Can you believe there was a time in your life when you could eat hot dogs every day, go to bed at 8 o’clock, and wear whatever you wanted? Well, good news: It’s time to find your inner child again. Here are some easy instances where it’s actually great to kid around.
Refuel with chocolate milk. With carbohydrate and protein, chocolate milk helps muscles refuel and recover faster after exercise—even better, in fact, than commercial sports drinks. This means you’ll be less sore tomorrow and more likely to stick to your summertime fitness program. And it delivers calcium for strong bones, too. Choose a low-fat or nonfat variety and keep it in a nonclear bottle so you’ll always have some stashed from the kids.
Hoop it up. Want to get a body like Beyonce’s? Hula Hooping, a backyard craze from the 1950s, is making a comeback as an adult fitness activity, and she’s one of its stars. While the traditional toy-store hoops mainly work your core, new weighted varieties and creative workouts tone your entire body, raise heart rate, and burn up to 600 calories per hour. Visit hoopnotica.com to learn all about Hoopdancing and more.
Work out with Wii. With the money you would have blown on a gym membership or an infomercial ab machine that you’d rarely use, buy a Nintendo Wii. The American Council on Exercise recently studied the popular video game system and found that it delivers a worthwhile workout. Wii boxing is best, busting 216 calories per half-hour, followed by tennis (159), baseball (135), bowling (117), and golf (93). Even if you don’t have kids, it’s a fun way to get fit.
Have a hot dog. Okay, so the frank isn’t the most healthful cookout option, but if you dress it right, it can be good for you. Add onions, which may lower cholesterol, some mustard, which may fight tumors, and don’t forget the vitamin-packed tomatoes in ketchup. For an added boost, top with a slice of cucumber, then close your eyes, take a bite, and imagine you’re next to dad at the ballpark.
Go barefoot. Sometimes we forget, in the middle of all the vacation itineraries and pool parties, that the best ways to celebrate summer are often the simplest. So take off your sandals and treat your feet to a walk across the cool grass. For once, forget about getting your feet dirty or stepping on something icky. This is the feel of freedom, girl. Curl your toes around it.
Decadent (yet smart!) desserts
