Most athletes are no longer in season once summer rolls around but that doesn't mean athletes can take the summer off no matter how tempting it may be.
Here are 11 summer struggles that all athletes will understand:
1. Having to learn how to eat again.
Unless you're working just as hard and burning the same calories as you do during season, athletes have to learn how to eat again. Temporarily gone are the days when you can eat everything in sight.
2. Getting scared that you are getting more and more out of shape as the days go by.
Things come up. You skip a workout here and a workout there. Soon you're a month in when you finally decide to get fit, and you realize just how out of shape you really are.
3. It's so hot.
Don't even consider running outside during the summer, unless you plan on running at 6 am or 10 pm. Otherwise, it will be too hot.
4. The snooze button.
For those brave souls who do commit to a workout routine, the snooze button becomes your worst enemy. It pretends like it is your friend but it's really just working against you.
5. You're teammates are MIA.
They're on vacation. They live too far. They have different summer routines. Who are you supposed to practice with?
6. You have a job.
If it doesn't already take up your entire day, it wears you out. Finding the energy to stay fit is so hard sometimes.
7. Getting rid of your tan lines.
If you play an outdoor sport, chances are you have some funky tan lines. You'll be working to get rid of them all summer, knowing in the back of your mind that you will just get the same tan lines again.
8. Working out on vacation.
Basically, impossible.
9. You run out of water.
Mostly because you're pouring it on yourself to cool down.
10. Learning to find the right way to balance Netflix and working out.
I suggest making it into a reward. One workout gets you 5 episodes... or 10.
11. Knowing that you're going to workout anyways because your coach's voice is in the back of your head reminding you to stop making excuses.
It'll all be worth it.
