End of Summer Fitness Reset

Spans of oppressive heat and biting bugs can sometimes make spending summer outdoors an unpleasant undertaking. In June and July, many of us were compelled to remain indoors, grateful to find any place equipped with air-conditioning. Now, suddenly it’s August, and hopefully we’ll be getting some relief from the worst of summer’s wrath – with plenty of time still left to still enjoy the outdoors. There is no shortage of healthy activities that can be packed into the last few weeks of summer to help make up for lost time! Here are some ideas:.

1. Up the intensity. Don’t just go for a leisurely jog on your usual neighborhood circuit; quicken your pace and feel the burn. If faster doesn’t seem possible, then add 10 minutes to your usual workout. Walking, jogging, hiking, inline skating and cycling are all great activities in which you can up the intensity. 
2. Get out and explore. Discover park trails and open roads and take in some new scenery.
3. Hit up the water. If you live near the beach, get out and play volleyball, throw the Frisbee or football around, beachcomb, or play an energetic game of fetch with your dog. If you're near a lake, try rowing for an unrivaled total-body workout and a change of pace. Late summer is a great time to do beach and water activities because these areas tend to be less crowded.
4. Think outside the box. Always wanted to stand-up paddleboard, take a whirl on a skateboard or ballroom dance? Ask any schoolchild – the beginning of the school year is a great time to try something new. Plus, you’ll likely discover muscles you didn’t you know had and you’ll see a new level of tone in your body.
5. Integrate exercise into your life. In addition to the obvious suggestions – like parking your car farther away from your destination and taking the stairs instead of elevators – here are a few that are less obvious: While at the kids’ soccer practice, instead of reading a book or visiting with another parent, why not walk around the outside of the field while they practice, or even warm up and cool down with the team? Schedule a ‘walking meeting’ instead of an in-office discussion. Swap the cart for your legs when golfing. You can also transform your commute by walking or biking to work, or taking a bus and hopping off a few stops early.

6. Playgrounds aren’t just for kids. Adults can rekindle their inner child and enjoy these outdoor play spaces, too – and get a great, affordable workout at the same time. Slides can be used for challenging push-ups or sit-ups, monkey bars can be used for pull-ups, and holding yourself stationary on a swing in plank position can provide an incredible core workout.

7. Plant a late-summer garden. If you’re looking to spice up your lawn or garden, August is a perfect time to plan a fall harvest. You can also keep your garden ablaze with color through the end of summer with a mix of fall-blooming annuals and perennials. The simple fact is that gardening is exercise, and done properly, can burn as many calories as more traditional exercises.
8. Farm your way fit. Find a local farm and volunteer to spend a day or more learning about farming, harvesting, picking and general farming chores. In return, you usually get fed locally produced, healthy meals!
9. Schedule breaks. I personally believe that an hour of sitting is too long, so make time to get up and stretch. Take a lap around the office or outside parking lot after each hour of sitting and stand while talking to a coworker. Use part of your lunch break to go for a stroll or pick up lunch at a place within walking distance. Just can’t get away? Take a call on your mobile phone and head outdoors – they’re called mobile phones for a reason!
10.  Practice yoga, Pilates or meditation outdoors. Put the tree back in tree pose and swap the mat for grass. The only thing more peaceful than a mind-body session is spending time in the beauty of nature.
 As summer fades, we tend to return to a more sedentary routine. Challenge yourself to not let your fitness level fall with the end of summer.. 


by Jessica Von Duerring,  Certified Pilates Instructor & Barre Conditioning-Certified.

The Summer Diet Plan… Tried and tested

Roxanne Fisher took on the 9-day Summer Diet challenge and finished 4lbs lighter, energised and with 27 new recipes in her repertoire…

I hate fad diets but love the promise of an eating plan. Having worked with Jennifer Irvine and our cookery team to put the Summer Diet Plan into fruition I was excited to give it a try.
I had recently signed up for a half marathon, which had made me revolt and eat all the wrong foods. Despite all this exercise I was feeling tired and certainly did not have summer skin after a damp squib of a spring. Armed with a new set of Tupperware and more herbs than an allotment I threw myself head first into the Summer Diet Plan. Here’s how I got on…

Getting ready…

 - Stocking the cupboards. I did my first shop online and had my storecupboard staples and everything for the first three days delivered the Friday before I started. Filling the fridge with so many delicious, and in some cases intriguing, ingredients gave me a real appetite to get started. I had the second shop delivered on the evening of day three and found this ensured everything stayed fresh and within the use by dates.
Download our handy shopping list

 - Clever cook. There’s no escaping the fact you’ll be in the kitchen quite a bit – though all the recipes were quick and easy to make. With a little organisation it was easy to fit the plan around my work and social life. I found making the lunches the night before took any stress out of the weekday mornings, and I also set out all the pots and pans I’d need for breakfast the next day.

- Make the most of leftovers. I hardly had to buy any additional snacks throughout the week as I made the most of leftovers. I’ve made a note below of the extra ingredients you might find yourself with, in case you want to do the same.
- Getting the most from the plan. If you want to use the plan as a kick-start to eating a little healthier and discover some new dishes that’s great. But if you’d like to take things a step further, try cutting back on the caffeine and alcohol and introducing some exercise over the nine days. The results will be that much greater if you do.

My nine days…

Days 1-3
Starting on a weekend meant I had a chance to get used to the new regime. I took my time over all the recipes, tidying as I went. By Sunday I was in the swing of things and packed up the wrap for my first work lunch. By the end of the three days the plan had done exactly as promised. I was feeling bloat-free, even after lunch when I usually would feel lethargic and over-fed, plus I had already lost 2lbs. It was probably water weight but still, it was a strong incentive to carry on.
My snack leftovers:
Day 1: Spare oatcakes with a dollop of almond butter
Day 2: Half a mango drizzled with remaining coconut milk. Butternut & harissa houmous made from leftover butternut sqush.
Day 3: Tuna salad – made by adding leftover peas, sweetcorn and tuna.
My favourite recipe: Prawn, butternut & mango curry

Days 4-6
Even though this section of the plan started with my new favourite breakfast, I found these middle days the toughest. However, as well as having lost a couple of pounds I was noticing how easy it was becoming to get up in the morning and felt my energy levels creeping up, so I knew it was working.
My snack leftovers:
Day 4: Half a lemon with warm water. Remaining strawberries with natural yogurt and leftover tabbouleh from falafels.
Day 5: Leftover pineapple with small handful unsalted cashew nuts. Slice of rye bread with remaining avocado.
Day 6: Last of the butternut squash houmous with oatcakes.
My favourite recipe: Vanilla-almond chia breakfast bowl

Days 7-9
Usually, by the end of an eating plan I’m looking forward to the moment I can break it. This time, I was looking forward to re-making my favourite dishes from the plan. Miraculously, my sweet tooth had been silenced, I was waking up easily and I was never hungry. Feeling so good made the final push easy. I did break my no-booze rule on the sunny Saturday, but only moderately, and still felt bright and breezy the next morning.
My snack leftovers:
Day 7: Sugar snap peas. Half a grapefruit.
Day 8: Leftover bean salad from the Cajun chicken. Small glass of orange juice.
Day 9: Mix of pumpkin seeds, pistachios and cashew nuts. Remaining raspberries
My favourite recipe: Marinated grilled lamb cutlets with creamed corn

My results…

Weighing myself on Monday morning I was amazed to see I’d lost 4lbs. I hadn’t felt hungry once on the plan and the motivation to continue eating well was stronger than ever before. I had even, for the first time ever, kicked the habit of having chocolate in the afternoon and evenings.
Waking up in the morning was now so easy I was getting up before my alarm, and my skin was finally showing signs of being ready for summer. I also have some new favourite recipes in my arsenal - I couldn't recommend it enough.