Finding the discipline and motivation to eat healthy during the summer can be just as challenging as making time to exercise. It’s not uncommon to compromise your diet plan beyond the weekly cheat meals you allow yourself. Accept these relapses and try to balance prolonged cheat meals (or days!) with healthy eating days and short, intense exercise bouts.

Here are a few tips to get back on track with eating healthy:

• Pick up where you left off before your relapse. Everyone falls off the mark when it comes to eating healthy; accept it and get back on track. After a long vacation of calorie-rich dinners and drinks, go back to eating small, nutrient-rich meals every few hours.
• Stock up on fruits and vegetables. After a diet relapse, focusing your meals on whole fruits and vegetables will help your body flush out toxins and replenish your system with antioxidants and other nutrients it may be lacking because of your relapse. I recommend snacks with fresh fruit and low-sugar yogurt as antioxidant-rich fruit provides vitamins and fiber while yogurt contains good bacterial cultures to promote digestive health.
• Re-hydrate. If you have had more than your share of drinks and barbecued meat during your relapse, be sure to drink plenty of water to hydrate and assist in flushing out your system.

In the summer, even the most devoted of exercisers may find it hard to spend any more time than they have to working out. The truth is, you don’t have to spend much time in the gym to maintain your level of fitness. If you’re in peak shape, you’ve worked hard to get a beach-ready body, then try 3 sets of this total body circuit to keep it that way! Be sure to warm-up with a walk/jog or on a cardio machine of your choice for 3-5 minutes before starting this circuit.

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With temperatures hitting record-highs here in New England, it’s hard to stay motivated to exercise. This can be the best time to enjoy all the indulgences of summer: the beach, ice-cold drinks, frozen dessert, barbecues, and anything that may involve exerting very the least amount of effort so you’ll avoid breaking into an unwanted sweat. It’s hard to stay motivated to exercise and easy to skip out on workouts in the sweltering heat.

Here are a few tips on how to stay cool and focused on on staying fit:

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