7 Easy Ways to Kick Start Your Weight Loss This Summer ...

I know, air conditioning is a lot more inviting than the 90 degree weather. However, you should NOT stay cooped inside a house all summer long! Go outside and enjoy the weather. Go take a walk in the park or even just around the block! Get all your friends to join you and it won't even feel like exercise. As long you're getting up and getting out of the house, you're making good progress. This is just one of the ways to kick start your weight loss this summer.

Swimming is GREAT exercise. If you don't have a pool accessible in your backyard, become best friends with someone who does! Of course, you could always swap the pool for a visit to the beach. Swimming is a great stress reliever! You can even make things fun by making it a sort of game between you and your friends. Who can swim more laps?

It's so easy to grab a soda or even unwind with some frozen margaritas after a long, hot day. Remember though, that's hundreds of calories right there! Try limiting that to just a few nights a week (or maybe just designate one "girls night" a week where you can sip on some chilled sangria!

Summer is usually the reason why so many people become insomniacs. Trust me, I'm guilty of this too. In the summer, I find myself binge-watching a Netflix show till 3/4 A.M. That's NO good, especially if you can't get eight hours of sleep that night. A balanced diet means nothing without getting the proper amount of sleep each night.

Did you know spicy foods trigger a feeling of fullness before bland foods? That doesn't mean you should go pouring hot sauce on everything you eat now! It just means you should add some spice into your diet. Capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their heat, speeds metabolism. A faster metabolism means your body won't be storing as much fat!

If, for you, summer means lounging around the house all day, plan your meals! Don't just walk on over to the fridge every time you think you're hungry. Thinking through exactly what you're going to eat will help you stick to your diet goals. Keep fruit handy in the fridge. That way, if you do get hungry in between meals, you can just munch on some healthy fruit!

The most important part of the weight loss puzzle is to STAY MOTIVATED! I think it's a great idea to get your friends and family involved. That way, everyone can help keep the other on track.

Well, there you have it. These are just seven out of many awesome ways to kick start your weight loss this summer. You don't HAVE to spend your summer in a gym - there are so many ways you can do it all on your own. Do you have ideas/tips to contribute to weight loss this summer?