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How to Lose Weight Over the Summer? (5 Tips You Must Do)

Michael Garrico
Published by Michael Garrico
Last updated: May 9, 2023

As a personal trainer, I have new clients come to me, mostly at the start of the year, looking to lose body weight in time for summer.

But I’ve also had specific requests to help folks with a weight loss journey during the summer.

The tricky thing is that our lifestyle habits tend to change in summer. And when it comes to vacation time, you might even break from a healthy diet for a while.

So, I got together with my dietitian and a few colleagues to see how we could help you lose weight even if the summer heat gets to you.

Quick Summary

  • To lose weight over the summer, eat healthy meals at all times, and engage in both cardio and strength training.
  • Controlling your water retention, drinking more water, and engaging in fast training can boost your weight loss results over the summer.
  • You can safely lose up to two pounds per week over summer if you eat healthy and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

How Can You Lose Weight Fast in the Summer?

A person jogging outside in the park

You can lose weight fast in summer by avoiding many of the tasty but unhealthy temptations and making sure that you become more active with the longer days.

And here’s why that combination is important.

Research has shown that nutritional value and calorie consumption are the main contributors to fat loss [1].

You could argue what percent of your efforts are diet vs exercise, but it’s my experience that you simply can’t out-train a poor diet.

The other thing you should take advantage of in summer is the bright evenings that allow you to stay active while burning calories for more hours of the day.

And the less sedentary you are, the more weight you can keep off [2].

Related: How to Lose Weight in the Winter?

5 Tips for Losing Weight Over the Summer

A person drinking water in the gym

Here are my five tips that will help you towards effective weight loss in a healthy way.

1. Control Water Retention

It might come as a surprise to some, but many people who are not obese often have a lot of weight gain in the form of water retention. And research has shown that this can affect the legs more than other parts of the body [3].

“Gravity keeps blood lower in your body. That increases the pressure inside the blood vessels in your legs and feet and causes fluid to leak into those tissues.”

- Minesh Khatri, MD at WedMD.com

That means you could have a relatively easy option to lose weight with a ketogenic diet or intermittent fasting, among other things. It’s my experience that dealing with water retention doesn’t take as much effort as dealing with fat.

And here’s why.

2. Drink More Water

This might sound strange after just telling you to control your water weight. But increasing your water intake can facilitate weight loss [4].

First of all, by regularly taking sips of water, you can avoid hunger feelings that lead to snacking.

And even when you get hungry in between healthy meals, often a glass of water will stop those cravings and unnecessary food intake. 

The other thing you can achieve is called water-induced thermogenesis [5].

This is a metabolic process that boosts your ability to burn fat for energy. It’s completely natural and involves slightly increasing your core body temperature in a healthy way.

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3. Time Your Coffee Intake

A buff man holding coffee

Yes, your morning coffee could actually do more than kickstarting your brain and waking you up.

It’s one of the most studied ingredients in the weight loss supplement space, and studies have shown that it works extremely well for your metabolism [6].

Coffee burns fat faster because it can trigger thermogenic processes even when your body is resting.

But the other thing it can help with is executing your exercise plan more effectively.

Not only does it help with motivation and focus, but studies have shown that caffeine can boost physical performance as well [7].

4. Start Fasted Training

Another great option for the summer season is to plan your HIIT cardio workouts for weight loss in the morning before you have breakfast. It’s much easier to do when it’s bright and warm early in the morning, and the effects can be very positive.

Studies have shown that you can boost fat oxidation throughout the day with this simple method [8].

You will be forced to burn more calories from you body fat storage when there’s no food in your stomach.

But I should also say that this is not an excuse to then have a huge breakfast after a morning run or bike ride.

5. Plan Your Macro Intake

A gym trainer with a person planning a diet

There can be many temptations in the summer to load up on sugary carbs. But if you plan your macros right, then you can eat healthy without feeling hungry all the time.

What you want to do is aim for fewer calories from processed carbs and boost nutrient-rich foods with monounsaturated fats and plenty of protein.

Eating healthy sources of fat can provide extra calories that are difficult to digest. And that means you’ll feel full for longer [9].

And by eating more protein, you should be able to lose weight more effectively, as studies have proven that high-protein diets help with weight control [10].

FAQs

How Much Weight Can You Lose Over a Summer?

You can safely lose one to two pounds per week over the summer. This will require a strict dedication to cut calories and fast food and do plenty of cardio and training with free weights.

Is Summertime Best for Losing Weight?

Yes, summertime can be best for losing weight. People tend to be more active outdoors in the summer, and the increased heat can influence how many calories you naturally burn throughout the day.

Plan Your Summer Weight Loss Program

Sticking with a summer weight loss program can be extremely rewarding and get you into that beach body shape.

need a diet of healthy foods and plenty of exercise, and with just a few extra lifestyle changes above, you’ll maintain that healthy weight.

And to get an extra boost in how effectively your metabolism processes body fat, I would recommend taking some natural fat-burning supplements we’ve thoroughly tested ourselves:

These aren’t magic pills to get slim on the couch, but they can significantly boost your progress.


References:

  1. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/diets-weight-loss-carbohydrate-protein-fat/
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556592/
  3. https://www.webmd.com/diet/why-am-i-retaining-water
  4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4901052/
  5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14671205/
  6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2333832/
  7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7739593
  8. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/effects-of-aerobic-exercise-performed-in-fasted-v-fed-state-on-fat-and-carbohydrate-metabolism-in-adults-a-systematic-review-and-metaanalysis/0EA2328A0FF91703C95FD39A38716811
  9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53550/
  10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7539343/
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