My Summer Fitness Goals
If I'm being honest, I was starting to feel a little burnt out by some of the habits that shaped my routine over the winter. Not because they weren't working but as the seasons change, I've learned that my wellness routine needs to evolve with them.
Summer feels different because the days are longer. The weather invites me outside. Fresh foods are everywhere. Life naturally becomes more active. So instead of forcing myself to follow the exact same routine that served me in January, I'm giving myself permission to shift.
Moving Away From Tracking
One of my biggest goals this summer is to eat more mindfully and less mechanically. For me, summer has always been the easiest season to practice mindful eating without feeling like I'm "falling off the rails."
The food feels lighter. The produce is fresher. Backyard barbecues, farmers markets, fruit bowls, salads, grilled proteins. It all feels more aligned with how my body naturally wants to eat this time of year. And, after spending months focused on hitting numbers, I'm looking forward to reconnecting with hunger cues, fullness cues, and simply enjoying food.
Chasing More Steps
If there's one metric I want to see rise this summer, it's my daily step count. Time outside is incredibly important for my mental health. There's something about morning sunshine, evening walks, and fresh air that no supplement, workout program, or productivity hack can replicate.
My goal is to build a rhythm of both a morning walk and an evening walk whenever possible. Because I know I feel better when I spend more time outside.
Making Strength Training Feel Fun Again
Strength training isn't going anywhere. But I do want it to feel a little more athletic this summer. Lately, I've found myself craving more movement patterns that resemble sports conditioning rather than traditional bodybuilding style workouts. I still want to build strength and challenge myself. I just want my workouts to feel a little more dynamic, and energizing.
Exploring Running Again
Another area I'm slowly leaning back into is running. I've learned that the fastest way for me to hate running is to force myself to run continuously before I'm ready. Instead, I've been using interval training. This looks like 5-8 minutes running followed by 2 minutes of jog/walking. It's approachable, sustainable, and allows me to build endurance without dreading the process.
As my stamina improves, I'd love to spend more time working in Zone 3 cardio and continue challenging myself in new ways.
A Different Kind of Progress
Of course, I still want to see physical progress this summer, but if I'm being truthful, that's not my primary focus right now. This season feels more like a reset for my mind than a transformation for my body.
I want my fitness routine to include; more sunshine, more walks, more fresh air, more movement that feels good, more moments that remind me why I started this journey in the first place.
If physical progress follows, that's wonderful. This summer, I'm measuring success by how connected I feel to my life, not just by what the scale says.
