Don’t Leave Home Without These

My husband and I are doing a lot of mini-vacations this summer.  That’s got me thinking about items I want to make sure I take with me, especially in hot weather.

Enjoy looking for shells at the beach with your summer essentials for fitness!

Here’s my list for Baby Boomers and older adults:

1)  Water bottle

I know you can buy water any time during your trip, but why bother?  Just bring a sturdy water bottle that you can keep re-filling with cool water and ice as needed.

General goal:  Aim to drink half your weight in ounces.  For example, 150 lb. body weight translates to 75 oz. water per day.

2)  Sun screen

I love the sun, and with my Italian heritage, I tan easily.  But I’m also aware of the dangers of sun exposure, so I wear sun screen on my face, neck, and arms daily.

General goal:  Apply a sunscreen with SPF of at least 30, every two hours.

3)  Nuts

Nuts are a versatile and highly portable snack.  Pick your favorite variety, they’re all full of protein, fiber, and healthy fats  (walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, and pecans are considered heart-healthy snack choices).  But they’re also high in calories, so limit the amount to one ounce.

General goal:  Consume 1 ounce of nuts 3+ times per week.

4)   Dried fruit

Like nuts, dried fruits are nutritional powerhouses, i.e., lots of nutrition and calories in a small amount of fruit.

General goal:  A serving of dried fruit counts towards your fruit and vegetable goal of 5 – 10 servings per day.

5)  A way to track activity

Set a goal for steps, walking minutes, or other physical activity before you leave for a trip.  Then you can track walking with an activity tracker or pedometer.  On the other hand, what I like about tracking minutes is that you can include bicycling and swimming along with walking.

General goal: 10,000 steps per day or 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week.

6)  A great personal development book

Whether it’s food, fitness, finances, or feeling good about the world, here are some of my favorite reads:

  • You Are a Badass at Making Money, Jen Sincero
  • The Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod
  • Get Up! Why Your Chair is Killing You and What You Can Do About It, James A. Levine
  • 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, Patricia Schultz
  • The Blue Zones:  Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest, Dan Buettner

General goal:  Improve thyself and have fun!

For other fitness ideas to keep you healthy this summer, give me a call!

We can discuss some practical tips and discover if any of my programs or classes are a good fit for you.
If you’d like to schedule that call with me, just CLICK THIS LINK, and let me know in the message that you would like a 1-on-1 call with me right away and I will be in touch to schedule that – oh, and leave me your phone number in there too since email is not as reliable as it used to be! Thanks.

Lisa Teresi Harris is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer and author of the book Building Your Enduring Fitness.  A certified Geri-Fit Instructor, she helps Boomers and seniors to regain and keep muscle strength, mobility, and energy.
Contact Lisa to inquire about a customized, in-home fitness program for you or a loved one.

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