7 Tips To Stay Lean Over Summer

Easy to follow tips to stay lean this summer

With many parts of the country enjoying warm weather already, and with the rest following shortly, it’s time to go over 7 tips to stay lean over summer. Hopefully you stay fairly lean year around, but many like to get their leanest before summer.  You have worked your tail off in the gym, followed a sensible diet to get your beach body. You have a nice set of abs, and a V-taper to rock a dapper swim trunk.

Summer brings a lot of social gatherings such as swim parties, BBQs, boating activities, and many other fun things that involve a lot of food and alcohol. You don’t want to blow all your hard earned work so what can you do? I will lay out 7 tips that will help you keep your beach body over summer, while enjoying all that life has to offer.

1. Give yourself permission to eat more than you are accustomed to. Don’t be on a diet during the summer event(calorie deficit); eat at maintenance to slightly above. It is very important to allow this.  Your mind is a very powerful tool. Having a negative mindset about eating more than usual is a sure-fire way to gain fat. Negative association with food sets off a chain reaction of hormones in the body. Being positive, grateful, and cherishing the food you eat can truly let you eat more without negative effects. Do a simple Google search of the “French Paradox.”
2. Slow down and chew the damn food. Most guys eat their food like a dog who is food-aggressive. If you look around, you’ll see that the majority eat like someone is going to steal their food. SLOW down and CHEW your food thoroughly. Notice how many more flavors you taste when you actually slow down to chew and savor the food. There is a lot of physiology that goes into chewing your food, and allowing the saliva and enzymes in your mouth to do their magic. Scarfing your food down like a dog skips a lot of this process and your body never gets the proper messages that you are full and satiated. In fact, if I could only give one damn rule for summer it would be to slow down and chew your food.
3. Enjoy a big cup of black coffee in the morning. Learning to push your first meal of the day back a few hours has a great effect. It allows you to eat more calories in a smaller window of time. This lends to slightly bigger meals, and who doesn’t like to eat full satiating meals? A long with enjoying some black coffee in the morning, I would recommend to combine that with some intermittent fasting. No, you don’t need a 24 hour fast, or anything crazy like a 4 hour eating window, but learning to go a little longer without food is a solid habit. A lot of people eat to eat, and aren’t even hungry. But giving yourself permission to go without food for longer periods of time can help eliminate the need for my next rule.
   

   I’ve grown to love a nice cup of black coffee.

4. Cut out the BS snacking. You’re not a damn cow who grazes in a field all day. Eat 2-3 nice square meals. Eat like men did in the early 19th century. Don’t let all the fad BS diets, and the “you have to eat every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism working” marketing get to you. In fact, eating bigger meals has been shown to increase your testosterone levels. Having higher T-levels alone helps keep you lean and muscular.  If you must snack, learn to eat an apple or another piece of fruit. You don’t need to constantly snack between meals. This tip can help a lot of people cut out a lot of unneeded extra calories.
5. Eat food you really enjoy. A lot of summer parties have tons of variety. You don’t have to try everything. Instead eat the foods you know you like and enjoy. All the little extra scoops and servings of dishes you don’t love or just want to try can add up to a lot of extra calories you don’t need. Pick the foods you love and enjoy them.
6. Leave the sweets at the table. This might be the most controversial tip I provide as many want to enjoy desserts. But I find it’s better to eat more real food, and skip the dessert. Desserts can give you the false feeling of wanting more rather easily. One piece of cake leads to a second or even a third serving. If you are the type who can’t pass on dessert, then bring some high quality chocolate. A good dark chocolate is very satisfying and can curb that dessert craving with just a piece or two.
7. Beer, wine, and drinks with umbrellas in them are all fun and tasty. However, they usually have a lot more calories than a simple spirit and soda. Learn to enjoy a Vodka soda with a lime or lemon. This will provide you the most bang for your buck. Avoid the Whiskey and Coke, as the Coke has a lot of sugar and a few of them add up quickly. Instead, make summer parties the time you enjoy a spirit with soda. Vodka soda with a lime or lemon is my go to. 2-3 of those won’t kill your abs and you can enjoy the alcoholic effects without going overboard on calories or adverse effects on your sobriety. Please do not drink and drive.
   

   Vodka Soda

Wrapping It all Up

By following the 7 tips above you’ll be able to enjoy all the fun events that come with summer. There is no substitute for being consistent with your training and diet in the long run. But there is no point in your beach-body journey if you can’t enjoy what life has to offer as well.

So don’t skip a summer party, or fun outdoor event in fear of ruining all your progress. Continue with your nutrition and training, but when you go to enjoy yourself, following the above 7 tips will let you keep all your hard earned work, which is a beautiful thing.

Be Fit. Dress Great!

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