Let me guess. You are just like me. You love food. And eating. And fueling yourself with healthy-delicious foods. Smoothies. Colors, fruity flavors, frosty bliss. You love a good baking sesh as a treat. Cookies, chocolate, vanilla. Comfort sweets. You are a healthy snack king or queen. Hummus, energy bars, fresh fruit bowls, kale chips. And of course dinnertime, you create a feast and end your day on a satisfying note. You may even snap photos of your amazing eats on your phone.
Well, if any of that sounds familiar, you are one step away from knowing what it feels like to be a food blogger. Constantly surrounded by your favorite foods, sharing them, embracing deliciousness and loving every minute of it. So with all this eating and fueling, it is so important to balance things out and stay active!
Food Fitness Balance. So I decided to ask my food blogger friends, who I know are experts in food/fitness balance. I asked them what they do in summertime to stay active and fueled up. Their responses are awesome! From paddle boarding, to cat dance parties, fun runs, gardening and magical hiking sessions. These fitness ideas greatly inspired me, and I hope they will inspire you as well..
"To me, fitness in summer is less about "fitness goals" and more about healthy habits and loving your fitness routine." - kathy
Summertime is the perfect time to revive your fitness routine. Summer weather is begging you to get outside and move! Seek out a magical outdoor space and feel your body sway with the earth. Overhead, crisp summer sunshine spreads over the horizon and warm breezes swim through your hair as you glide along. Birds singing in swaying summer trees and the smell of coconut butter sunscreen in the air.
Summer Wellness. Vacay time. Family time. School is out. Less stress, we hope. And time to focus on two factors of wellness: diet and exercise. So today, we get plenty of advice and inspiration on that.
How I Got These Quotes. I posted an open question to my Finding Vegan bloggers group via Facebook. (ps. if you are a food lover, browse + join FV!)
Join in the Conversation. Leave a comment and share YOUR fave summertime workout + fuel recipe too, I would love to hear them.
46 Ways to Stay Fit and Fueled in Summer! - by vegan-friendly food bloggers
I kick things off with my response!..
1. SoCal Sunshine Workouts + Wellness Fitness. "I adore riding my bike along the beach bike path here in LA, hiking the many trails near the city and taking long strolls through new neighborhoods and exploring, sometimes with food destinations in mind - balance!
But my favorite mind/body/spirit summertime activity is fitness focusing on wellness, calming my stress level, putting less on my to-do list and centering myself by reflecting on my goals, total mind/body/spirit wellness, big dreams, tiny everyday pleasures, art, exploration and family time. To me, fitness in summer is less about "fitness goals" and more about healthy habits and loving your fitness routine.
When I am inside during the workweek, I do love turning up some music and dancing or popping in one of my fave summer-themed workout DVDs. Right now I am loving the Tone it Up Beach Babe DVDs complete with ocean view locations. They are super fun and really work quickly to tone and use every muscle in your body! And Katrina and Karina are super fun to "work out with.
And to fuel up for all that summer fun You guys know I love a tall, frosty, creamy watermelon ice cream or a matcha protein shake!" - Kathy P, HealthyHappyLife
2. Yoga on the Rocks. "Yoga, on the rocks, was nothing short of an emotional experience. During practice on this morning, the instructor insisted that the students open their eyes and really LOOK at the surroundings. Beautiful rock formations, blue skies, and a bright, sunny sky." - Crista L, peace love quinoa
Yoga on the rocks..
3. Fitness with Furry Friends. "My dachshund gets me up early, and we often go for a hill run when it is still cool. I play tennis in the mornings too, or indoors if it is too hot! My Ginger Vanilla Protein Crunch Bars are a perfect carb + protein post activity snack!" - Kristina S, Spa Bettie
Kristina's bars..
4. Morning Walk with the Birdies. "My favourite summer activity is a morning walk. I like to head out early, and walk around the lake near my house, and listen to the birds as they start their day. It really helps me to clear my mind for the day ahead and sort through my thoughts. I then like to come home and sit down to my favourite breakfast, which is these Chickpea and Avocado Pancakes" - Jennifer S, delicious everyday
Jennifer's Pancakes with avocado..
5. Saturday Morning Group Runs. "I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Saturday morning runs with all my girlfriends. We run in a big group early in the morning and it sets up my weekend just right. I am just getting back into it after having a baby, so I'm slow, but getting there. My goal is to get back to what we used to do which was 6-9 miles, and another half marathon soon. We do races together as well and it makes it so fun! The best snack for me right now are these cookies I created, but they are for anyone not just nursing moms. They have so many great things in them!" - Sophia T, Veggies Don't Bite
Sophia's cookies..
6. New Perspective. "I love to start every day with a new perspective. An upside down perspective. Handstands, headstands, or falling on my mat laughing, yoga with lots of inversions is a must in my summer days. Favorite post activity snack: fruit + a few of these bars" - Natalie T, Feasting on Fruit
Natalie's Vanilla Date Bars..
7. Cat Dance Parties. "Not gonna lie, I'm quite the homebody during the summer months here in Texas. So when it comes to staying active, I like to have cat dance parties. Yes I went there. Me and my two fur babies like to dance around to some upbeat music till it's time to blend up a green smoothie to refuel!" - Margaret C, Plant Strong Vegan
Margaret's green smoothie..
8. Evening Family Walks. "I like to stay fit in the summertime by going on nighttime, post dinner walks with my family. It may not seem like "exercise" but it really is. Every evening as the weather gets warmer and the sun stays out longer, we walk as a family to digest our food and take advantage of the cooler hours. The dog comes with us, we put the phones away and shut down from work mode. It's so lovely! I look forward to the summertime for this exact ritual! Then I love having a superfood nana ice cream bowl for "dessert" post walk. Here's one of my recipes for a lavender version. If you add frozen fruit like banana to this, it becomes just like ice cream! it won't ruin the work I just did being active but satisfies my sweet tooth for a evening snack." - Sophie, ThePhilosophie
Sophie's superfood ice cream bowl..
9. Guilty Pleasure Pop Run Sessions. "I run almost every day during the summer. I put on today's top hits and pop music I won't openly admit I listen to, but those beats sure do get me moving! I turn to these dark chocolate protein granola bars to fuel up for a long run, or to fuel post-run recovery." - Stephanie K, Steph in Thyme
Stephanie's bars..
10. Treadmill Mornings. "I like to run in the mornings before the kids wake up, so this is done in my cold basement on the treadmill. Not the most scenic route, but it gets the job done. Then I usually do some targeted abs/legs/arms, etc, during their afternoon nap time. My favorite post-workout treat is my thick and delicious Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie" - Jennifer T, Veggie-Inspired Journey
Jennifer's PBCup smoothie..
11. Waterside Hikes, a la National Parks. "I'm lucky enough to live near Pennsylvania's Valley Forge National Park, which is loaded with great hiking trails. My husband and I hit these trails regularly throughout the summer, taking a stroll along the water on our lazier days, or a more rigorous hike when we're feeling energetic. We always treat ourselves to a smoothie when we get home. This peanut butter maca smoothie is my favorite as of late." - Alyssa S, Connoisseurus Veg
Alyssa's smoothie:
12. Canoe Trips. "I like to do canoe trips in the summer. They're not only a blast, but they're a serious workout too when you're paddling 6 hours a day! I make homemade, portable snacks to bring with me like these Banana Chocolate Chip Date Bars." - Chelsea A, Chelsea's Healthy Kitchen
Chelsea's bars..
13. Group Classes for Inspiration. "In the summertime it's hard to want to do anything except go out in the sunshine, and since I'm not a runner I try to stay inspired by trying a new group class! A few of my latest adventures are Yin Yoga, Kickboxing and Pure Barre. They always at least make for a good story! Top it off with some almond joy energy bites and it's always worth it. " - Kelly S, Trial and Eater
Kelly's bites..
14. Morning Meandering, aka the Triple A Plan. "I usually begin my day with a hearty bowl of raw oatmeal mix and then meet a friend for our "Morning Meandering" - also known as our triple A plan, which stands for "Ass and Attitude Adjustment." We walk along trails and roadways near our home, opting for distance and steep inclines rather than speed - the social interaction and physical exertion does wonders for the mind, body and spirit - although I always seem to be the one in the middle of telling a story when we hit the particularly steep hills!" - Margaret DH, Veggie Primer
15. Fun Runs. "Peter and I love “Fun Runs” as we like to call them, in the summer time. We run to our neighborhood park and take turns calling out different drills. Some examples would be sprint to the water fountain, or skip around the baseball field and then when we get tired, we run home. The best part is its outdoors and doesn’t even fee like a workout, it’s just playing at the park." - Sarah H, The Seasonal Diet
Sarah loves turmeric as part of her fitness plan.. "Turmeric is anti-inflammatory, which is super important for me as I’m a runner; but it’s also great for healing arthritis, joint & muscle pain. There have even been studies done that link the root cause of cancer to inflammation. Pretty much you want to avoid inflammation at all costs."
16. Farmer's Market Shopping Trips. "This Food Blogger likes to cruise farmers markets and pick my own produce to stay in shape during the summer! It's amazing how quickly the mileage racks up and I use what ever I purchase in a green juice or smoothie afterwards! The ultimate multitasking!!" - Amber F, the vegan house
17. Spin Spin Spin. "I'm a spinning junkie so I can't miss my weekly class! In addition, now that the kids are out of school for summer, they drag me to the pool regularly which makes it easy to do water exercises which seem easy until you try them!
I usually start off my day with overnight oats. It fills me up and keeps me full all morning long." - Tracey PR, realfood.life
This SPIN-ach accented Mint Chip Nice Cream looks like a worthy post-spin treat!..
18. Running with a View. "I run different routes every morning and enjoy the scenery. I love seeing all the different types of flowers and wild life along the way. It is energizing to breath in fresh air and get my blood pumping before I head off to work all day. On the weekends when I have more time I like to make smoothie bowls after." - Amy L, Fragrant Vanilla Cake
Amy's cake batter smoothie bowl..
19. Cool Morning Runs. "I love to run early in the morning in the summer, before it gets too hot. I go on the trails near my house, over looking the Hudson River. My favorite way to refuel is with a green smoothie. Here is one of my favorites from my blog." - Lucy BB, cheating vegan
Lucy's smoothie with matcha and spinach..
20. Hiking with the Fam! "I love family hiking during summer. its a fun summer activity to have family time, fitness and socializing all at the same time. I usually look for hydrating and filling post workout snacks and my favorite is this green smoothie" - Gunjan D, kiipfit
21. Riverside Sunshine Jogs. "We had a ton of snowstorms this year in Boston, so I'm embracing the gorgeous sunshine this summer by jogging along the shores of the Charles River. My favorite way to rehydrate after a run is to drink a strawberry watermelon smoothie!" - Josie A, eat thrive glow
Josie's smoothie..
22. Super Energetic Spin Classes. "I'm a group fitness instructor and one of my all time favorite workouts is teaching cycling! I love to teach it because the students in that class feed off my energy and I feed off of theirs. When they come into class on Monday night, I yell, "Are you all ready to start the week off right?!" And they scream back - "YESSS! Let's do this!!" Tonight, I led a cycling session where we pretended to ride through Yosemite national park. It was a blast! Then I came home and had a couple of these awesome Protein Truffles as my dessert!" - Courtney N, FitCakery
Courtney's truffles..
23. Outdoor AcroYoga + Loads of Laughter. "Triathlons and AcroYoga in the park or on the beach with my man. It takes trust, confidence, strength and a whole lot of being silly and laughing when a move doesn't quite go as planned. Plus, being upside down is fun!" - Emma D, craving nature
Emma's Recovery Smoothie Bowl..
24. Early Morning Quiet Runs. "I absolutely love running in the early morning before the rest of the world awakes. Very little traffic or noise, just the sounds of nature, it's the best way to enjoy God's beautiful nature." - Celeste M, the whole serving
Celeste's cinna-spice granola..
25. Neighborhood Park with the Pups. "I SO cherish my summer mornings! I try to start every morning by taking my 2 golden retrievers on a walk through our neighborhood park. When the puppies have had enough walking I drop them off and either enjoy a bike ride or do some yoga. My perfect morning ends with Blueberry Omega Smoothie!" - Stacey S, southern vegan kitchen
Stacey's smoothie..
26. Capoeira, aka Brazilian Martial Arts Class. "Twice a week I have Capoeira class (Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music). It starts late at the evening, after a day full of office work in the morning then full of my girls in the late afternoon. That's why when its time to go to class I always find myself contemplating whether I have the energy or not, but the thing I like the most is that by the time the class is finished I am full of endorphin and so happy I chose to go. I love to grab one of these little bites when done..." - Moran Z, vegan hightech mom
Moran's bites..
27. Sprinkler Sesh + Running Fun. "During the summer, I spend most of my time outside running around with my two boys. On real hot days, we like to turn on the sprinkler and see who can run around it the fastest without getting wet. It's such a fun and effortless way to stay active. My favorite snack is my Chia Peanut Butter Protein Balls. They only take 5 minutes to make and are a perfect bite sized snack for my whole family." - Vanessa C, Vegan Family Recipes
Vanessa's Chia PB Protein Balls..
28. Ballet Exercises, Posture, Fitness + Fun. "In the mornings, I do ab, arm, and back exercises during 15 minute breaks when I'm drafting or revising novel chapters. I also take my dog on daily 2-mile walks. But my favorite thing is doing ballet exercises with my two teenaged daughters. My posture has never been better and my legs have never been stronger. To come down from dancing, we like to drink Bedtime Smoothies made with almond milk, bananas, and caramel extract." - Sabra W, because yum
Sabra's bedtime smoothie..
29. Rollerblading. "I love speed- but I suck at running! That's why I re-discovered a childhood favorite for me: rollerblading. I have some nice even paved streets close to where I live where cars are not allowed and I love whizzing around there on my rollerblades. As it's getting too hot for this in the morning, I switched to the evening and enjoy the golden light and my surroundings while working out. If I feel I need more, I do some Pilates in the mornings, mostly videos like Blogilates. They are quick and effective and help me burn all those cookies that I bake for my blog. I love to drink a cool, but light smoothie after a workout, like my Green Cucumber Mint Smoothie." - Katharina K, Curls n Chard
Katharina's Smoothie..
30. Get Dirty with Obstacle Course Races. "I love to do Obstacle Course Races- the challenge, the team work and the mud! I like making this shake as it has quinoa as a base and I add extra ingredients to boost it if I fancy!" - Jo H, including cake
Jo's Chocolate Shake.. - and her chocolate quinoa cookies!
31. Beach Volleyball. "In the summer I love to play beach volleyball with my friends. We have a few nice sand courts near the danube which is not only great because it's not far away, but also you'll have a spectacular view. My favorite meal to have before playing are Soba Noodles Summer Rolls with a Peanut Butter Dip. They're light and filled with veggie goodness - perfect for hot summer days." - Blanca H, elephantastic vegan
Blanca's Summer Rolls..
32. Sunrise Outdoor Yoga Flow. "My favorite summer time activity is a nice outdoor yoga flow while the sun rises around me. The morning dew makes everything smell fresh and new, like anything can happen that day because the world has refreshed itself. Then I munch on a few of my energy balls to take on the day with my new sense of wellness." - Jennifer H, peppers and peaches
Jennifer's coconut cranberry chocolate chip energy balls..
33. Forest Trails for Magical Runs. "Me and my love discovered absolutely gorgeous forest trails near our tiny log cabin. Now we put on our running shoes every night we can and go for a refreshing 4 mile forest run together. It's SO much fun and it feels amazing to enjoy the nature and workout together. Just look at this route! smile emoticon Since it's summer, I like to keep dinners pretty simple. So this rice and veggies with peanut and tomato sauce is a perfect carb and protein combo after a workout." - Sandra V, Vegan Sandra
Sandra's veggies and rice with peanut sauce..
Sandra in that magical forest. Kinda beautiful, right?..
34. Paddle Boarding. "I'm a Blender Babe who is a also a Bikini Loving Beach Babe! My favorite new summer activity is paddle boarding ever since I tried it on a first date (with my now boyfriend)! We love heading out on a calm water day in Manhattan Beach, CA. My favorite post activity snack is an Acai Bowl! Here is our recipe, I've since made many variations of this, basically add any of your favorite fruits to the acai. If you don't have frozen acai, you can substitute with acai juice or powder and frozen bananas." - Tarashaun H, Blender Babes
Blender Babe-Approved Acai Bowl..
35. Exploring the Unknown. "Summertime is for the outdoors. I just love exploring the unknown or something different during an early morning jog." - Jac, vegetarian baker
36. Taking Your Workout Outside. "There's something incredibly satisfying in running during summer, my personal fave is running through a forest with the simple smell of soil, trees overshadow and moist in the air. However summer offers a lot of other outdoor options, either you enjoy yoga in the garden, hiking the mountains or just taking your workout outside. Fave aftersnack: Rolled Oat Protein Bars" - Jona F, oh wholly vegan
Jona's bars..
Beautiful shot of Jona outdoors getting her workout on!..
37. Early Morning Forest Runs. "I love jogging in the forest first thing in the morning when the sun's just coming up. The black forest in Germany is such a magical place and there are so many amazing trails to run. Early morning is the best because you feel like the only person in the world. The birds sing loudly, the morning dew sparkles in the sunlight, and I see foxes and deer almost every day! My favourite work out snack is a matcha power cookie! They are so filling and delicious and perfect for a pre, post or mid workout energy boost!" - Carolyn M, peacemeal-xo
38. Hiking. "My favorite summer activity is hiking! I love spending as much time as possible in nature during the summer...there's something so wonderful about working up a sweat while enjoying beautiful scenery! My favorite pre-workout snack: Coconut Matcha Energy Bars." - Stephanie C, grateful grazer
Stephanie's coconut matcha energy bars..
40. Gardening. "Ever since last year, when my hubby and I moved into my renovated childhood home, I've been addicted to gardening. It's such a great way to exercise without even realizing it. Shoveling dirt, pulling weeds, planting and walking around really adds up! This year I began a vegetable garden, so there's an added bonus of our growing our own food to support our vegan diets. It's important to really nourish yourself beforehand, so when I get out there on the weekends I fuel up with oatmeal or breakfast quinoa." - Jessica VC, Fox and Fennel
Jessica's breakfast quinoa bowl..
41. Beach Time. "Living in San Diego, we have great weather over the summer and are fortunate to have beautiful beaches up along the coast. In addition to my morning workouts of running or classes, one of my favorite summer-time workout/activity is being at the beach with my kids. We practically live there. From swimming with them in the ocean, to jumping over waves, to playing tag in the sand, etc...it's a great workout and fun way to stay fit over the summer. I typically like to fuel up with my Chocolate Strawberry Overnight Oats and enjoy snacking on some of my Green Lentil Hummus with veggies and crackers! My Orange Coconut Blueberry Smoothie also keeps me well hydrated in the afternoon and provides a great healthy snack!" - Anjali L, vegetarian gastronomy
Anjali's Chocolate Strawberry Overnight Oats:
42. Acrobatic Hikes + Dancing in the Trees. "My favorite summer activity is hiking and dancing in the trees while my dog roams free. You'll find my hanging upside down from vines most of the time. To fuel my acrobatic hikes I like to eat huge salads with tons of different greens, herbs and veggies from the farmers. I also pack my sprouted raw vegan double chocolate protein bars for long lasting energy." - Amanda NS, Amanda Nicole Smith
Amanda's bars..
43. Happy-Hearted Running. "My heart is happiest running. I like to head out in the first morning summer sunshine, starting on the boardwalk and trail along the coast and then ending on trails in the park and followed by a green smoothie or this delightful chocolate raspberry smoothie bowl." - Laura, Chronicles of Passion
Laura's bowl..
44. Energetic Yoga. "I don't drink coffee or caffeine, but I do like an all natural jolt of energy when I wake up, so I do a yoga or cardio barre class. It gets my heart going and keeps my head on straight for whatever lays ahead. I eat these before and after workouts!" - Kelly P, TastingPage
45. Sunrise Boot Camp. "I wake up most days for a 6am boot camp class at my favorite fitness center. Many times we move the class outside, and there's nothing like a bunch of girls doing frog jumps at 6am to get you laughing (as people are driving by and staring). I absolutely love getting my workout done by 7am and have a TON of energy to get me through the day. My favorite post workout breakfast snack: these!" - Christin RM, VeggieChick
46. Colorado Hikes. "I live in Colorado which make hiking one of my all-time favorite summer activities! On some weekends, I stay close to home and on some weekends, I travel deep in to the mountains for a hike. I also do yoga on a daily basis, whether it be at a studio or outdoors. My favorite post-workout/yoga sesh/hike smoothie is a simple Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Banana smoothie." - Crista L, peace love quinoa
Crista's smoothie..
47. Geocaching! "I love geocaching in the summer! It's so much fun when the weather's warm and dark comes late, and we can walk miles and miles in pursuit of caches without a care in the world...except where's the next cache! My favorite treat after a long day of caching is a few of these fudgy no-bake cookies. They're date-sweetened and full of hearty oats so they're a great way to refuel, and besides that they're pure let's-be-kids fun. Just like geocaching in the summer. Vegan No-Bake Cookies." - Gin B, EatHappyEatHealthy
Gin's cookies..
And of course video-making is an excellent blogger workout too!..
And here is one of my beach strolls..
Follow me on YouTube for more summer adventures in cooking + fun.
Leave a comment about your fave summertime activities, I would love to hear them!
*photo credits of title photo - (top: my secret ingredient matcha shake, me with Tarashaun + Sophie) - Bottom: DeliciousEveryday, PeaceLoveQuinoa)
