Sunshine, patios, beaches. The great outdoors! It’s pretty obvious even in just a couple words why summer is most people’s favorite times of year! But have you pondered why you’re happier? Maybe you even seem to feel better or weigh less in summer, and with patios comes cold beverages, so how could you lose weight drinking more? Let’s dive in.
I go outdoors a lot more in summer, and I tend to notice a lot more people outside, don’t you? Being outside means yard work, walks, playing around, and being active! Being active regardless of the gym is burning a lot of calories! Burning lots of calories most days of the week compared to just hitting the gym in winter, let’s say, is going to ensure weight loss.
Even if you’re drinking and eating more, you’re likely burning maybe 2-4 times more calories per day than normal, depending on how much stuff you’re doing and how much you’re moving.
This also works two-fold. A lot more of us are staying so busy through the entire day that our meal-frequency changes.
A lot of people go from eating 3-4+ times per day to having maybe a big breakfast and supper, or lunch and supper, and some days only supper. So even though you are having drinks, you probably had a lot of those calories prior to summer in food alone.
Being more active, and consuming less overall, are the main factors attributed to losing weight in the summer.
Why do we tend to feel so good? If you’re in the Midwest, we don’t see near as much light most of the year as we do in the summer.
Vitamin D! The most essential nutrient that you should be supplementing if you are not, and that’s regardless of your exposure to sunlight! Vitamin D we get from sunlight exposure, just as plants need the sun to survive, as do we. Feeling even just a few minutes of sunlight, if you’ve never noticed, can enhance mood dramatically.
Maybe you’ve never paid attention, but at least for me I feel much better all around in summer. I always feel less anxious, less depressed, and just overall way more comfortable. Ever felt exhausted after a long day in the sun and slept well? That’s Mother Nature telling you you had a good day.
Connecting with nature by hiking, working in the yard, going to the beach, etc. has some sort of natural effect on us, and makes us feel better. Studies have shown that going back to our natural roots (getting into nature) can decrease the mind-racing, anxiety, and even depression.
Summer is a season of beauty, but it’s also a season of good health. Weighing less will make you feel better, the sun makes you feel better. Connecting with nature will make you happier and less stressed. Getting sun will increase your mood and decrease depression and anxiety. Being more active helps you feel better by lubricating your joints and getting the blood flowing. This is why you feel better in summer. This is why most people LOVE summer!
B3FIT 