Don’t let summer patio season stall your fitness goals.  The sunny weather and blue skies of summer give us the perfect excuse to get outside and get moving. Whether we’re enjoying time in the garden, or heading to the beach, most of us are naturally more inclined to be active during warmer months. And summer is the ideal time to start some healthy fitness goals you can keep around all year long.

Why is summer so great for fitness? It’s easier to stay motivated when our fitness activities are fun and diverse.   Experts say that within 10 weeks of starting a new healthy action, it’s likely to become a habit that we will continue doing automatically, so with several weeks of warm weather ahead, it makes perfect sense to start now. Get started with these 5 summer fitness tips.

#1.  Set Some Fun Summer Fitness Goals

The first step in any fitness plan is to set some goals. So, set fun fitness goals for summer and keep them approachable and attainable. Your goals should be specific, but not so difficult that they feel out of reach or burdensome. Small intentions go a long way.

Make a summer bucket list of fitness activities you’d like to try and put a plan in place to make it happen! Or if you’d like to stick with familiar activities like riding your bike or walking, just pick a new route or destination each time to keep it interesting. Whatever you do, finding ways to mix it up makes it more fun, and getting your friends and family involved makes it fun too.

#2.  Get Outdoors and Enjoy Summer Fitness Activities

In addition to the physical benefits of getting outside and moving more, spending time outdoors can have positive effects on mental health and well-being too.  Researchers have linked outdoor activities like hiking to better concentration, creativity, problem solving and multitasking.

Take advantage of the summer weather to try activities you’ve never tried before or that just aren’t an option when it’s cold out. Here are some fun outdoor activities to add to your summer workout routine:

• Ultimate Frisbee:  You get to work on your eye-hand coordination while torching calories, but you’ll have so much fun you will probably forget that part!
• Play Badminton: This is a great game to bring out at summer BBQs.
• Beach Volleyball: Grab a ball and head to the beach with some friends!, or try water volleyball instead!
• Mini Golf (or driving range):  Mini golf is a favorite summer activity and it is family-friendly too.
• Paddle Board: This is a great whole-body workout. It works your core, arms, lower body—everything!
• Kayaking: Join a guided kayaking tour to get a new view of a local lake or river. Bring a friend and get a tandem kayak to double the fun!
• Roller blade: Whether you opt for roller blades or go old school, roller skating is a fun outdoor activity for all ages.   Just be sure to wear some protective gear in case things get a little bumpy.’

#3.  Summer Family Exercise Activities

• • Hopscotch: Don’t just be a spectator! You get to play too and enjoy a leg workout while getting in some quality time with fam.

• Tag:  This classic game is great for getting everyone running around and giggling.
•  Baseball: Head to a nearby park for some batting practice or improvise a small family game. Set a reward for hitting home runs!
• Pick-Up Soccer:  Kicking a ball around in the backyard is a great summer workout.
• Swimming (or treading water):  If your kids are good swimmers, head to the pool and take some pool games along too. Swimming and treading water are great exercises.

#4.  Compete with Friends for Summer Fitness Motivation

If you have a wearable fitness device, competing with friends for the most steps, workouts or calories burned each week is an excellent way to stay motivated and it can be a lot of fun. You could also download a fitness app to your smartphone and connect with friends online for some healthy competition. Up the stakes with a prize! Maybe the winner gets free brunch the next weekend, or a self-care treat.

Find a fitness buddy and compete either online or in person. You’ll have way more fun that way, plus it will help you stay engaged and motivated toward those summer fitness goals!

#5.  Travel Healthy

Summer travel is something we look forward to all year long, and staying active and healthy while traveling can be even more fun than while you’re at home because there are so many new places to explore and healthy local food options to try.

So, make a game plan to stay on track while you travel! That doesn’t mean you need to plan every single aspect of your trip and take away the spontaneity, just do a little prep work so you have options. Commit to getting in daily activity and choosing healthier, nutritious options on your trip. This can be as simple as packing your workout clothes and some healthy snacks.

Enjoy Summer Fitness Fun

Have the healthiest summer yet by trying the 5 tips above for making fitness a part of your summer fun. Set summer fitness goals and explore a variety of summer activities to stay motivated, even while you travel. But remember to stay hydrated, wear your sunscreen, and get enough downtime to recover!

Do you have more ideas to share? Thare your fun summer fitness activities in the comments below!