The heatwave is here, and it's glorious!
However, keeping healthy during the warmer weather is definitely not easy.
One ice cream can turn into three, as the weather forecasters convince us to put away our summer brollies and indulge as the temperatures soar.
The gym is most definitely the last on our to-do list as we swap the weights to become professional back garden sunbathers. However, we have six easy-peasy ways to enjoy the sun whilst maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Beach workouts
As the sun starts to retire for the evening, it’s your cue to grab a friend and hit the beach. A walk, run or workout will put you through your paces as sand is very unforgiving. It will give you that athletic edge as you need to push yourself to just maintain your balance. Beach yoga or a gentle stroll is a great way to reconnect with nature and give back to your body after a hard day at work. The best part of it all: it’s free!
Hydration station
The Dublin Fire Brigade has recommended we chug down at least two and a half litres of fluids during this hot spell. Achieving that goal isn’t as straightforward as it sounds, as you can often find yourself questioning just how much you have or haven’t consumed. To become a hydration queen, preparation is key. Freezing your favourite drinks or getting the kids involved and trying your hand at making fresh juices and lemonade, will certainly be a step in the right direction for that crown.
At work, you can reuse an old milk bottle or plastic bottle, and mark out time goals for how much water you want to have consumed by that time of the day. Visuals will keep you motivated to hit that drinking target!
Soak up some Vitamin D
We are constantly told that we don’t get enough vitamin D in Ireland, thanks to the sunshine's love of playing hide-and-go-seek. Now that it has finally decided to be found, it’s time to soak up its benefits. Ten to fifteen minutes of direct sunshine on your skin without suncream will do the trick to reap the awards. Of course, lash the suncream on straight after to avoid damaging your skin. Vitamin D is crucial to our overall health and can protect against inflammation, help muscles and improves brain function.
Avoid alcohol
An ice-cold crisp cider to clench your thirst may sound appealing, but you may be dehydrating yourself further. In order to avoid heat stroke and to stay hydrated, HSE guidelines recommend avoiding alcohol altogether as the temperatures soar. Additionally, alcohol can impact your workout and fitness levels. Your liver has to work to break down the drinks which leads to cardio performance, endurance and your sleep being negatively affected.
Park life
Your mental health is just as important to your health as your physical ability. During the warmer evenings, plan meet-ups with friends and family, grab a blanket and head to your local park, field or garden. Not only is it a great excuse to have a chat and unwind, you feel like you’ve made the most of the weather. If friends aren’t free or it’s your turn to put your kids to bed, go for a stroll with a podcast when mummy time is over and adult time commences.
Healthy meals / food prepping
We don’t need to look very hard to find an excuse not to cook! The thought of spending the evening slaving over a hot oven in this heat is just unbearable. It’s salad weather and that doesn’t mean your standard lettuce, onion and some tomatoes. Get creative and add in fruit such as pomegranate, seeds, nuts and a variety of fresh produce. If you want a cooked meal, but time is of the essence, then GourmetFuel® is the lifesaver you’ve been waiting for. They've got all your nutrition sorted at a click, so all the hard work is done for you.
By Sorcha McManigan
Staff Writer
