It’s summer, let the swimsuit season begin! - Health and Wellness Nashville

As a child, I remember being so excited when the school year would come to an end! It was time for lazy days in the pool, visits to the lake, lots of junk food, television, and hanging out with friends. Without a care in the world, we would have a safe, and immensely innocent summer during our three-month break from school and studies.

Similarly, we had no stress or concern over anything, including wearing a swimsuit, as we were simply focused on the excitement of lounging by the pool after eight or nine months of the fall, winter, and spring seasons.

Though unfortunately, when ‘swimsuit season’ evolves, even the notion can create stress for men and women, alike. Why? The winter months can be a challenging time for dieting and exercise, which can lead to weight gain. Further, as we age, our bodies change, whether it be additional weight, evolution from childbirth, muscle atrophy, or even sun damage and aging skin conditions. Having a bathing suit on in public can often be intimidating.

Dr. Christina Rahm

The wintry weather can also cause seasonal affective disorders (SAD), interrupting exercise routines and increasing the desire of comfort food for emotional support. Hamburgers, French fries, cake, ice cream, and even mac and cheese can easily provide added pounds. Further, the continued cold temperatures, rain, and even snowstorms like last winter in Nashville, keep us inside, leading to boredom, potential moodiness, and even despondence, which can lead to overeating.

According to WebMD, “Though, seasonal weight gain varies from person to person, there have been surveys that show an average of a five-to-seven-pound gain in weight in winter,” says Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, founder and director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center and associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. Statistics clearly state that winter weight gain is real for many people, for varying reasons.

While on any weight loss journey, it is crucial to:

Provide your body with natural, healthy foods
Stay hydrated with plenty of water
Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep nightly
Eat a well-balanced diet
Get your steps in each day
Listen to your body—remember, days of rest are just as important as those days of exercise.

It is important to be mindful, not just about the number on the scale, but fat to muscle ratio:

This past winter, I was in the lab formulating new, scientifically based products aimed to support both weight loss and increased muscle tone. These formulas, titled ‘Sculpt,’ help assist the body in supporting weight loss by targeting the reduction of excess glucose caloric absorption; and ‘Crush,’ to supply essential amino acids for muscle development, repair, and growth. Sculpt and Crush were launched in early 2024, under The ROOT Brands®.

I am extremely proud of these new formulations as I have specialized in remediation and detoxification products for people, animals, and the environment for years. My goal with all scientific formulations is to create nutraceuticals in their most purist form for safety and efficacy. For more information, go to www.therootbrands.com/purelivingroot.

I hope the next few months give you and your family a myriad of fun pool days, weekends at the lake, and the sweet smell of fresh-cut grass that only the summer brings.

And most importantly, I hope you have a wonderfully safe, exciting, and innocent summer of fun, just like we all did as children!