Over the summer months, our schedules are often filled with holidays, social events, family days out and childcare, which can make it more difficult to stick to our usual exercise routines.

It’s important to make sure that you plan time into your schedule for yourself and your wellbeing, whether that means getting up an hour earlier to go to the gym, or by adding in a lunchtime walk. If you make time to exercise even a few times a week then you will find you have more energy and feel more motivated.

Acknowledging small wins sparks the reward circuits of our brains and releases chemicals that give us a feeling of pride and motivation, making us want to continue progressing further towards your next or bigger goal.

Sometimes having large goals can seem daunting but breaking it down into small steps can help it feel more achievable (and more enjoyable too!) An example of a small goal might be working up to a 5km run by completing a 1km run.

Think about what you enjoy the most and do this each time you complete a step or a goal. This could be anything from treating yourself to your favourite iced coffee at the end of your walk, or buying those new trainers you’ve had your eye on! Having something to look forward to trains the brain into creating motivation.

Writing down or tracking your progress via an app such as Mywellness, will remind you of how far you’ve come in your fitness journey. This can be by tracking your workouts, body stat analysis results, or purely by tracking your mood. Sometimes, we can give up because we are unaware of how close we are to success and forget how much we’ve done.

It is the small wins we achieve that need to be acknowledged and appreciated in order to stay motivated to work towards the larger goals.

It is important to create a balance between socialising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle over the summer months. Whilst life is for living and everyone deserves to enjoy the food and drinks they love, there are some smart swaps you can do that will benefit your health.

If you’re having a BBQ, try to eat mostly lean proteins and salad and avoid the sugary sauces and too many carbohydrate-based sides. And if you’re going to an all-inclusive holiday resort, it’s easy to over-indulge so just be aware of the portions you are eating vs the energy you are expending. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, opt for fruit such as watermelon or frozen berries, or jelly, greek yoghurt & honey, or sorbet over ice creams and cakes.

When it comes to drinking, staying hydrated is key. During the warmer months, the increased temperatures and activity can lead you to need more water than usual. Take a reusable water with you when you go out on days out and skip the numerous sugary cocktails in order to keep your calories under control.

Why not take your workouts outside and get some extra Vitamin D in the process? Just be sure to remember your sunscreen!

Instead of running on a treadmill, why not go for a walk, cycle or run outside and appreciate the scenery and get some some fresh air. Research local walking routes and discover some new places to visit over the summer holidays.

You can also switch up your cardio with something fun like rounders, tennis, flying a kite or even rollerblading! There are plenty of fun options to get moving outdoors!

Cardio isn’t the only thing you can do outdoors. Grab a set of dumbbells or kettlebells to get a full body strength workout, or even take a mat outdoors for a relaxing spot of stretching or yoga.