Skip to main content

7 effective ways warm weather can help you lose weight

Buritora/Shutterstock

When the weather turns warm, we often have more motivation to reach our fitness and nutrition goals. During the winter, it’s often harder to get outside, socialize, and even eat healthier. Because of these reasons, winter weight gain is natural, so if you’re planning to shed those hibernation pounds, ensure you’re doing so safely and effectively.

By eating a balanced diet and getting back on your exercise regimen, you can get back to your body’s natural weight. Keep in mind that this looks different for everyone, so set goals that are best for you, your lifestyle, and your body type. Ready to jump in? Here are seven effective weight loss tips to lose weight safely now that warm weather is here.

Recommended Videos

Get out of the house

OK, pop quiz: Is it easier to go for a walk when it’s 70 degrees outside or when there are seven inches of snow on the ground? You know the answer, and it’s a clear driver of greater activity during warmer weather. It may seem obvious, but it’s a universal truth that can have a powerful impact on your health and wellness.

When the weather is nice, you’re more likely to socialize with friends, walk instead of drive, and maybe even walk around that new art gallery you’ve been meaning to visit. Long story short, warm weather usually gives us the motivation to get out of the house, and you can start losing weight by being a little more mobile throughout the day.

Izf/Shutterstock

Get sunshine and vitamin D

There’s also a hidden benefit to being outside that has nothing to do with physical activity and everything to do with that bright yellow orb in the sky.

In a few studies with overweight individuals, Vitamin D assisted in weight and fat loss. The sun is also a key to metabolizing vitamin D, so getting more sun and plenty of vitamin D (including through supplements) is a useful way to help your weight loss journey. Keep in mind that these studies don’t test every body type and lifestyle, so while this may have induced weight loss in some individuals, vitamin D alone isn’t enough to promote weight loss in everyone.

And, of course, be sure to be careful about getting too much sun.

Sweat it out

Sweating is the body’s way of cooling itself down. This can indeed lead to weight loss, but this is just water weight, meaning you will put the weight back on naturally as you eat and rehydrate. However, some people, especially those with a high-sodium diet, retain more water than others. In these situations, sweat is a good way to expel that extra water retention.

Take advantage of summer produce

There are many fruits and vegetables in season, many of which pack big nutritional punches and serve as healthier alternatives to the foods we eat while hunkered down over the winter.

Take advantage by enjoying fresh smoothies, salads, or snacks that are delicious and healthful additions to any diet. Further, many vegetables are full of fiber, keeping you feeling fuller for longer so you don’t end up overeating or snacking on empty calories later.

The heat is an appetite-suppressant

Studies on weight loss found that people eat less when their body temperatures go up, so simply sitting in the sun may reduce cravings. This may be useful in the short term, though it will not have a longer effect given that plenty of other factors affect your cravings and hunger.

Additionally, drinking enough water, about eight glasses per day, can keep you feeling full. Often, our body mistakes thirst for hunger and we end up reaching for snacks when we need a glass of water. Be sure to drink throughout the day, especially after meals, to prevent you from overeating.

Estrada Anton/Shutterstock

Grill out

Ditch the chicken fingers and toss another chicken breast on the BBQ. By swapping out fried foods for grilled meals, you can reduce carbohydrates and fat from your diet, two contributors to weight gain. Not to mention grilled food brings stronger and more versatile flavor, so it’s a benefit for your taste buds as well as your waistline.

Do yardwork

Gardening and other yard work may not take the place of a 700 calorie-burning spin class, but these tasks are more active than you might think. Basic gardening can burn 200-400 calories per hour, while high-intensity yardwork like landscaping can burn 400-600 calories per hour. Further, mowing the lawn (with a walking lawn mower) burns between 250-350 calories per hour, and raking will run you about 300-400 calories per hour.

Every person and situation is unique, so at the end of the day, you’ll have to find out how best to ramp up your diet and exercise plan when warmer weather comes to town. Your body type, weight distribution, and metabolism are influenced by your genetics as well as your diet and exercise. While following an active, balanced lifestyle is a great method of weight loss, be sure to reach out to a healthcare professional if you’re concerned about your weight or want to ensure you’re losing weight in a healthy way.

BlissMark provides information regarding health, wellness, and beauty. The information within this article is not intended to be medical advice. Before starting any diet or exercise routine, consult your physician. If you don’t have a primary care physician, the United States Health & Human Services department has a free online tool that can help you locate a clinic in your area. We are not medical professionals, have not verified or vetted any programs, and in no way intend our content to be anything more than informative and inspiring.

Scott Harris
Scott Harris is a freelance writer based near Washington, DC, with more than a decade of experience covering health…
Items to help you heal and recover
woman massaging neck

You want to have items in your home that can help you recover your body and clothes. You want to prevent a mess from happening or prevent future injuries. You want the items to finally fix that loose button or prevent yourself from making a mess on your shirt while eating a delicious dinner. You are an active person with an active lifestyle. You enjoy working out, and your job relies on you lifting heavy packages. You need the items that can help you heal, recover, or prevent you from injuring yourself. The five items listed below will make your path to recovery easier.

You are a person who is looking for the perfect equipment for someone in the hospital recovering from surgery. You want to make their path to a recovery run smoothly. The five items listed above are what you will need for that person. The elbow and calf braces are perfect for someone who is doing physical therapy. The adult bids will make it easy for the person in a hospital bed to prevent future food and drink messes. The batteries are a great way to add some night light if the person reading a book at night, and does not want that bright hospital light. If the person is wearing their favorite button-up shirt, their supplies to fix any buttons that had fallen off.

Read more
5 items you can use to give your brain a break
a woman with dark curly hair sits in front of a canvas and paints, surrounded by brushes in jars and paint bottles

Anyone who lives in the modern world is guilty of multitasking. We schedule appointments during our lunch breaks, talk on the phone while walking the dog, and plan the next family get-together while cooking dinner. Not only is this physically exhausting, but it's also mentally draining and can lead to burnout in no time.

So what can you do? Take a breath, then take a break. The world won't stop just because you do for a few moments during the day, and it'll do you a world of good. With proper planning, even the busiest folks out there can steal away a half-hour of downtime. Here are five items that can help you refuel and reset.

Read more
Great Products that You Can Gift to Kids
gift ideas preschooler

If you're looking for a great gift for a child's birthday, look no further than art supplies! Kids love to express themselves creatively, and what better way to do that than with some new art supplies? In this post, we will discuss some of the best art supplies that you can gift to a kid on their birthday. From paints to pencils, we have you covered!

We hope that this post has helped you in finding the perfect art supplies gift for a kid on their birthday. With so many different options to choose from, there's something for everyone! Happy gifting!

Read more