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Suns Out, Funs In 

Tom Stevens

(Focus: How to manage eating out, How to manage alcohol and socialising, How to eat when on Holiday) 


It’s too hot. I know what you're thinking; “Tom it’s 20 degrees tops, how on earth can you be saying that.” And I know, but what you need to understand is I was born for the rain. I grew up in North Yorkshire and North Wales. If we get two days of sun in a row, that's summer. I’m already sweating buckets and want my cozy jumpers back. However there is one thing about summer I do love and that’s the increased social calendar. Barbecues, beer gardens, picnics, evenings out, holidays. 



Unfortunately for me, some of the most fun bits of the summer are often the hardest to manage. Especially when it comes to nutrition and fitness. When going out it can be challenging to find options that align with my goals. Typically I’m looking for meals that are high in protein and full of vegetables; something not usually found in most restaurants and pubs. The alternative is bringing my own meals out so I can stay on top of my macros. Something that I am vehemently opposed to doing. Going out and enjoying ourselves is just as important as sticking to our well thought out nutrition habits. 


So the question I heard you whispering from behind your screen is how on earth do we navigate this sunscreen and ice lolly battlefield? 


The first step is in organising our day. If we know we are eating out later in the day we need to proactively focus on getting our protein and vegetables in earlier in the day. Most meals out are high in carbs and fats, so we can deprioritise them in breakfast and lunch. Choose options that allow you to hit those protein goals in your early meals. That way you are free to choose what you want to eat in the evenings. We can do this by making sure we have options available in the fridge to choose from. Rather than panicking and scrambling on the day, go shopping the day before and plan your meals in. This works exceptionally well when going on a self-catered holiday too. 



It’s quick and easy to cook some scrambled eggs and throw together a simple fruit salad to start your day off, no matter where you are in the world. It’s even easier if you're out in an all inclusive resort. Breakfast buffets can be a minefield but if you dig deep you can find exactly what you're looking for. Sticking to the egg, fruit and fresh vegetable stations can give you a healthy start to the day. There’s plenty of time to indulge in pastries and sweet treats out and about in town where you are going to find better quality and tastier portions. If you know your going to be out for the day, load up on breakfast. Most of the time you're going to have to dive into somewhere random for lunch without knowing what’s available. Make life easy. Eat a big nutritious breakfast so you can stop worrying. 


The second thing we can do is to check the menu before we head out to eat. Look for options that are higher in protein and have some vegetables in. That’s not to say we can’t go out and indulge on a burger or some delectable desserts (especially if we have pre loaded our day with protein as above) but oftentimes there are some great unsung heroes on menus that we might skip over for old faithfuls. Having a gander at the menu beforehand can also help you relax when you're out at the restaurant knowing that you have good options available to you. 



Thirdly, carve your own path. Just because your family or friends are going for a particular option doesn’t mean you have to. You have a goal that you are working towards. If that means you go for the cesar salad because that’s more aligned to your success, go for that. It’s always up to you. You are the commander of your own ship. Alternatively if you’ve been nailing your nutrition for the week, one little burger isn’t going to ruin your progress. Everything is about moderation. Take the 80:20 rule into consideration. 80% of the time you are eating food conducive to your goals. 20% of the time you let yourself have food that might not be as healthy but makes you happy. That 20% helps you stick to your habits better and allows you to have meals out without worrying. 


Summer fun and alcohol always seem to go hand in hand these days. You walk through London in the months of June through September and on every street corner is a packed out beer garden, people spilling out of the doors and into the streets or parks littered with picnic blankets and tinnies. British culture is heavily steeped in our beverage consumption. There is nothing wrong with this at all. We just have to be a little bit more mindful in the summer so that we’re not out every night. A good rule to follow when out drinking is 1:1. For every alcoholic beverage you have, try and have a glass of water in between. This is going to do two things. Firstly, it will fill our stomach a touch and dilute the alcohol so that you end up drinking a little less. Secondly, you’ll be considerably more hydrated meaning that the next morning's hangover is going to be a thing of the past. The benefit of this is that it means you won't have to miss your morning fitness class and you can stay right on track. 



Summer is amazing and you should go out and enjoy every minute of it. Don’t let your fitness and nutrition goals hold you back from having the best time socialising and holidaying. The same works in reverse. It’s all about finding balance and implementing a few quick strategies so that you can keep your progress bar ticking forwards while having fun. That way the next time the temperature gauge goes over 20 degrees and I’m complaining about the weather you’ll be enjoying every minute. It’s still too hot though. 

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