Top 5 Strategies To Lose The Summer Weight
My Top 5 Tips for Losing the Summer Weight (and Keeping It Off for Good)
Summer is awesome, but let’s be real. Between vacations, cookouts, and kids being out of school, a lot of us step on the scale at the end of August and think: “Crap… here we go again.”
If that’s you, you’re not alone. This time of year, I see so many people stressed about the few extra pounds they picked up over the summer and scrambling to “fix it” before the holidays roll around.
The good news? You don’t need a crash diet, detox, or go “all-in” on a punishment plan to get back on track.
I’ve been helping parents over 40 get toned, lose weight, and feel incredible since 2015, and I can tell you firsthand the fastest way to drop the summer weight is also the simplest. It comes down to setting up routines you can actually stick to, ditching the all-or-nothing thinking, and focusing on the basics that really move the needle.
Here are my top five tips for losing the summer weight so you can finish the year strong without burning out.
1. Form Your Routine Around Real Life
The biggest mistake people make after summer is trying to jam their old schedule into their new reality. If your week just flipped upside down with school starting, kids sports practices, and work deadlines, you can’t expect to keep up the same summer routine. That’s setting yourself up for failure.
Instead, take five minutes and map out your week Monday through Sunday. Be honest about what’s realistic. Ask yourself:
What does my worst possible week look like?
When can I realistically fit in for my workouts, meal prep, & walks?
What absolutely needs to happen for me to be successful?
If you can design a plan that works even on your busiest week, everything else will feel easier.
Here’s a simple framework:
Strength training: 2–4 sessions per week, at least 20 minutes each. (Yes, just 2×20 minutes can get you results if you stay consistent.)
Meal prep: Choose one day to batch cook proteins, chop veggies, or pre-pack lunches. Even “lazy prep” like roasting all of the chicken while cooking dinner the night before can make a huge difference.
Exercise snacks: Fit in little bursts of movement. Walk during your son's football practice, take the stairs at work, knock out a few squats or pushups between meetings or during nap time.
Your routine doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be doable.
2. Just Start With Exercise
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t overhaul everything at once. Start with exercise. It creates momentum in every area of your life.
Here’s why:
Identity shift: Every workout reinforces, “I’m someone who takes care of my health.”
Nutrition ripple effect: People who exercise tend to eat better naturally. You’re less likely to blow off your nutrition after putting in the effort.
Mood & energy: Even a short walk can boost your mood, reduce stress, and give you more energy for the rest of the day.
Not sure where to start? Pick one:
Two 20-minute strength workouts each week (upper/lower split if you can).
Add 1–2K steps per day by parking farther away, walking laps during kids’ sports, or taking the stairs.
Sign up for a class you used to love (yoga, Pilates, Zumba, etc.).
The point is, don’t wait for the “perfect plan.” Just get moving.
3. Stick to Simple Nutrition (PFC Method)
Most people try to “undo” summer weight with an extreme plan: cut out carbs, swear off sugar, go keto, do Whole30, or live on shakes. And it never lasts.
Instead, focus on simple stuff like PFC- Protein, Fiber, and Color. That’s the foundation I teach all my clients, and it works.
Here’s how it looks:
Protein: Aim for a lean protein source at every meal. Use the “zero rule”: if the food has 20g protein, it should be around 200 calories or less (20 → add a zero → 200).
Fiber: Choose carbs that contain a good amount of fiber (fruit, beans, nuts, seeds & whole grains). Fiber slows digestion, stabilizes blood sugar, and keeps you full.
Color: Fill your plate with colorful fruits and veggies for micronutrients and energy.
When you focus on PFC, you don’t just lose weight, you feel better. You’ve got more energy, less bloating, and fewer early afternoon crashes. And the best part? You don’t have to demonize foods or feel guilty when you enjoy a treat.
Once you nail PFC consistently for a few months, then you can layer in calorie tracking or macro counting if you want to fine-tune results. But without the foundation, going straight to 1200 calories is a guaranteed cycle of burn out → quit → regain.
4. Avoid Extremes (No Detoxes, No Punishment)
Let’s get this out of the way: you don’t need to “make up for” summer. You enjoyed your vacations and cookouts... awesome. That doesn’t mean you now need to punish yourself with a cleanse, detox, or “all-liquid reset.”
Your body already has a detox system: your liver, kidneys, skin, and lungs. If they’re healthy, they’re doing way more than any “detox tea” ever could.
Instead of extremes, stick with sustainable basics:
Eat mostly whole foods.
Strength train 2–3 times per week.
Walk daily.
Sleep as best you can and manage stress.
Every detox, cleanse, or crash diet leads back to the same place: regaining the weight. Don’t fall into that trap again.
5. Learn How to Stop Repeating This Cycle
If you keep gaining and losing the same 5–10 pounds every year, it’s not a “willpower” problem. It’s a system problem.
The goal isn’t just to lose the weight after summer. The goal is to set up habits and strategies so you don’t have to keep starting over. That means:
Vacation-proof nutrition: Learn how to enjoy foods you love in moderation so you don’t gain 5 lbs every trip.
Flexible workouts: Have quick 20-minute workouts you can do anytime, anywhere, so you never fall off for weeks at a time.
Mental strategies: Ditch the all-or-nothing mindset. Adopt tools like “don’t miss twice,” focus on what you can control, and stop labeling days as “good” or “bad.”
This is what I teach every week inside my coaching programs, because it’s the real fix. When you learn how to make your plan work in any situation, you stop the yo-yo cycle for good.
Putting It All Together
To recap, here are my top five tips for losing the summer weight:
Form a routine that fits your real life.
Start with exercise to build momentum.
Keep nutrition simple with Protein, Fiber, and Color.
Avoid extremes—no cleanses, no crash diets.
Learn the skills so you never have to restart again.
If you do these five things, you’ll not only drop the summer weight, you’ll finish the year stronger, leaner, and healthier than ever.
And if you want extra help, I’ve got something special for you: The First 5 Program. It’s a month-long jumpstart designed to help you lose your first 5 lbs of fat while learning the exact strategies I just covered. Nutrition that works on vacation, workouts you can do anywhere, and mindset tools to stop falling off track.
You don’t need to punish yourself for summer. You just need a plan that works. Let’s make this fall the time you finally break the cycle and feel incredible heading into the holidays.
