I am active year round, but I won’t lie, it just seems easier to be more active in the summer: longer days, warmer days, lighter clothes. Sometimes during the winter it just seems so hard to be changing into and out of fitness clothes, and as much as I love my fitness clothes, they just don’t keep me super warm, even inside, when it’s freezing outside.
During the summer, though, it’s really easy to change in and out of clothes. There’s more light in the evenings, and while I’ll never be an evening person, even I can get out for the odd evening workout now and again during the summer.
I’m talking about how my fitness changes in the summer for today’s Friday Five from Cynthia from You Signed Up for What?, Courtney from Eat Pray Run DC, and Mar from Mar on the Run.
Swimming
I love to swim, I always have. In a lake, in a pool, everywhere except the ocean — I’m not overly fond of salt water (or jellyfish). One of my dreams is to have a house with an enclosed lap pool. We actually looked at a house like that up here, online — the house itself was a garish disaster so we never actually viewed it, but part of me wanted that lap pool so badly.
I swim once a week in the summers — every once in a while twice a week if I can fit it in. I don’t do it because I’m going to “tri”, I don’t do it because it’s good cross training (it is), I do it because it makes me feel good.
Daytrips
Darlene and I basically walked (with a bit of running thrown in) a half while we were in New York City. No joke!
I didn’t get quite so many steps in on our daytrip to Bennington, but it’s fun to explore on your feet.
We really hadn’t done much in the way of daytrips until this summer, but we often don’t take vacation during the summer (yet another FOMO opportunity for me), so this year I’m trying to switch things up a little.
Trying new stuff
I took my first in-store yoga class at Athleta after one group run. I’m eyeing either kayaking or a SUP class in the near future, things I keep saying I want to try, but haven’t yet.
I’m getting FOMO (fear of missing out) with all you kayaking and SUPing bloggers!
More walking
During the winter it gets dark so early I can’t walk with Lola and Mr. Judy in the afternoons. I try to get us out a few times a week after dinner during the summer.
During the spring, before it heats up, I’ll often take Lola for a couple of shorter walks a day. One in the morning, and one in the afternoon to get the mail.
That’s my go-to suggestion for people who want to get more steps in: get in a dog! Or visit a shelter if you don’t have a dog — they almost always have a dog walking program and it’s a win-win for both the people and the dogs.
Splitting up my strength training
It doesn’t always happen, but in the last few weeks I’ve been trying to do shorter sessions of strength training on most days by doing upper body one day, lower body the next, and abs most (but not all) days.
Talk to me. Leave a comment or answer a question:
Have you tried a new fitness activity you love recently?
Do you find it easier to be active in the summer?
What is the best thing you have eaten this week?
Chocolaterunsjudy 
I split up my lifting too! Mainly back/chest on different days. My lower body exercises are all low impact stuff due to some ITB troubles I have so I try to do those 5 days a week. It’s not heavy or anything, more like PT exercises.
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I don’t always split it up, but in the summer when I’m more likely to be in wo clothes I do it more.
Thankfully, at the moment, my IT is cooperating with me (never know how long that’ll last), so I can do some high impact stuff. Or at least medium impact. 🙂
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I definitely think it is easier to get your runs in the summer. I am not a big swimmer. But I have tried both kayaking and paddling boarding. Both fun and a great workout!
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Easier if you don’t live in the South!
I swear I’m gonna try either kayaking or SUP this summer! I’m putting it out there!
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I’m active all year and it’s actually harder to get up early to workout in the summer because it stays light so late (but I’m not an afternoon/evening runner).
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I do tend to sleep a little later in the summer, too (when I’m lucky).
Usually I’m a morning runner, but sometimes in the summer I do afternoon/evenings. Sometimes it’s because of friends, sometimes it’s because of meetings.
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I want to try SUP too, everyone seems to love it. I like swimming but only in a pool. Lake or ocean ? Never. Too cold and don’t like the open water (or the fact I can not see the bottom !)
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I grew up swimming in lakes so I like it; not particularly fond of the ocean because of salt water and jellyfish, although as a kid I loved it.
I do find it’s easier, in some ways, to swim in a pool. It’s actually been forever since I swam in a lake — we used to go to a lake near my inlaws when we first got married, but that was 30 or so years ago!
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That is awesome you swim!
I do not really love summer, my 10 hour work days suck the energy right out of me.
Winters are so much easier here, I get a lot less snow than you 🙂
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10 hrs (and that travel) would definitely suck the life out of me, too! But you do get all that summer vacation. We rarely go on vacation in the summer-my husband doesn’t like crowds.
But I love summer! We need it after our winters, even when it was mild like this year.
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My routine doesn’t change much for summer – except maybe more cycling. I’ve got SUP FOMO too!
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I’m trying SUP tomorrow 🙂 I definitely find it easier to squeeze in more fitness during the summer. Winter just makes me tired . . .
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I don’t go in the water until it warms up – like August and then it’s just to cool off.
Tennis seems to be my summer sport.
Not motivated to run esp without a serious half until Dec. (don’t quote on that, I may do more but probably not train for them)
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I thought you were already signed up for one in Sept? Half, that is. A small break from running probably isn’t a bad thing — or just a little less of it.
OTOH, it helps me a LOT with stress!
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It got cancelled. I may do Palio but I may not. Ramble fest is in October
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Summer should be easier for me because I don’t work in the summertime, but I think a few things make summer motivation really hard for me. For one, I’m sleeping in every day so it’s hard to get moving and my energy is fairly low all day. For another, it’s freaking hot!! 🙂 But I’m glad you’re enjoying switching up your fitness stuff and staying active in the summer!
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I really wish I could sleep in.
When we lived in TX, I called it reverse cabin fever — yeah, it was hard to be outside during the summer (and the mosquitoes).
We can get into the 90s here, but it’s the exception, not the rule — it’s our reward for the hard winters!
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If I lived close to a shelter, I would so sign up for a dog walking program. What a brilliant idea! I saw Darlene talk about SUP. Is that the boogie board thing where you stand on it? It’s good that you stay so active… total health and happiness!!
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Not sure about the total health & happiness thing, but it does help, anyway.
Have a happy 4th!
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