When my children were young, I was always so anxious about summertime. As a working mom, there was never enough time in the day to get everything done. While the girls were in school, I attempted to get everything done between drop-off and pick-up, but during the summer there was just no downtime. I was often creating fun for the girls while simultaneously working. Obviously, that was not a great recipe for stress reduction. What I didn’t realize was that all that outdoor fun in the summertime constituted physical activity and tons of movement.
They say a body in motion stays in motion, and although at the time it just felt like chaos, it was movement. Now that the girls are grown and I get to make my own schedule (except for work), I am much more intentional about my health and wellness. After months of bad weather and shorter days, the summer months, with their gorgeous weather and longer days, are a perfect time for a “wellness reset.â€
This winter, my sweet angel Parker gained six pounds. The average American gains between one and two pounds during the winter. Since we control our furry friend’s caloric intake, the only thing that changed during the bad weather was his level of movement. Now that the weather is better, we are both out walking at least two miles a day, which is great for both of us.
For us mere mortals, this is the time of year when all the beautiful fruits and vegetables are in season, and the warm weather just screams for us to eat lighter. Those heavy root vegetable and meat stews and soups of the winter are replaced with gazpacho and ratatouille, incorporating the abundance from our gardens and our amazing neighboring farmers.
It’s a great time to re-evaluate what our bodies need and find fun ways to incorporate movement. For me, the opening of Aneu’s beach locations is an amazing time for long walks on the beach. Josh, our amazing executive chef, travels to Lancaster for their incredible produce, which sparks better nutrition. All of the movement and cooking exhausts me and helps me sleep better. There is more time for social connections with the longer days, and in turn my stress downgrades for a few months.
These are all the pillars of longevity I’m intentionally trying to master throughout the year that just fall in my lap in the summertime. Instagram and Facebook call it a “healthy reset.†I just call it good living. Here’s to it.
Oh, and my boy is down two pounds already. We will both be at our fighting weight by fall for sure.
With love,
