Summer can be full of temptation, but there’s plenty you can do to strike a healthy balance between abstinence and indulgence, says personal trainer, Aimée Victoria Long…
“There are plenty of food temptations in the summer,” acknowledges personal trainer, Aimée Victoria Long. “Hot dogs and burgers at BBQs, coffee shops bringing out summer menus filled with sweet and creamy ice frappes, and keeping on top of your thirst with cold fizzy drinks. And of course ice creams.”
With even the fittest and strictest amongst us being tempted to demolish ice-creams in the heat, it makes sense to increase your workout routine to make-up for your summer food indulgences. However, it’s easier said than done as Aimée explains, “There are so many impromptu distractions in the summer that even I find myself making excuses to miss a workout: it’s too hot; the place where I’m training doesn’t have air-conditioning; I’d rather see my friends because we don’t often have weather like this; I’ll just go to training later, etc. And it’s not only me, during the warmer weather, numbers in my classes tend to drop slightly and clients cancel last minute (especially in the evenings) to see friends or go out with their partner.”
But the summer-sun distractions and extra treats don’t mean you have to wildly up the ante on your regular exercise and workouts. Aimée advises, “Simply stay aware of the extra treats you eat and make the most of the sunshine in an active way. There are plenty of fun ways to keep your summer treats and exercise in balance, without feeling like you’re doing extra work, whether it’s a game of volleyball, swimming in the sea or a simple bike ride. I personally love going on long walks in the summer. It’s all about balance, there’s no point restricting yourself and being unhappy.”
To help you achieve a happy summer balance, Sportsshoes.com has researched how long you need to do a number of summer activities in order to neutralise your extra calorie intake. By taking a look at the calories in the nation’s favourite ice-creams, Sportsshoes.com have assigned the times you need to jog off those additional kcals, as well as giving ideas on how else you can work them off, from doing squats to building sandcastles. Find your own guilty pleasure on the chart below, and see how long you need to work to burn it off…
