How to have a healthy beach day – Star News Group

The ideal beach day consists of cool, calm waters, a high UV index, a cooler full of snacks and a trip to the boardwalk once the sun begins to set. This perfect day can be improved with one concept: health and wellness. Although the sun lights up our summer days and the beach leaves us with beautiful memories and tan lines, it is important to remember how to stay healthy while also having fun. Here are some easy ways to tie in wellness to your ideal beach day. 

Summer Snacks

One of the most important aspects of keeping a balanced diet during summer is to eat breakfast before starting your beach day, said Emily Palazzo, registered dietitian and owner of East Coast Nutrition and Wellness in Point Pleasant. As summer leads to less structured days for families, consider planning a high protein breakfast with components like eggs, turkey sausage, turkey bacon and oatmeal. 

“Starting your day at home and knowing exactly what is going into a recipe, what’s going into your meal — it just guarantees more of a well-balanced option during the day,” Palazzo said.  

A large part of maintaining a healthy diet is eating consistent meals — skipping meals often leads to eating an unhealthy option and giving into cravings, Palazzo said. She recommends eating a protein source in a meal or snack every three to four hours. 

When it comes to the boardwalk, Palazzo recommends exploring healthier options offered at restaurants and ice cream places. Whether that be replacing  fried chicken with grilled chicken, ice cream with  frozen yogurt or choosing a smaller portion size of dessert, many locations offer healthier accommodations.

“Even if you can’t make the entire meal perfect, trying to just make small components of it healthy will definitely help,” Palazzo said. She also encourages her clients to indulge in a cheat meal once a week to help with the mental aspect of eating healthy.

Palazzo recommends that people pack lunch to bring to the beach, as opposed to relying on pizza or snack stands nearby. An ideal meal contains protein and a produce item — such as a sandwich with a fruit or vegetable on the side. She recommends turkey, ham and chicken deli meat for lean protein options. 

Other go-to options are a greek yogurt parfait with fruit and granola, or a mixture of snacks that cover all the major food groups. Remember to pack extra water in your cooler to stay hydrated throughout the day!

Staying Active

Exercising first thing in the morning is the best way to beat the heat and get it out of the way, said Palazzo. Losing motivation, dreading the 90 degree days and getting caught up in plans are common reasons people are not able to work out consistently in the summer — making the morning the prime time to get your workout in. 

If you don’t consider yourself a morning person, think about exercising on the beach. Palazzo recommends going for a walk on the boardwalk or along the waterline, or playing games with family and friends. 

“You don’t have to get out of your bathing suit, but you’re still moving,” she said. 

Ocean Safety

The ocean is a perfect way to cool down during a hot beach day — but can also be a safety risk. Captain Carl Wolf of the Atlantic Lifeguard Alliance says the most important part of staying safe in the ocean is swimming near a lifeguard.

“Having trained professionals on site can make all the difference in the event of an emergency,” he said. 

Common mistakes beachgoers make are ignoring posted signage about water conditions and swimming outside of designated swimming areas, Wolf said. Many swimmers also aren’t aware of how to escape from rip currents — Wolf advises those stuck in a rip current to swim parallel to shore, as opposed to fighting against the current. Swimming against the current will burn up energy and is unlikely to be successful.

Wolf also recommends swimmers to never swim alone and to check with the beach’s flag system or lifeguards for an assessment of water conditions. People commonly underestimate the power of the ocean while overestimating their own swimming abilities, he said. 

Lifeguards maintain a healthy and consistent diet, hydration, sun protection and physical conditioning to protect themselves from the harsh conditions they may experience while being outside all day, said Wolf. Atlantic Lifeguard Alliance staff commonly wear solar shirts and zinc for sun protection. He also emphasized the importance of sleep and recovery time — deeming it an “extension of the job.”

Sun Protection

The sun is one of the biggest threats to healthy skin, especially during the summer. Be sure to look up the UV index before going to the beach to see how strong the sun will be that day — though be sure to protect your skin no matter the conditions. 80% of the sun’s UV rays can pass through clouds,  according to Ocean Dermatology’s website, emphasizing the importance of wearing sunscreen, even when you think you don’t need it. 

Ocean Dermatology, a dermatology clinic with South Jersey locations, recommends wearing sunscreen and lip balms that have a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Sunscreen should be re-applied every 2-3 hours or after swimming or sweating — as there is no such thing as “all-day protection” or “waterproof,” according to Ocean Dermatology. Allow 15 to 30 minutes for the sunscreen to seep into the skin before exposing skin to the sun.

Balancing a fun beach day with staying healthy is not as hard as it may seem. Making smart choices and planning ahead will save a lot of time in the long run, and leave more time to make new memories during beautiful summer days.