Triple H Season
Now I remember why summer is my least-favorite season: Hazy, Hot and Humid. I woke up this morning at 5 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. Part of me kept thinking, "Get up and enjoy the day while it's cool." The air had become heavy overnight and I could just feel the day that was coming.
Maybe I don't like summer because I'm fat? The one summer I truly enjoyed followed a 60 pound weight loss. The heat just didn't seem to bother me as much then.
I do feel better this year than I did the past couple of summers. Thirty-five pounds ago I was miserable in the heat. I couldn't do anything but sit around and wait for cooler weather. At least this summer I'm more active. My flower beds have never looked better, I have a vegetable garden for the first time in years, and I hope to get in at least one canoe trip during next week's vacation.
The one good thing about summertime: If we listen to our bodies (as I wrote about in my column on Sunday), then we will eat less. We just don't need as much fuel to keep our bodies cool as we do to warm them up in the winter.
I also find that I want to eat lighter, especially lots of cool, juicy fruits (grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, and apples). I get sick of salads most of the year, but in the summer I crave them. It just seems easier to eat light and healthy when the weather is hot.
What about you? Do you thrive in the heat, or spend the days camped out in front of the air conditioner or fan? Do you eat healthier in the summer, or do fried, salty foods and rich ice creams taunt your appetite?
Since March (when it starts to get warm here in Texas), I've found that I really don't want to eat anything heavy. I subsist mostly on salads with a small piece of meat in the evening, a slim-fast drink in the morning, and lunch is usually my most varied meal...from a McDonald's hamburger and a small fry (if I'm in a really munchy mood) to a salad with salmon at Panera to (dare I say it???) a couple of cookies from this great bakery I go by occasionally.
I have to say that at my weight, I'm not really bothered by the heat and humidity down here, and I'm pretty much used to it. Most days here are very humid (50% humidity or greater) during the summer, and we usually have a nice breeze out of the south, making it pleasant to be out on the porch in the mornings or evenings.
I have to admit that I really miss the months of 70 degree weather. It really makes me long to curl up with a blanket, and a good book. Better yet, the 50 degree weather at the beach with a blanket and a good book!