Seasonal Summer Produce

Summer is no longer coming, it's HERE; ready or not! When shopping for a new bikini, many people will realize they waited too long to get that beach body they were hoping for. This unfortunately means feeling left with no other choice but diet pills, slimming shakes, and whatever other quick weight loss schemes they come across. These are NOT the answer! You can, however, find the answer in one of the first posts I ever wrote: The Secret to Weight Loss. 

So, since I already covered that base, I want to cover other important summer topics such as physical activity and eating in-season foods. Read on.

STAY ACTIVE:

The days are longer and the gym is less crowded. Nice weather brings all sorts of temptations; shopping, happy hour, traveling, and, of course, spending more money. I get it, no one wants to be stuck inside longer than necessary but, that doesn't mean you should abandon your fitness routine altogether. While you should enjoy yourself, don't let these temptations get in the way of your bikini bod. Have your cake and eat it too...whatever that really means. If you typically work out in the evenings after work, try heading to bed an hour earlier than normal and switch to mornings this season. The sun rises earlier, allowing for more time to get up and go for a run or bike ride before it gets too hot. For those who prefer indoor workouts, I personally find the morning gym crew to have a much more energetic vibe than those exhausted from a long days' work. This also frees up my evenings to run errands, meet up with friends, play softball, and anything else that may arise. Try it. Case in point, I have a friend who plays on a summer softball league with her fellow college alumni. Although I didn't go to school with them, she asked me one day if I could sub since they were short a player. Had I not went to the gym that morning and planned to go in the evening, I'd be left with an either/or decision to make. Since they are typically short females on their co-ed team, they've asked me to play the rest of the season... or maybe I'm just that good? Just kidding. But it's been fun re-learning the sport since I haven't played since sophomore year of high school. 

Speaking of morning workouts, yesterday, a few of my friends and I swapped out our usual Saturday morning gym class to compete in a Rugged Maniac 5K obstacle race. Not only was it nice to switch up our routine, but we were able to spend the day outside. After the race, we went straight to the registration tent to sign up to compete again next year. Planning ahead not only gives us something to look forward to, it can also save a lot of money, about $60 in this case. Of course, spontaneity is fun and keeps us on our toes but be prepared to pay a price. 

HYDRATE:

Remember to hydrate! Yes, drinking water is the easiest way to do this but eating water-rich foods such as celery, cucumber, and melon also count towards your daily intake. It doesn't get much better than pineapple or watermelon on a super hot day. We typically increase our consumption of sugary-based foods and drinks in the summer: cocktails, iced coffee, ice cream, lemonade, popsicles, etc. It's not the coffee beans and lemons we need to keep track of, it's the sugar alongside it. There's no need to cut these treats out completely but be mindful of how much and how often you are consuming it. Balance, people. 

EAT:

Eat fruits and vegetables that are in season! The food will taste better, last longer and be more affordable. Ever buy strawberries in the winter? They're expensive since they're harder to get plus they don't last nearly as long. My advice is to buy produce frozen when it is out of season. Be careful with canned fruits and veggies as they are often loaded with unnecessary salt, sugar and preservatives. Read the ingredients on the labels to know exactly what you're getting. It's also a good idea to rinse your canned produce with water before eating to eliminate some of the excess S&S but go crazy on the pepper. 

What's in season?

FRUITS:

• Apples

• Apricots

• Avocados: year round!

• Bananas

• Berries: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries

• Cherries

• Grapes

• Lemons: year round

• Mango

• Melon: cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon

• Oranges: year round

• Peaches

• Pineapple

• Plums

VEGETABLES:

• Beets: year round

• Broccoli: year round

• Carrots: year round

• Cauliflower: year round

• Celery

• Corn

• Cucumber

• Eggplant

• Garlic: year round

• Green Beans

• Leafy Greens: arugula, kale, collard greens, spinach, Swiss chard: year round

• Mushrooms: year round

• Onion: scallions, shallots: year round

• Peas

• Peppers, all

• Potatoes: all but sweet

• Radishes

• Summer Squash: yellow, zucchini

• Tomatoes

SEAFOOD:

• Clams

• Cod

• Oysters

• Salmon

• Tilapia

• Tuna

OUT OF SEASON (to name a few): 

• Asparagus

• Brussels Sprouts

• Cranberries

• Crab

• Grapefruit

• Kiwi

• Kohlrabi

• Limes

• Olives

• Pears

• Walnuts

• Winter Squash (Duh): acorn, butternut, pumpkin, spaghetti

PROTECT YOURSELF:

Having a German and Irish background I really don't have tanning genes; it's more of a burn and peel type of cycle. Since moving to New York, I no longer feel the need to be tan to fit in. I'm finally free to embrace my natural paleness which saves me time, money from lotions and fake baking, and most importantly, my health. My dad's father passed away in 2000 from melanoma. Skin cancer is preventable; be smart, use sunscreen, wear sunglasses and do everything else you can to protect yourself. But wait; there's more. Did you know certain foods have UV-protective properties? That's right; foods containing phytochemicals* help your body defend against harmful UV rays.

*Phytochemicals: chemicals primarily found in plant-based foods which contain protective and disease preventive properties. Although numerous, a few examples of these sun-protective chemicals include the following:

• Astaxanthin: seafood

• Beta-Carotene: beets, carrots, kale, tomatoes

• EGCG: green tea

• Lycopene: beets, papaya, tomatoes, melon

• Quercetin: green beans, onion

OVERALL:

Stay active, hydrate, eat a colorful diet and wear sunscreen. In or out of season - all produce is better and healthier than the junk on shelves that never expires. 

THE END:

Summer ends on David's birthday, Saturday, September, 22. Womp, womp. 

- Mallory

SOURCES:

Hart, J. (2014). Eat pretty. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

Seasonality Charts. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://cuesa.org/eat-seasonally/charts