How to Build Better Habits This Summer 2026: Easy Wellness Guide
Introduction
Disclaimer: I’m an affiliate partner with Olipop and Great Lakes Wellness and may earn a small commission from purchases at no extra cost to you.
For me, this summer looks different. I’m coming off a stress fracture (more on that journey soon), which has completely changed how I approach fitness, rest, and listening to my body. But instead of seeing this as a setback, I’m seeing summer as the perfect time to build better habits—ones that actually work for me right now.
Here’s what I’ve learned: building better habits doesn’t mean overhauling your entire life. It’s about trying new things, figuring out what makes you feel good, and being honest when something isn’t working. It’s about balance, not perfection. Progress, not restriction.
This guide is all about how I’m approaching summer wellness this year and giving you permission to find what works for YOU.
Why Summer Is the Perfect Time to Build Better Habits
You Have More Time and Mental Space
Let’s think about this. In the summertime, you don’t have a full class schedule as a college student. Maybe you’re taking some summer classes like me or working or both, but overall your schedule is a whole lot lighter. And maybe you’re still in high school, then your schedule is completely free. But even for the adults out there, there’s just something different about summer.
Summer Is Your Reset Opportunity
I can’t quite place my finger on what it is, but I can say that it’s the perfect little block of time to build better habits and to prioritize your whole body’s health and wellness. Think of it as a little spring cleaning but just longer and for your physical, mental, and spiritual health—not the garage.
The Look Good, Feel Good Mindset
Besides, there’s that mantra “look good, feel good,” but I also think it works the other way around. If you prioritize yourself, you have so much more love and appreciation for your body and what it can do.
My Approach to Summer Wellness (What’s Different This Year)
Where I Am in Recovery
I want to begin this by prefacing that I am still in the recovery process from a stress fracture in my femur. While that injury is mostly healed, I’m still going to PT to help with issues stemming back to my accident almost two years ago. So this has really shifted my mindset on this summer and what I need to do to help my body.
Different Seasons Call for Different Approaches
I think there’s a season for intensity and go go go, and I have lived that. But I also think there’s a season for recovery and rest and starting fresh. Now, I don’t think that always has to come with injuries. Heck, it can all just happen in one week. You could have 6 days of crazy busyness and then just one day of reset and refresh.
Learning to Rest
I think this is something we forget here in America. We forget how to rest. So I want to take this mindset and outlook into summer as we decide what it looks like to practically build new and better habits.
Building for Sustainability
We want sustainability and longevity and not just something that will cause burnout. Now, there are different habits for different seasons, so it isn’t necessarily about the specifics but rather about building the foundation for things to ebb and flow with life.
Fitness Habits I’m Building This Summer
It’s About the Foundation, Not the Numbers
Take fitness for example. Right now we can focus on the specifics, but the amount of training days per week is going to change with different phases of life. So it isn’t about focusing on the numbers per se, but about what feels right. The biggest thing we’re trying to accomplish here is incorporating physical exercise into your routine and making that a part of your foundation.
Why Strength Training Matters
If I hadn’t started lifting weights alongside riding horses, I wouldn’t have made as quick a recovery after my accident. Making that a part of my routine was noticeable and the health professionals pointed it out. It’s so vital for us as women to make it a part of daily life.
What I’m Actually Doing This Summer
So how am I going about all this this summer? Well, let me tell you. I’m still going to PT 1-2 times a week, but that’s not all. That’s only part of the process. I have to work on growing on my own. So I try and do upper body twice a week and then I attempt to fit in maybe one day of legs. When I was doing some running, I did that on my off days from PT, but right now that isn’t on the schedule.
Putting in the Work
Again, things like PT are just the building blocks, but I have to put in the work. It’s the same for anything in life. We aren’t just going to be handed things—we have to be dedicated to the growth enough to give it our all. More importantly, I’m incorporating rest. Your body heals from injuries by pushing it and being active, but it also heals in the resting.
How You Can Figure Out What Works
So what can you do? It’s simple: trial and error. You need to figure out for yourself what workout process works for you. It might take some time to find your groove, but that’s okay. This is how it’s supposed to be. Don’t think that you have to follow a certain workout schedule from an influencer (and yes, this is coming from an influencer herself). Instead, just try one new thing at a time.
My Suggestions
I would suggest attempting to lift weights 3-4 times per week. Get your steps in. And most importantly, rest. Oh, and if you love cardio and running, do it! I can’t prescribe anything, first of all because I’m not a PT or professional, but also because I’m not you and you’re not me. And honestly, that’s the beauty of it all.
Nutrition Habits That Actually Feel Good
Balance Your Breakfast
Listen, I’m all for eating lots of carbs or a sweet breakfast, but there has to be some balance. I mean, that’s what this is all about, isn’t it? Enjoy the sweet breakfast but add some protein. Whether that’s through meat, eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, or making a protein version of your favorite food like protein pancakes, you have plenty of options!
Adding Collagen to My Routine
I also love to add collagen to my daily routine. When I was living at college, I fell off just a little, but I could definitely tell a difference when I wasn’t using it. Now that it’s back in my routine, everything feels so much more complete. I personally believe Great Lakes Wellness delivers the best product. And not to mention it has 20g of protein per serving.
Prioritizing Whole Foods
In my opinion, you should attempt to eat whole foods. Not in a restrictive sort of way but a more wholesome (get it haha—ok maybe not) sort of way. These are foods that come from the earth with less processing than the typical foods you find here in America. It means just eat some meat, eggs, yogurt, milk, fruit, veggies, etc.
The Truth About Carbs and Bread
I do believe there’s room in this for carbs including bread because wheat did in fact come from the earth. The only suggestion I have about wheat-based foods is that you try to get the best quality you can because that typically means less processing. Like for example, sourdough bread whether you make it or buy it is a much better option than that fluffy highly processed white bread we all know and love.
Balance Is Everything
I can’t say it enough, but balance, balance, balance. This most definitely comes into play with intuitive eating. Go eat the ice cream or acai bowl or sugary food—just make sure that isn’t the only food group in your diet. Listen, we all can’t be like Elf no matter how much we want to.
Balance Isn’t Easy
And now, I know what you’re thinking. Balance is a lot easier said than done. And you’re exactly right! That’s why there isn’t a perfect or right way to go about it, which is the beauty of it all. If there’s anything I have learned, it would be that balance looks different and is unique to each individual. I’m not here to sugarcoat the truth and tell you that it’s just rainbows and sunshine all around. No, you have to be willing to put in the hard work and figure out what balance looks like for you.
Why I’m Using Great Lakes Wellness Collagen This Summer
Why I Love This Brand
Now listen, I could rave about Great Lakes Wellness over and over again because they’re such an incredible company. But I think I ought to give you some reasons as to why you should go try out their collagen.
Benefits for Bone Health
Remember I fractured my femur in October—in other words, my bone is weak. Already women are at a danger of having weak or brittle bones especially as we age, so if there’s something I can do to help slow that timeline down, I will. Collagen is so good for your joints and bones as your body produces it naturally but is often deficient in it.
A Habit That’s Staying
I’m already using it, but it most definitely won’t be leaving my routine. Summer is the time for building great habits, but if you already have some in place, there’s absolutely no need to get rid of them.
Summer Glow Benefits
Besides, I don’t know about you, but I’ll be spending a lot of time outside in the sun, which means I want to be looking my absolute best. Your hair will shine, your skin will be healthy, and your nails will be so long and pretty if you use Great Lakes Wellness collagen. In my opinion, there’s absolutely no reason to not use it, and just one container goes a long way. And to get the benefits, you don’t even have to do the full serving size—even one scoop does the job.
How I Use It
You can put it in almost anything, but I tend to add it to my morning coffee. Again, habit stacking is a must during your morning routine. Additionally, if you’re going back to college in the fall like me, you can still use it and it never has to leave your routine. It’s a habit that will never fail. Besides, there’s nothing fancy about it. You just need a spoon. That’s it.
My Discount Code
So without further ado and after lots of rambling, here’s my link and code to save you 10% off your first purchase! Oh, and lemme know if you try it—I wanna hear how it’s changed your life for the better like it has mine!
Hydration & Gut Health Habits I’m Prioritizing
I’m Terrible at Drinking Water
Okay, I’m gonna be honest. I absolutely suck at drinking water. Like I’m probably the worst water drinker there is. And for a little while I got better, but yeah, that habit went down the drain. So in the name of summer, and like I have been preaching to y’all, we’re going to bring back this habit.
Why Water Matters
Water is so so so so so good for us. Sadly, we’re probably all dehydrated, BUT don’t be dismayed—it’s fixable. We just have to try harder. So together, starting today—or whenever you read this, but hopefully today—we’re going to start drinking more water. I don’t know about y’all, but I live in Alabama and that summer heat is no joke, so I need to be especially diligent. But even if you live in the frigid ice of Alaska, you gotta still be hydrating.
Using Electrolytes
So you will find me using lots of electrolytes. I have been loving Just Ingredients (the one brand not sponsored lol but maybe one day), but any clean brand will work. We just don’t love all those added ingredients we can’t pronounce ’cause who knows what they’re doing to our body.
Let’s Talk Gut Health
Okay, enough of that said, let’s chat gut health. Not gonna lie, this is probably the one area of health and wellness I’m least informed in, BUT I do know this: we need fiber. And I know this other thing as well: we don’t eat enough fiber. This is because processed foods have little to none, and sadly that’s the condition of the American food system.
Getting More Fiber
So how do we get more fiber? We eat fruits and veggies and even whole grain wheat or homemade bread. There’s a reason wheat is better over in Europe, and that’s because the wheat berry is kept whole, which means fiber is in the wheat when it’s ground up.
Eat Your Fruits and Veggies
So anyways, eat your veggies and eat your fruits most importantly. Like they say, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. And it’s true—a chiropractor told me himself. That fiber does a whole lot for you.
Introducing Olipop
So another brand for ya. Yes, I know what you’re thinking—gosh dang, that’s a lot—but trust me when I say I would never promote a brand I don’t completely believe in. And one I have 100% faith in is Olipop. And yes, I’m about to get to how a soda could possibly have anything to do with gut health. Like an unheard of thought, right??? Well, you thought wrong. You gotta keep reading though—don’t slack off on me.
Why Olipop Is My Go-To Summer Drink
Can Healthy Soda Taste Good?
So first of all, let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way. You might be thinking, “can a healthy soda even taste good?” Well, I’m about to blow you away. Yes, yes it can. And let me just say, Olipops taste too darn good, especially for my bank account. But don’t just ask me—if you asked anyone in my family, they would rave about it. Oh, and even my friends who have been skeptical from the start? I think I have begun to win them over to Olipop fangirl side.
How Soda and Gut Health Go Together
Okay, now let’s get down to business since that is cleared away. Soda and gut health don’t seem to go together, right? Well, not your average soda, but Olipop has quite mastered it. They incorporate natural fibers like Cassava root fibers into their soda using a special concoction—with all ingredients listed by the way, so you know what you’re getting.
Low Sugar, Low Calories
Oh, and they have like little to no sugar and most of that comes from fruit juice. Oh, and they’re pretty low in calories for those in a deficit or just for someone who doesn’t want to drink all their calories. Like did you know a Coke can has 140 calories and 40 grams of sugar? Like no thank you.
Perfect Summer Timing
Also, summer is the perfect time to try them out because they have just launched some fun tasty flavors and they brought back a classic Blackberry Vanilla. I’m thoroughly surprised by every one of their flavors.
Special Memorial Day Sale
So anyway, I have a code, but I’m gonna let y’all in on something even more special. They’re having a sitewide Memorial Day sale starting now and extending until 5/30. But here’s the fun part: they’re giving you 25% off your entire order—automatically applied at checkout—AND you get free shipping. Like shut the front door!
Anyways, click the link below to help your girl out but to also turn a great summer into a fantabulous summer!
Rest & Recovery Habits I’m Actually Implementing
Finally Sleeping Enough
I’m proud to say that for the first time since starting freshman year I’m sleeping 7-8 hours. This happens because I go to bed earlier while still affording myself the ability to wake up early. Again, everyone’s situation is different and maybe you need 9 plus hours of sleep and that’s perfectly normal too.
Why I Wake Up Early
My personality and mindset on life makes it impossible for me to sleep more than 8 hours. Let me explain. I hate wasting time and I like to be ultra productive, so for me, waking up at 9 am even feels like I’ve wasted so much time. Strange, I know. But it’s how I have always been.
My Morning Routine
For me, getting up at 6 doesn’t mean I’m at the gym at 6:05. Rather, it means that I have 1-2 hours for myself before everyone else gets moving. Well, that was before the puppy. But you get my point.
Find What Works for You
So I encourage you to figure out what your body needs when it comes to sleep and rest. Maybe you sleep 6 hours at night and then nap for an hour during the day, maybe you’re similar to me. The specifics don’t matter—all that matters for your routine is that it works for you.
The Need for Rest Days
In addition, one thing I have learned since injury recovery is the need for rest. Our bodies can only take so much, so if you push it to the max every time, you’re gonna experience extreme burnout—aka not good, not good at all. So rest in whatever form works best for you.
My Rest Day Approach
I typically just take one real rest day from lifting or running and then one rest day where I go play pickleball. But nowadays, I don’t really have a schedule. I go to PT when necessary and then I lift a couple days outside of that. I try and get 8-10k steps a day and everything else changes.
Don’t Feel Guilty
Please please please take this to heart. I’m still imprinting it on myself too. You should never feel guilty for a rest day—instead if your body craves it, give it to your body. It really can be that simple if you let it.
Mental Health & Balance Habits I’m Working On
The Heavy Part
Okay, now here’s the heavy part. I’m glad you have stuck with me this far and I will try to not go on for forever more. If you can’t tell, I’m just really passionate about all these things. I hope more than anything you can see that.
Truth and Grace
Okay, ironic enough my middle name is Grace. Actually, that’s the reason for the name of this blog. My parents named me Aletheia Grace—Aletheia being Greek for truth and then Grace. They did this for multiple reasons, one of which in hopes that I would be filled with both truth and grace like Jesus. So after that fun little tidbit, here’s where I struggle and maybe you can relate.
Where I Struggle
I’m real good at giving the truth to myself and others and that often can be a negative thing because it means I’m too harsh on both parties—AKA I lack grace. So I have set out to work on showing more grace to myself and everyone around me. And that’s where the habits and balance come in.
Stop Comparing
No one can be perfect, and so that’s why I emphasize the fact that we ought not to compare ourselves to influencers. And don’t worry, I’m not trying to call you out on this without labeling myself as guilty, because I am. Listen, my job is to write these blog posts and to quite frankly be an influencer. So that means I’m chronically online and I see everything.
Practice Gratitude
So when you want to tear yourself down like I tend to do, instead find one thing you’re grateful for about how God made you. That’s it. And even better, we’re gonna work on this habit together this summer so that it becomes a part of the foundation like we talked about.
Bringing Back Journaling
Okay, I’m about to be honest. I love journaling and I did it all through freshman year and let me tell you it made a real difference. But I sadly ran out of paper in my journal and never bought another one and it’s been months. Here is where we insert the hiding behind your hands emoji we all know and love.
My One Recommendation
I’m the last person to ask for mental health advice because emotions are the strangest and scariest thing to me. But the one thing I can recommend is journaling.
Giving Yourself Grace
And because we’re giving ourselves grace and learning what it looks like to live a balanced life, we’re gonna laugh and have fun with friends and eat the junk food. At the end of the day we’re just human, so we should act like it.
How to Find What Works for YOU
Okay, we’re nearing the end and I promise to keep this section short for y’all.
Trial and Error
Honestly, trial and error. That’s how you figure out what works. Nothing more and nothing less. Just start trying things no matter how afraid you are to do them.
My Example
For example, this doesn’t really have anything to do with habits, but for the longest time I was too afraid to film in the gym for Instagram, but I started trying today. It looked like hiding my phone or propping it up against my water bottle, BUT that doesn’t matter because it’s a step in the right direction.
Come Find Me on Instagram
If you want to see a day in the life in depth, go over to my Instagram @food_n_grace, send me a DM and I’ll work some of my magic lol.
I think I’m way too funny when y’all are probably tired of this. Anywaysssss
Conclusion
That is all my beautiful and lovely people. I don’t think there’s much need for a conclusion. I just hope this resonates with y’all and that if anything you can find one piece of helpful information to take with you or to share with others. Tell your friends about FoodnGrace, follow me on Instagram, and have the most splendid day ever!
