running

I’ll be the first to admit that I absolutely hate working out. I used to play softball in high school, so workouts were a part of my daily routine but now, you couldn’t pay me to run a couple miles. However, I know the importance of staying active, especially at a young age. I always tell myself that I want to be able to do things with my kids and be able to move around when I’m older. During the summer I find it easier to be active without making those dreadful trips to the gym.

One of my favorite things to do during the summer is go for long walks, especially at night. It’s a relaxing way to de-stress and gives me time to think. Forest preserves or nature sanctuaries are great to go walk around. Do a little research online and you can probably find one near your campus. I also love to swim! I seriously love being in the water, and swimming is such a great workout that works most of your body. Hitting up the pool on a hot day and swimming some laps is a great way to exercise without even realizing you’re burning calories.

Although it’s not for me, I know many people love summertime because it means running/jogging outdoors. I find treadmills to be absolutely boring, but the nice weather means a scenic route for your run.

One thing I try to be especially good about during the summer is eating right. There are so many fresh fruits and vegetables available in the summer so I make it a goal to eat them with every meal.

A great app that I use to track what I eat is called MyFitnessPal. It allows you to enter in what you eat and tracks the calories for your day! It also breaks down your diet into categories like fats and proteins so you know what you’re eating too much or too little of.

These are some of the ways I try to stay in-shape during the summer. What are some of the things you do?