With summer vacation right at our fingertips, what better time to sneak in some exercise to keep us energized and active? Here’s a few of my favorite exercises that are especially suited for summer:
1) Hiking
Hiking is always something fun you can do with your friends, family, or even just by yourself; it’s a powerful cardio workout, and not only can it help improve your body, but according to the president of the American Hiking Society, it can also help boost your mood. Next time you find yourself with nothing to do, call up some friends and hit the nearest trail! Trust me, your body will thank you.
2) Swimming
Everyone wants to beat the summer heat, and why not kill two birds with one stone? Swimming not only allows you to cool yourself down after spending hours in the sun, but doing a few laps in the pool every day is also a good all-over body workout, and can help build strength and endurance.
3) Biking
Biking may seem pretty boring at first, but if you take your bike to the beach or to a pretty trail, you can enjoy a beautiful view while working out your muscles and improving your stamina. Biking is also a pollution-free method of transportation, so any time you find that you need to travel a shorter distance, consider biking instead of driving.
Lastly, if you’re super committed to summer fitness, here’s my favorite protein smoothie recipe:
½ cup strawberries
Handful of blueberries
2 scoops of vanilla Greek yogurt
½ cup nonfat milk
Blend all of these ingredients together, and enjoy! The protein in this smoothie comes from the Greek yogurt and the nonfat milk, neither of which take away from the taste of the smoothie.
Have fun, and happy exercising!
Wow! That sounds like a great protein smoothie recipe! Can’t wait to try it with my own twist- I’m going to add some raisins! Thank you so much for the article; can’t wait to call up all my girls and go hiking with them!