Mornings spent transporting your children to summer camp. Evenings hosting barbecues with your friends. Weeks spent away from home on holiday. For all its sunny, cheerful vibes, summer can really disrupt your usual fitness routine. And while it can be tempting to replace your trips to Orangetheory with more time outdoors, you might want to avoid neglecting your normal routine too quickly.
Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Consistent exercise not only protects your body against chronic diseases and weight gain, but it can also improve your self-esteem, mood, sleep quality, and energy levels. The problem is, consistency can be a tricky thing. Fall off the workout horse, so to speak, and you might find yourself struggling to get back in the saddle.
“When routines are disrupted, it can sometimes be difficult to get into the swing of things once you’re ready to initiate that change again,” says Orangetheory research scientist Brittany Masteller, PhD. “Making memories and having experiences with family during the summer months can mean shifting priorities without completely giving up on your fitness routines.”
If you’re feeling your motivation stalling (or simply your free time dwindling), we’re here to help. “Hectic seasons in life will always come and go,” says Masteller. “Remember, any physical activity is better than none!” Here are some tips for making the most of your workouts this summer:
Complete a seasonal reset. During the school year, your routine is set, but as soon as summer starts, you can’t attend any of your normal Orangetheory classes. Maybe attending in-studio workouts less frequently would suit your schedule better? That’s perfectly fine, just adjust mindfully. “When someone consistently engages in a behaviour, it builds confidence,” says Masteller. “So if someone wants to reduce their attendance for a season, I would encourage them to make it a conscious, planned decision rather than a result of poor planning or cancelling classes.”
Assign your pinch hitters. The great part of a routine is you don’t have to think about it. It’s automatic. To recreate that auto-pilot feeling, create a list of suitable alternatives to your usual gym routine. An hour's walk on the beach. A body-weight circuit you can do anywhere. These don’t have to match in effort or intensity. Your aim is to have options that make it easy to tick the box on doing something instead of nothing.
Create a weekly schedule. Speaking of planning…don’t try to set a fitness routine for the entire summer. Instead, take things one week at a time. Assess what you have going on in the coming week and plan your workouts accordingly. Aim for at least one in-person fitness class each week, even when you’re travelling. Why? According to researchers, receiving verbal praise during your workout can actually help you perform exercises even better next time (even if you’re on your own).
Embrace the indoors. While it feels great to be outside more often in summer, workouts based on heart rate zones are quickly adjusted in extreme heat conditions. With record high temperatures being reported all across the country, this is where your fitness studio really comes into play! You can always increase the intensity of your circuit training safely from the air-conditioned surroundings of your gym. Not only does that mean you can maximise your workouts—even if they’re less frequent than usual—but by avoiding the heat while exercising, you'll reserve more energy for outdoor activities. (On the move a lot this summer? Find an Orangetheory fitness studio or local gym near you wherever you are.)
Focus on “instant” results. Forget any kind of “beach body” goals or lofty weight-loss ambitions—they’re not actually helpful. Instead, focus on instant gratification. Researchers found that people who tracked the immediate results after a workout—like feeling happier, more energetic, and less anxious—exercised 34 percent more over the course of a year than those who focused on weight loss or appearance goals. Will getting to the gym make you a more patient parent or partner? Will you have more energy, eat better throughout the day, or sleep better at night? All pretty solid reasons to get your sweat on if you ask us!
