How can we Maintain Weight in the Summer

During the summer our eating habits change. Summer vacations, as well as our tendency to spend more time away from home can affect the choice of meals and drinks and therefore the calories consumed.

However, many factors can affect our mood and appetite, contributing in a beneficial way to maintaining or even losing our body weight.

Adequate Hydration of the Body

An increase in ambient temperature significantly affects food intake. Our body heats up resulting in intense sweating and consequently increased feeling of thirst. This can lead to reduced food intake and at the same time a preference for foods that contain large amounts of water.

In addition to the fluids that contribute significantly to the hydration of the body, fruits, vegetables and consequently oily foods offer equally important amounts of water as their content reaches up to 90%. At the same time, these foods, in addition to being rich in water, contain a lot of fiber and are relatively low in calories. If we are careful in the amount of olive oil that

added in the preparation of lard and salad, then the total caloric content of the diet can be kept low. The increased amount of fiber they contain leads to the filling of the stomach and therefore to the feeling of satiety, helping those who are interested in maintaining a normal body weight.

Conversely, high temperatures act as a deterrent to eating large meals, as well as fatty foods. Meals that contain heavy sauces and saturated fats are more indigestible and cause discomfort during digestion, while increasing the heat produced by our body.

Small & Light Meals

A good alternative are small and light meals that will contain protein with low fat, such as poultry and fish in combination with a source of carbohydrates (bread, rice, pasta, potato) and salad with fresh vegetables and a small amount of olive oil. At the same time, for snacks, prefer fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt or smoothies. Also, avoiding strictly deprivation practices, you can choose as a dessert a simple scoop of ice cream at a frequency of 1-2 times a week, so as not to greatly exceed the calories consumed.

Consumption of Alcohol and Sweets in Moderation!

Continuing the same reasoning, in order not to be completely deprived of the enjoyment of a favorite cocktail or drink, for those whose physical condition allows it, limit yourself to 1-2 drinks or cocktails per week. Remember, however, that cocktails usually contain drinks with high levels of alcohol and sugar, which implies a higher caloric content. An alternative to lower calories is a glass of cold beer or a glass of wine.

Exercise by Swimming or Walking

As the day gets longer, the summer months are a good opportunity to increase your physical activity. The swimming at sea, summer walks and any other form of exercise that you enjoy are ways to stay active on a daily basis, boosting metabolic function and fat burning.

Finally, good weather helps to improve our mood and mobilize us, in contrast to the winter months, where cold and bad weather can lead us to resort to comfort food in order to feel, temporarily, better.

Summing up, the adequate hydration of our body either through the consumption of plenty of water or foods rich in fluids, the observance of small and light meals, the adoption of the measure in the consumption of drinks and sweets, as well as the integration of any form of physical activity are factors that can act synergistically in maintaining our body weight.