Summer Wellness Tips

Staying Active in the Summer

Travel, family commitments, shifting routines and a calendar that seems to fill itself can change our routines with exercising usually being the first thing to slip. Staying active in the summer may require a shift in strategy. Here’s how to make it work, even when life is full.

Redefine what counts as exercise. One of the biggest barriers is the belief that if it’s not a full workout, it doesn’t count. That mindset makes consistency harder. Try this:

• 10-minute walk after lunch
• Stretching while coffee brews
• Body weight exercises during a break in your day
• Playing outside with your kids or dog

These moments add up and can keep momentum consistent.

Use the “anchor habit” strategy. Instead of trying to find new time for exercise, attach it to something you already do consistently.

• Walk right after your morning coffee
• Do a short mobility routine before showering
• Stretch while dinner is cooking
• Take calls while walking

When action is tied to something automatic, it stops competing for decision-making energy.

Keep a “low-friction” option ready. Summer brings travel days, social plans, heat waves and unpredictable schedules. The key is having a backup plan that removes barriers. This is a great time to use an app! Try:

• A 15-minute home routine
• Resistance bands in your suitcase
• A walking routine you can do anywhere
• A short body weight circuit that requires no setup

Shift mindset from “optimal workout” to “maintain the habit.”

Use daylight to your advantage. Longer days are one of summer’s biggest gifts. Consider:

• A morning walk before the day heats up 
• An evening “reset” walk after dinner
• Outdoor movement breaks instead of screen breaks

Natural light supports consistency. It also boosts mood and energy, making movement feel less like a task and more like a recharge.

Plan for imperfection (not perfection). The biggest mistake people make in summer is trying to maintain a rigid routine in a flexible season. When it inevitably breaks, momentum is lost. Instead, aim for a simple weekly target:

• Move in some way 4-5 days per week
• 10-30 minutes of activity most days
• Never miss two active days in a row

This keeps you in motion without the pressure of perfection.

Make it social. Social accountability is one of the strongest predictors of consistency. Summer naturally lends itself to connection, use that to your advantage:

• Walk with a friend instead of sitting for coffee
• Schedule family hikes or bike rides
• Turn outdoor time into shared movement

A busy summer doesn’t have to mean losing your rhythm. It can be an opportunity to rethink what exercise looks like — less structured, more integrated, and far more flexible. Consistency doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from making movement easier to start, repeat and sustain, even on your busiest days.

Find Your Summer Foods at a Farmers Market or CSA

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy fresh and flavorful produce at its peak. Farmers markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs make it easy to fill your kitchen and fridge with seasonal favorites like juicy tomatoes, sweet corn, berries, peaches, zucchini, cucumbers, leafy greens, fresh herbs, microgreens and colorful peppers. Shopping locally not only brings fresher foods to your table, but also supports local farmers. Whether you are looking for new ideas for healthy meals, ways to eat more fruits and vegetables or simply a fun summer outing, farmers markets and CSAs offer something for everyone.

Top Reasons to Shop at the Farmers Market 

1. Food tastes better. Produce is picked when it is ripe — peak flavor and prime nutrition from the farm to your door.
2. Support your local farmers.
3. Try something new. Pick out a unique fruit or vegetable you haven’t tried. Ask local farmers for recipes and preparation tips. Look for purple cauliflower, gooseberries, kohlrabi, edible flowers or okra.  
4. SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC (Women Infants and Children) are accepted at many farmers markets.
5. You can find more than just fruits and vegetables. Local honey, grass-fed beef, farm fresh eggs or free-range chicken are fresh and convenient grocery basics.

To find farms, farmers markets, produce facts and upcoming events, visit The Farm Fresh Atlas or Wisconsin Farmers Markets. The farms and businesses listed in the atlas are committed to sustainability, fair labor and animal welfare.

Learn More About CSAs

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) members pay farmers for a partial or an entire harvest year of produce. Throughout the spring, summer and fall, participants can choose from a weekly or bi-weekly box of seasonal produce.  Joining a CSA can be a convenient and inexpensive way to eat more fruits and vegetables. You can support local farms and experience new foods. Some CSAs provide more than just produce — eggs, fresh meat, fish, maple syrup and more.

How to Pick a Farm

1. Use the tools at www.csacoalition.org to learn more about share types, farm offerings and pick-up locations.
2. Get to know your farmer and become familiar with the farms in your community by clicking on their profiles, reading about farm offerings, their philosophy and seeking out information regarding pick-up locations and shares.
3. Contact the farmer. Visit the farm’s website and Facebook page. Contact the farm if you still have questions. Farmers welcome inquiries from potential members.
4. To sign up, fill out the farm’s CSA sign-up form through their website to start receiving fresh food and helpful farm and cooking information. Most sign-ups occur during winter months so you may need to plan ahead.