Eating and making better choices for your health are pretty basic. Eat more vegetables and drink more water, but here are some more tips to help take having a healthy lifestyle to a whole new level:

1. Be active: The great thing about summer is the amount of time we have to do everything. Instead of sleeping in until 12, try hitting up the local state park or go on a hike through the day.
2. Limit sweets and fast foods: Since sweets don’t have enough energy to keep us moving throughout the day, it is important to limit them because they are full of unhealthy fat and empty calories. Instead of loading up on chips and cookies, try making a fresh fruit salad with your favorite fruits or new ones you want to try. The natural sugars in the fruit are full of energy to keep you full throughout the day and give you vitamins to keep moving on your hike.
3. Sauces are not necessary: Sauces are full of corn syrup and unnecessary calories. They are great for flavor but instead of lading up your barbecue on store bought sauces, try squeezing a lemon or other spices to load up your food with flavor that doesn’t have empty calories.
4. Get enough sleep: Just because it is summer, it is still important to get enough sleep. If you don’t have enough sleep, your body can’t process what has happened through the day.