When we step out of one major part of our routine, it can sometimes cause a ripple effect that leads to the rest of our routine getting thrown out the window.  If you're worried about staying on track with your healthy lifestyle through the hot summer days, this blog is for you. We'll be sharing tips and tricks to stay healthy this summer without sacrificing on the fun, the flavor, or the memories.

Don't Give Up Your Healthy Lifestyle, Adapt It!

As the director of customer service, many folks will give me a brief explanation as to why they're skipping a month or cancelling an order.  Would you believe me if I told you that one of the top reasons people skip orders is, "We're too busy in the summer!" -- shocking, right? It's never about the product, or about the finances.  It always comes down to where you have to give your attention.

And when the kids have play dates, the sun is hot, the grass needs mowing, camping plans are being made, birthday parties are happening at 2PM, etc, etc, etc. . . putting yourself, your health, and what makes YOU feel good can sometimes end up on the back burner.  That's why we recommend these easy steps to make sure everyone feels their best this summer, not just the kids and the pets.

1. Plan Smoothies Together

Come up with family smoothie recipes that everyone loves & double the recipe for an additional summer treat.

Protein smoothies are a super power in the summer for a number of reasons.  The main one? You don't have to cook them! And when you make your protein smoothies with our allergen-friendly protein powders, you're also guaranteed to stay full for hours.  Made with all-natural ingredients and sweetened with stevia, you can start your family's day off with an insanely delicious, highly nutritious smoothie packed with protein and fiber. 

My latest hack has been doubling my smoothie recipes and turning the extra into freezer treats in the form of smoothie popsicles.  This covers a meal for the family, plus doubles as an enjoy-it-when-you-need-it cool treat in the freezer.  Check out your local dollar store for the popsicle molds, and for a pro tip: run warm tap water over the bottoms before trying to remove your frozen smoothie pops. 

Check out my Vanilla Peach recipe on our Nutracelle TikTok here:

@nutracelle

Vanilla Peach Smoothie plus a bonus freezer treat! 🍑 Get your Nutracelle on Amazon 🎉 ##fyp ##keto ##protein ##fiber ##foryou ##recipe ##allergenfriendly

♬ Good Times (Instrumental) (60s) - Track and Field

We have something for everyone 
Our allergen-friendly family products make staying on track easy, especially since they blend perfectly into a creamy delicious shake when mixed even just with water. All of our products are made in a peanut-free and tree nut-free facility.

If you're looking for our plant-based protein powder, you can check out NutraVegan here. 

Our whey-based prebiotic protein powder is Nutralean, you can check that out here.  Both of our proteins are perfect in just water, or can be blended with hot or cold liquids for a decadent, filling shake.

We also carry sugar-free, allergen-friendly gummy multivitamins for both adults and children that are so delicious they seriously taste like candy! Browse them here. 

When you create delicious food together as a family, you create more than just fully tummies, healthy bodies and memories.  You create learnings and appreciation within your family for good, nutritious, healthy foods.  There's no comparison for that. 

2. Find a family-sized cooler for your vehicle to stay hydrated on the go

It doesn't have to break the bank or be huge, but having an insulated cooler (like this one found on Amazon) in your vehicle means you can keep water, fridge-friendly snacks like pre-chopped veggies and fruits, plus other essentials safe and within reach!  This also means you can pack some protein snacks like our mess-free strawberry cream cheese balls, or even prep some heartier travel meals like these overnight oats for those longer adventures. 

Looking for more snack options? Check out these recipes! They're great for grab & go, and a cooler would keep them chilled until you're ready to enjoy. 

Did you know? One of the common reasons we grab junk food is because we're thirsty but misreading the signal!  It's important to keep water with you, especially on the hot summer days when you're exerting energy and moving around in any capacity (even just grocery shopping).  

How do you know if you're drinking enough water?
It's recommended that your daily water intake equal half of your body weight in ounces (e.g. 180 lb person would need 90 oz of water per day, or 2.6L), but on the hot days it's important to compensate for the heat by ramping up your water intake even more. Learn more about reading your body's hunger signals here.

Plus, here's a list of fruits and veggies that are surprisingly packed with liquids and healthy for you:

• Watermelon
• Celery
• Pineapple
• Bell Peppers
• Broccoli 
• Peaches

3.  Choose family activities that involve sneaky exercising!

It can be really hard to convince yourself to exercise in the heat, so instead of trying to force yourself through a solo workout... get the family involved!  There are tons of summer activity that double as exercise, here are a few of our favourites:

• Gardening
• This is a great activity for everyone in the family! Gardening requires a lot of physical exertion and body exercises.  Plus, kids tend to love getting dirty.  As an added bonus, you can plant your own vegetables and save on your grocery budget, too!
• Scavenger Hunt Hike
• Make up a list of scavenger hunt things to find, or find one online!  Research a local trail or walking park even, and try getting the kids to find neat rocks, four-leaf clovers, etc.  
• Obstacle Course Fun
• You can create a safe and fun obstacle course indoors or outdoors with pillows, blankets, and any other safe-to-climb objects you have (step stools, etc).  Don't just make it for your kids though, join them! 
• Beach Combing
• Nature Walks

Stay Ahead of Your Mental Load

These are just a few favourites of ours, but there are lots of other great summer activities you can do to keep your family healthy and happy.  Summer doesn't have to mean reverting back to habits you've worked hard to replace.  It can mean continuing on those habits and learning how to incorporate them into your summer fun.  

The biggest benefit will be reducing your back-to-school stress.  It's hard enough getting back into the swing of things but if you're also trying to re-focus your healthy lifestyle and get back to eating right... you're just asking a lot of yourself. 

Stay ahead of the stress and try to work your healthy options into your summer days, your kids and your mental load will thank you.