Fine Print: I was given a prize pack and Balance Bar is giving another to a reader. All opinions and statements below are my own.
Summer is the time where we more readily remind ourselves to shape-up. To cut out those sweets and try to get in gear for more things like exercise and healthy eating. While that is SUPER easy to say, it can sometimes (often?) be harder to do. Here are a few ideas provided by Holly Del Rosso, an NASM certified personal trainer:
- Take your workout outside. Outdoor workouts are challenging and refreshing so try paddle boarding, surfing, cycling, yoga in the park or group runs like a 5K.
- Eat seasonal fruits and veggies. Most fruits and veggies are at their peak during summer months and by eating them you’re adding more nutrients to your diet. Look to add a host of different colors to your meal with various fruits and vegetables. Try grilling vegetables (corn, eggplant or zucchini) for a delicious side to your dinner or add juicy fruits (blackberries, peaches and melon) to your morning breakfast.
- Find a buddy to workout with. By partnering with someone, you’re more likely to work out when you say you will and it’s also a great way to catch up with old friends. Some of my favorite “buddy workouts” include biking, outdoor dancing classes, canoeing, and of course, hiking (with a healthy picnic at the end!)
- Drink more “fun” water! It’s important to drink a plenty of water especially in the summer when you’re more prone to dehydration. I like to make infused water mocktails to make water more exciting and delicious and only adding 20 calories or less. Buy some fresh fruits, slice them up and add to your water. My favorite combinations are peaches and strawberries, strawberries and mint or cucumber and watermelon and you’ll want to drink it all day in fun infusers.
- Eat many small meals. When you eat smaller portions more frequently, your metabolic rate tends to be higher (meaning you can burn calories more easily). I always tell my clients to eat 5-6 small meals a day that are packed with nutrients, including a snack in between each meal with something like a Cookie Dough Balance Bar® which will keep you full longer and help satisfy your appetite. Balance Bar® is also a great snack to put in your purse or gym bag so you always have a nutritious snack on-hand and can avoid making those bad snack choices at that last minute and when on the go.
I recently got to try both the Peanut Butter and Cookie Dough flavors, neither of which I’d tried before. I LOVE the Peanut Butter variety. Granted, there is the undertone of the protein bar flavor that most of us are familiar with, but it is very Peanut Buttery and has the consistency of the inside of a Milky Way bar. I would totally keep these in my car or purse as a snack.
The Cookie Dough variety is very sweet. My daughter was a huge fan, but it’s a bit too sweet for me. This has a similar consistency to the Peanut Butter, but has little chocolate chips inside that provide a bit of crunch. It does smell and taste like cookie dough and you will probably enjoy it if you are a fan of the sweeter protein bars.
To keep up to date on everything Balance Bar, follow Balance Bar on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and be sure to be available for the Balance Bar Twitter chat on July 31st at 3PM!
To get everyone excited about shaping-up in celebration of summer, I am giving one lucky winner a Balance Bar Prize Pack including a variety of Balance Bars, a Ball Jar + Ball Wide Mouth Jar Infuser (perfect for fresh lemon/mint/cucumber/etc. water during your workout!) and a Balance Bar branded swag item!
To enter this giveaway, complete any or all of the options listed below. Giveaway ends 7/25. Good luck!
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