Summer Mind

​Where you live it may have warmed up weeks ago, but our leaves just turned green and we’ve been flocking outdoors in droves to take advantage of temperatures in the 70’s. Woo hoo!

Summer is a time when we often do things we don’t do the rest of the year . . . we barbecue outdoors, take vacations, and go on picnics. And if you have kids, they’re home from school and enjoying the freedom summer often provides them. These different activities and choices create what I call “summer mind.”

I LOVE summer, and when it warmed up this week, I suddenly got a strong case of summer mind. “Forget the computer! Get outside and plant flowers!”

I think it’s really healthy to experience a change in our routines, a greater sense of freedom, and the luxury of different choices. But there is a potential risk that we might throw the baby out with the bath. Let me explain . . .

Having structure in our lives can help us to make consistently healthy choices. For example, if you usually go to the gym before work three days a week, the structure makes it easy to be consistent. Then, if you’re on vacation for a few weeks, your exercise routine is disrupted. You have to make a special effort to get your exercise. And if you decide to take a vacation from your exercise, it’s so easy to make that a permanent vacation and so hard to get back on track.

Summer barbecues might tempt us to forgo our healthy eating habits, too. Even if you’ve been consistently eating a healthy plant-based diet all winter, you might be tempted to fall back into old patterns “just for now.”

Picnics can reawaken childhood memories. Was it hot dogs for you? Or fried chicken? If your old traditions come alive in your mind when you begin to pack for your picnic, it can be challenging to remember that you have really good reasons to pack healthy foods.

Vacations really interrupt our patterns. Whether you’re eating in different restaurants than usual or visiting friends or family who eat differently from you, summer mind might convince you to just go with the flow rather than staying with your commitment to your own health.

So here are some suggestions for staying healthy while still having fun this summer:

Remember that you want to be healthy every day, not only in the winter!
Plan ahead: there are wonderful substitutes for steak on the grill, such as veggie burgers, marinated portabella mushrooms, and grilled veggies. Yum!
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If you like hot dogs at your picnic, try veggie hot dogs. You can make delicious vegan potato salad — just leave out the eggs and use a vegan mayo. Wraps are always easy and delicious. And hummus or other bean spreads make a great dip for all sorts of veggies.

When you’re traveling, do a little research before you go. Happycow.net provides information about restaurants that offer healthy, plant-based meals.

When visiting relatives and friends, be sure to take some of your favorite recipes with you and offer to do some of the cooking. They’ll probably be very impressed with how great your healthy food tastes!

When summer comes to an end, you’ll feel so grateful that you let your summer mind be fun-loving and creative in healthy ways, rather than getting way off track and then having to make the supreme effort to get back on track next fall.

Some other suggestions:

Get the support you need to stay on track with your commitment to a joyful, healthy life during the summer and ALL of the time.  I offer a premium coaching program to help you do that...Click Here to schedule a "Spirit of Wellness" Strategy Call.

Come to an Alaska Vegan Society potluck dinner where you will me other people committed to eating a plant-based diet and sample some really good food.

Sign-up for one of my local nutrition and cooking classes...Click Here to learn more.

Now it’s your turn.

Tell us what your Summer Mind has in store for you this summer!
What are some of your favorite summer activities, and what are some ways you can keep them healthy?

I love hearing your ideas and learn a lot from each of you!