Generally, as the weather gets warmer we wear less clothes, so as summer approaches many people want to lose weight and get in shape for the beach. Below are 7 healthy eating tips to help you lose weight during the summer months.

Tip #1: Fresh Fruits are the #1 Snack

Depending on where you live, you likely see a significant improvement in the quality of the produce offered at your local grocery store during the summer months. Stock up on fruit once or twice a week. Take them to work, eat them as snacks, and eat them as dessert.

I don’t know about you, but for me a ripe mango taste just as good if not better than candy or a sugary dessert. And fruit will always have so much more vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water than any processed sugary dessert that comes in a box or bag.

Weight Loss Tip #2: Eat a Salad Once a Day

Just like fruit, the veggies tend to be fresher during the summer months. When you stock up on fruit, also stock up on veggies.

Preparing your own salad at lunch or with dinner is a great way to add tons of fiber and minerals to your diet without adding tons of calories. Starting dinner with a salad is a great way to curb overeating and support weight loss.

Weight Loss Tip #3: Careful with the Cold Drinks

During a hot summer day it’s so easy to reach for something cool and refreshing to drink, but you have to be careful that you’re not drinking too many extra calories. Sweetened Lemonade can pack over 200 calories for a 12 ounce serving.

A can of ice cold Coca Cola has about 140 calories per 12 ounce can. A cold 12 ounce beer has about 150 calories. And if you reach for a mixed drink like a cold Pina Colada while you’re sitting at the beach you’ll take in an additional 600 calories.

During the hot summer days try to stay hydrated with mostly water. Drinking mostly water is a great summer weight loss tip.

Tip #4: Careful with the Cold Desserts

Just like cool drinks, during the summer months it seems so easy to reach for ice cream after dinner to cool off. Ice cream tastes good, but it can really wreak havoc on your waistline. An occasional treat is okay, but try not to get the deluxe banana split with whipped cream, caramel, chocolate, fudge, and nuts. If you absolutely must have ice cream, consider sharing with someone else or buy 1 dessert for a group of 4. Less is more.

Tip #5: BBQ a Little Healthier

BBQ’s are a part of summer that so many people love, but a BBQ doesn’t have to be an excuse for you to pig out on all the bad stuff. Go light on the full fat beef, cheese, potato chips, coke, and beer.
Consider sharing a half of a hamburger or skip the cheese. Always seek out any fresh veggies, and limit yourself to one drink that is not water.

Tip #6: Eat Less When You Dine Out.

First, I will say that preparing your own food will help you to lose weight if you eat out often. But, when you do go out to eat during the summer months, try to eat a little less. You can cut back on restaurant calories by eliminating 1 or more courses.

Do you need the bread, appetizers, desserts, and drinks? Ask if you can have the sauce on the side, and try to order something tasty and a little healthy.

Tip #7: Aim to Eat 4-5 smaller meals throughout the day.

I know so many people rush off to work with no breakfast, and often skip or have a light lunch. Then at dinner it’s 1000 calories followed by another 500 calories of dessert. Your metabolism doesn’t like large meals. Try to eat 3-4 300-600 calorie meals and 1-2 100-200 calorie snacks throughout the day.

Hopefully, these simple eating tips will help you to lose weight. Of course, if you are really serious about losing weight then you will also incorporate exercise. Walking is a great place to start, and adding weight training will give you a significant boost. Get started and stick with it.

We like to take our pets on daily walks. After all, we are concerned with their health and should want them to remain in good shape. But beware of the unseen health risks to your pet that can be associated with the summer heat.

Presently I have 4 dogs in our kennel that are being watched this month. They range in age and their general health conditions vary, and each must be considered when taking these dogs for their walks.

The current makeup consists of 2 puppies only 3-4 months of age, an 8 year old but overweight German shepherd, and a 13 year old mix breed.

A single walking session shows the effects that summer plays on each dog’s individual condition. The two puppies are young, vibrant and full of energy, and do not hesitate at the prospect of a 20 minute walk through the woods. The 8 year old shepherd and the 13 year old mixed are also looking forward to the same walk.

Within a few moments of walking into the woods, (the woods are about 100 yards from the kennel), you can notice a considerable change form the harsh daily sun to a much cooler shaded area of the woods. At this point each dog is holding their own on this simple and short walk.

At the halfway point, now 10 minutes of walking, we take a momentary rest, more for my sake then that of the dogs. Each dog is panting quite regularly at this stage. None of them look at all tired, and none have stopped to drink any water from my bottle.

Due to a recent rainstorm the night before, we have come across an occasional puddle or two for them to wade in. This has helped them stay a little refreshed.

As we head past the 3-quarter mark of this trail, there is a considerable difference in the overweight shepherd’s desire to lead the pack. At this point, the older 13 year old mixed dog, is actually keeping a stronger pace then the young puppies, even though the puppies have stopped a number of times to rest and take on water.

By the time we reach the stretch of trail back to the kennel area, the fours dogs are showing signs of being both tired and thirsty. The last 10 feet lead straight to a waiting pool filled with fresh cold water. The older dogs take a few moments to grab a quick drink while the puppies play and splash around happily. All four dogs are taking a well deserved rest.

By and far they all show some signs of being tired. But keep this in mind that they each have reacted differently to the same walk, under the same conditions. The puppies did tend to pull more on their leashes, which will cause them to put additional stress on their collars and breathing. The overweight 8 year old, while younger showed more signs of fatigue then the older 13 year old. The mixed dog is not carrying around a lot of excess body fat. The extra weight and fat is putting additional stress on the larger dog’s legs, chest and his heart.

Be careful of walking your pets in the hot summer months. Take then out during the early morning or later evenings when it is cooler. Make sure to take water with you, for the pets and yourself, if you’re going to be walking any kind of long distance. When they get back, give them fresh clean water from a hose or kiddies pool. They have thick fur coats and only cool down through their tongues so please let them relax in the shade and take a break during the walk to make sure they are not getting to overheated.

Be careful to avoid heat strokes or other conditions that can be avoided with a few simple steps. Bottom line is that you should not risk your pet’s health simply because it is the summertime and you went for a walk.