat yourself to a lighter workout schedule, maybe even head outside for a jog, or do some laps at the pool. Your body will thank you.

Rock the proper fitness wear

And when it comes to not passing out and earning yourself a concussion, wearing proper, breathable fitness attire, is essential. As if you weren’t sweating and gasping for air enough when you head out to buy groceries, imagine what would happen if you tried to exercise in your old, winter fitness wear during a sizzling afternoon.

Be smart, don’t risk it, and get yourself some proper summer workout clothes that will let you breathe and reach the finish line safe and sound.

Maintain a healthy sleeping pattern

You were waiting all year long to party until your start hearing colors, weren’t you? Well, you can do it, but your fame will be short-lived my friend. The body can only withstand so much alcohol, sleepless nights, and constant abuse, and if you don’t maintain a somewhat decent sleep schedule, you are going to quickly board a fast train to No Gainsville.

Sleep is essential for promoting healthy bodily processes – everything from proper hormone production to boosting your immune system and nurturing a flaming set of abs, so make sure you turn in just a little bit earlier and get some quality shut-eye!

Staying fit during the summer might seem next to impossible, but if you take these essential guidelines as gospel and preach it to your body day in and day out, you will be able to enjoy your share of summer and maintain a chiseled bod to boot!

Peter Minkoff

Freelance Writer

Peter is a gay lifestyle writer for TheGayUk magazine from Brisbane, Australia! He worked as a freelance writer for local newspapers in before blogging. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.