10 Summer Tips for Healthy Living

Find healthy snacks, get fit and reduce stress with these tips for healthy living.

Summertime is made for healthy living. Those first warm breezes seem to lift stress from our lives. Fresh fruit loaded with antioxidants abound. But does your willpower to stick with a healthy lifestyle drift away with those warm breezes?

"Summertime is free-form," says Kathleen Zelman, LD, RD, MPH, director of nutrition for WebMD Health. "When the kids are out of school and you're on family vacation, it's tempting to cast aside good healthy living routines. But you don't have to! You can enjoy that summer-like lazy feeling, but still stay healthy."

It's an important message, with childhood obesity at an all-time high. In fact, one study suggests that childhood obesity may peak during summer break. That study involved data on 5,380 kindergarteners and first-graders at 310 elementary schools nationwide. Researchers found that the children were more likely to gain extra weight during summer break than during the school year.

To help everyone stay healthy and active this summer, WebMD has put together this list of tips:

1. Stock Healthy Snacks

   A candy bar or chips here and there are fine. But to boost health, Zelman suggests you stock up on nutrient-rich snacks that easily travel in plastic bags for summer outings and outdoor living:

   • Fruit and veggie chunks
   • Trail mix of dry cereal
   • Nuts, dried fruit, and a few chocolate chips
   • Sandwiches of whole-wheat crackers with peanut butter
   • Energy bar cut into bite-sized pieces
   • Popcorn or cookies in 100-calorie portions

   For more healthy snack ideas, consider cold veggie pizza; hummus on pita bread; salsa and baked chips; low-fat yogurt dip and vegetables; mini oatmeal muffins with raisins; low-fat yogurt with fruit; string cheese; low-fat milk with cocoa; and low-fat frozen yogurt or ice cream.

2. Feast on Salads for Healthy Living

   In summer, grocery stores are abundant with beautiful greens, fruits and vegetables -- all the makings for meal-sized salads, says Zelman. Try watercress, spinach, mixed greens, grapes, avocados, peaches, asparagus, grape tomatoes, melons, and strawberries. For protein, add a little grilled chicken, tuna, beans, chickpeas, nuts, or cheese. Mix things up. Use up leftovers from the fridge. It's easy, healthy, and you don't have to plan ahead. Just make sure you get to the grocery store!

   As you munch away, visualize the great health benefits you're giving your body:

   • Antioxidants (beta-carotene and vitamins E and C) to help lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and high blood pressure
   • A low-fat meal to help reduce your risk of stroke and diabetes
   • And if you add tuna or nuts to your salad, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to help protect against heart disease

   There's no downside to feasting on a luscious salad!

3. Turn Off TV, DVD, and Computer for Better Health

   Make "up and off the couch" your mantra for healthy living this summer. Limit screen time to less than two hours a day. The rest of the time, get everybody outside -- including yourself. Become a healthy role model for your family.

   For healthy outdoor living, try biking, hiking, and swimming. Turn to household chores that involve physical activity -- mowing the lawn, raking leaves, or clipping hedges. If you have children, sign them up for sports lessons or clubs they may like.

4. Sneak Exercise Into Your Routine

   If the days get too hot for regular workouts, here are tips on getting exercise in small but healthy chunks. Forget "no pain, no gain" and focus on the joy of the activity.

   Try a 10-minute walk, several times a week. If you feel like it, jog for a few minutes during each walk. Do a few jumping jacks, sit-ups, or push-ups -- along with stretches -- in the morning before work. Consider karate or dance classes. Go bowling, biking, swimming, or horseback riding. Even pets enjoy healthy living. Play a regular game of Frisbee with your dog.

5. Try Tai Chi for Good Health

   The slow, graceful movements of this traditional Chinese practice may boost immunity. Tai chi is also a good way to work your muscles when summer's heat sets in.

   Tai chi takes health concepts from Chinese meditation, medicine, and martial arts. Tai chi combines mental concentration with slow, controlled movements that focus the mind, challenge the body, and improve the flow of what the Chinese call "qi" or "chi" -- the life energy thought to sustain health and quiet the mind.

   Look for tai chi classes in community centers, health clubs, and studios across the U.S.

6. Drink Up When You Work Out -- Before, During, and After

   Hydration is critical for summer health -- whether you're out walking, running, biking, or playing tennis. Depending on the temperature, humidity, and the type of activity, you might not realize how much you're perspiring.

   A good health guideline: Drink about two cups of fluid two hours before the activity. During the activity, drink 4-6 ounces every 15-20 minutes (take a 16-ounce water bottle with you). Weigh yourself when you're finished; for each pound of water you lose, drink 20 ounces of fluid.

   Regular tap water is the best for most outdoor activities. If your exercise lasts an hour or more, either diluted fruit juice -- or a sports drink -- will provide carbohydrates for energy plus minerals to replace lost electrolytes in your sweat. Fitness waters contain fewer calories and electrolytes than sports drinks, but taste better than plain waters. If they help you stay hydrated, drink up!

7. Find the Right Gym for Daily Living

   When the heat's on, outdoor workouts can be a drag. This might be the best time to find a health club that fits your needs.

   Before you spend hard-earned money on a membership, think about what best fits your health and personal needs. Do you love to swim? Will you be happy running or walking on a treadmill? Do you like the idea of cardiovascular machines to improve endurance and strength? Or, are pilates or yoga more to your liking?

   Also, is the health club near to where you live or work? What kind of credential does the staff have? Are there amenities (like lockers and showers), and do they look clean? Are there enough machines, or are people waiting in line? Are there reciprocal memberships with other health clubs? If you travel often, having a health club close by will help keep you committed.

8. Take an Afternoon Siesta to Boost Your Health

   What's not to love about a midday nap? Stretch out in the hammock or Adirondack chair -- and lower your risk of heart disease with a little snooze.

   Health research points to the afternoon siesta, a tradition among Mediterranean and Latin American cultures, as part of the good-for-your-heart lifestyle that can lower cardiovascular risk. Researchers think that napping lowers stress, which helps heart health.

   One large study in Greece found that taking naps at least three times a week -- for 30 minutes at least -- reduced risk of death from heart disease by one-third.

9. Build a Healthy Smoothie

   Everyone loves a nice cold smoothie -- and here's how to make them healthy at home. Let kids experiment with their favorite fixings. Some great ingredients:

   Liquids: orange juice, apple juice, yogurt (unflavored or natural), kefir (enzyme-enriched yogurt-like milk product), soda water (not soft drinks), ice chips, water.

   Fixings: bananas, grapes, strawberries, blueberries (or other berries), oranges and citrus, raw or cooked veggies, papaya, apples, nuts, flaxseed, kelp, split peas, tofu, goat cheese.

   Exotics: Dried powdered milk, honey, espresso coffee powder, cocoa powder.

10. Get Off to a Healthy Start: Exercise in the A.M.

    Morning exercise is a healthy way to lose weight, plus you'll beat the heat. Morning exercisers tend to stick with their exercise habit. Morning exercise also improves sleep, which helps control certain hormones that affect appetite.

    Think of your morning exercise as a business appointment -- one you can't easily cancel. Walking, yoga, lifting weights, biking, running, or swimming are all good morning workouts.

Published May 18, 2007.

Medically Reviewed April 12, 2007.

SOURCES: WebMD Medical News: "Summer May Boost Childhood Obesity," "Tai Chi May Boost Immune System," "Take a Nap, Protect Your Heart?" WebMD Features: "Healthy Snacks for Kids on the Go," "Workout Routines & Ideas," "Tai Chi Exercises Both Mind and Body," "Drink Up for Sports and Fitness" "Finding the Right Gym for You," "Tips on Diet Foods for Summer," "The New Face of Smoothies." WebMD Expert Blog: "Tomatoes and Broccoli Team Up to Save Men's Lives." WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Healthy Eating - Overview." American Heart Association: "Tips for Raising Heart-Healthy, Active Children."

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