The “Dog Days Of August” Adventure Checklist

The “Dog Days of August” Adventure Checklist. 

Why hello there August! Commonly referred to as “The Dog Days of Summer”, the month is known for being the last chance to soak up sun before the fall season begins. It is also home to some incredibly random holidays like National Mustard Day, National Romance Awareness month,  National Creamsicle Day, and the National Polka Festival. Who knew August could be so incredible? If you’re not ready to do the Polka just yet, I thought I’d share a few other ideas that might inspire a summer adventure or two for you. Live it up and enjoy the “Dog Days of summer” before they are over!

1. Have a Fitness Adventure. Staying in shape during summer doesn’t mean choosing between having fun and staying fit. You can get your motivation revved up just by mixing it up a bit!  And thats exactly what you should do when your fitness motivation starts to dwindle. It’s extremely beneficial to branch away from a fitness routine and find other ways to make your workouts fun. Here are a few fitness adventure ideas for you. Surprise yourself and do something new!

2. Inspire an active work culture.  There are many ways to incorporate more movement into your working days without looking awkward or ticking off your boss. With the knowledge, preparation, and planning you CAN be more active in the office. Here are my TOP tips to fit more fitness into your 9-5. Trust me, every little bit counts and adding extra spurts of activity into your working days adds up! And who knows, showing your commitment to a “feel good” lifestyle might influence others to be active and inspire a healthier work culture. BE the change and make fitness part of your working world routine  🙂

3. Get Your Neon ON. I am a firm believer that life is better IN COLOR. Wearing bright clothing can raise your energy levels, make you smile, and give your workout the boost needed to go the extra mile. Invest in a bit of bright workout gear and bring your wardrobe some cheer. Try  Nike Frees or a hot lululemon athletica racerback to spice up your summer fitness attire. Guarantee all that color will make you smile.

4. Savor Seasonal Produce. Local seasonal foods are tastier, fresher and more nutritious. Why? It’s because the produce has been harvested in the last fews days and has only travelled a short distance to market. This means less packaging, processing and refrigeration. All good for the environment (no flying in food from all corners of the planet)and your health. Here is a list of fruits and veggies that are in season for August: 

    • Apples
    • Apricots
    • Arugula
    • Basil
    • Beans
    • Beets
    • Blueberries
    • Corn
    • Cucumbers
    • Dates
    • Eggplant
    • Fennel
    • Figs
    • Grapes
    • Mangoes
    • Melons
    • Nectarines
    • Okra
    • Peaches
    • Peppers
    • Plums
    • Raspberries
    • Sorrel
    • Summer squash
    • Tomatoes
    • Watermelon

And great all year:

    • Avocados
    • Bananas
    • Broccoli
    • Cabbage
    • Carrots
    • Cauliflower
    • Celery
    • Garlic
    • Ginger
    • Kiwifruit
    • Lemons
    • Limes
    • Mushrooms
    • Onions
    • Pineapple
    • Potatoes
    • Radishes
    • Scallions
    • Snow Peas
    • Spinach
    • Sprouts

Add any of the above to your shopping cart and savor a fresh colorful summer meal with those you love. Try out a few of my favorite ways to add fruits and veggies into daily meals.

5. Get Inspired by the Summer Olympics 2012. Tune in and watch top athletes compete and celebrate the beauty and art of sport. Better yet, invite friends over for a little Olympic get together. Prepare a few healthy snacks and treat yourself to an evening of quality friendships and inspirational athletic events.

6. Commit to consistent strength training. Im a huge advocate of regular strength training. Not only does it provide amazing physical results (sorry cardio queens, you’ll never get the lean muscle mass you want without strength training) it gives you long lasting health benefits. Never strength trained before? Don’t be scared! The American Council on Exercise has an extensive library of weight training moves to guide you. And you can also check out some of these informative posts:

There are lots of good tips and workout ideas in the above articles. I’d also recommend checking out an intro session with a personal trainer or asking if your gym has a free strength training equipment orientation.

 

7. Take A Hike. An active outdoor lifestyle is a great way to stay fit, and hiking is an ideal way to get and stay in shape. Hiking helps to condition your major muscle groups and cardiovascular system. Read my tips on hiking fitness and get a few excellent resources to help you find the right hiking trails for YOU. 

8. Pack A Healthy Snack. Science says snacking is good for you. The 5,000-subject-strong National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that people who ate snacks in addition to three meals a day had higher levels of nutrients in their diets. Healthy snacks are an important part of a balanced diet and can produce ultimate performance. Eating snacks through out the day can keep your energy high and your  blood sugar level from dipping. Planned snacking reduces the likelihood of choosing unhealthy foods, over-eating at meal time, or the experiencing energy “crash and burn”. Not only that, but a smart snack can POWER up your workouts and help you  achieve all your fitness goals and dreams. Here is my list of premium training snacks. Some of them are my favorites… others are client’s top picks. All of these are great to add to your August eats…. did someone say coconut? 😉

9. Get With the Group.  Break out of your workout comfort zone and make new fitness friends with a community workout event. Go to your local sports store or lululemon athletica  and inquire about different events and fitness clubs in your area. There are lots of local run clubs, bootcamps, or fitness classes that would love to have you participate.  I had a BLAST running with lululemon athletica and the SF marathon team’s run club last weekend. Check out all the friendly faces that came to our Shake Out Run in the photos from last weekend. I love making new fitness friends and cant WAIT to do it again 🙂

10. Give Thanks. Practicing gratitude can center you, help you live in the moment, enhance your relationships, help you overcome hurdles, improve your health, and motivate you to reach your goals. Showing gratitude is a great way to spread positive feelings in the world around you. When you think about it, reaching your goals starts with a single positive thought. Feeling grateful for what you have can produce the good feelings that keep you moving towards the happy life you want. A journal is one of the best ways to benefit from the the power of gratitude. Here are my 5 steps towards starting a gratitude journal practice and cultivating more positive into your life. I am a firm believer that regularly practicing gratitude has the power to change your life in ways you never dreamed possible. Challenge yourself to keep a journal for August and fill the month happiness simply by giving thanks.

Looking forward to an amazing month filled with adventure and health! Hope to see YOU soon for an August workout!

With Gratitude,

Caroline

Other Things To Check Out This Week:

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