LAW #1: EAT LOWER CARBS AND FAT MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
To buy you some buffer on the weekends, we suggest focusing primarily on lean meats and vegetables for lunch and dinner, and protein bars or shakes for breakfast and a mid day snack.
LAW #2: MAXIMUM OF 1 SPLURGE MEAL A DAY ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
This wouldn’t be considered an all out cheat meal, but you can feel free to get splurgy and get some pizza, fries or other “not so healthy” foods if desired…but only if you can stay in your lane with portion control and it doesn’t lead to more cravings.
LAW #3: LOW CALORIE DRINKS ONLY
Alcohol can be a good time, but all of those sugary, summer drinks can unwind months of hard work faster than you can do 100 burpees. We suggest the following:
Seltzer Waters: White Claw, Truly
Light Beer: Bud Select, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Corona…or any beer that is under 100 calories
Hard Alcohol: Vodka, club soda and lime juice. Flavored Vodka or Whiskey with Diet Soda, etc
Wine (More on the dry end of the spectrum): White – Sauvignon Blanc, Red: Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir
Bonus tips: Give yourself a drink max before you go out (Women: 3 Men: 4 is a decent goal) and try to alternate ordering a drink and a water to help pace yourself while staying hydrated!
For non-alcoholic drinks, favor Mio, Crystal Light, and other tasty drinks that are low calorie. If this is a new concept for you, we suggest googling the nutrition stats on a a couple of your favorite drinks.
LAW #4: PROTEIN BARS AND SHAKES ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND
We’re all busy and overloaded. You can immediately take out 1/4 to 1/2 of the thinking required to eat healthy if you just opt for protein shakes or bars for breakfast and mid day snacks. When you’re traveling or on a boat for the day, there is nothing more convenient than having a stash of protein bars such as One or Quest on hand for when you get hungry.
While this shouldn’t be a daily routine, there’s plenty of times when this has become more than 2 meals in a day for me due to circumstances. Calorically, your body doesn’t really know the difference between protein from chicken and a bar, so take advantage!
LAW #5: PLAN MEALS AND SNACKS AHEAD OF TIME
As you know, we’re all about prepping your meals for the week ahead of time. But many people travel frequently during summer and thus need to be more flexible with their planning. “Meal prep” may consist of buying deli turkey, cheese and lettuce wraps (or quality bread for your 1 carb serving a day) and honey mustard or low fat mayo for sandwiches, instead of eating out multiple meals a day on the weekends.
Regardless, schedules are often very different in summer, so plan to be more flexible and control what you can control.
LAW #6: KEEP YOUR FITNESS ROUTINE AT 3-5 DAYS A WEEK
It’s easy to overvalue cardio or Metabolic Conditioning because it burns a ton of calories during workouts, but maintaining strength will help maintain your ideal shape throughout summer as well. Working out 3-5 days a week total is a great way to build a little extra caloric buffer for those splurge meals and drinks that we all have in summer. Adding a 30-45 min run or at home workouts are a great way to get to that 4 or 5 day per week mark, but if it doesn’t happen every week don’t be too hard on yourself.
LAW #7: BE ACTIVE
Summer is a great opportunity to paddle board, go canoeing, kayaking, beach walks/runs/bike rides, swim laps and enjoy all that South Florida has to offer. The calories burned from these activities add up significantly, and can go a long way to help you you stay lean this summer.
LAW #8: LET LOOSE AND HAVE PLENTY OF FUN!
If you did a great job this winter and spring, then you should appreciate the progress that you made and cut yourself some slack if you’re not 100% to your dream goal level.
Because here’s a secret: nobody is…
Appreciate your body, your hard work, and have some fun this summer
If you want to learn more about STS Fitness and our Fast Results Nutrition Program click here-> http://sedleytraining.com/get-started/
