5 Swaps for Your Favorite Indulgences

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Starbucks. While I was compensated to write a post about Starbucks Refreshers, all opinions are my own.

There are plenty of reasons we tend to be healthier in the summertime; the warm weather calls for fewer layers and more time outside. We have already started to swap indoor workouts for outdoor ones and comfort food for fresh salads. So, we thought we would take it a step further with 5 swaps for your favorite indulgences. We get it; these are the not-so-easy trade-offs, but they are also SO worth it. Join us and find yourself more refreshed, healthy, and having reaped all the benefits Summer has to offer.

This one is hard. We love sleep just as much as the next person, but we also love the feeling of accomplishment when we start our days a bit earlier. Plus, the quiet of the mornings is the ideal time to go for a walk, clear your head, and prepare for the day ahead. If walking without purpose is difficult for you, give yourself a destination. You can even walk to Starbucks and pick up a coffee or one of their yummy Starbucks Refreshers® sparkling juice blends– we love these on a warm morning!

2. Swap soda for Sparkling Juice

Whether you tend to hit an afternoon slump or you just love that 3 p.m. treat (we’re with you!), reach for Starbucks Refreshers ® beverages instead of soda or a sugary energy drink. Sometimes all you need is the reminder that there are healthier – and equally delicious – options out there. We love Starbucks Refreshers drinks because they are, well, revitalizing, thanks to a bubbly, fruity, and fresh flavor. But more importantly, they are made with real fruit juice & coconut water so you can be confident you’re consuming clean ingredients. Plus, they pack just the right amount of caffeine.

Walking to the local Starbucks to pick one up in the afternoon is a great excuse to get outside – that is, when we don’t have a shelf stocked in the office! We’re currently loving the Strawberry Lemonade and Black Cherry Limeade flavors – YUM!

3. Swap desk lunches for outdoor lunches

Grab your coworkers and do this one together! Nothing helps us take a much-needed break from our computer screens like eating lunch outside. Sit on the patio or at the beach and soak up some vitamin D. Your mind will thank you for the few minutes of rest!

4. Swap your go-to dessert for sorbet

Let’s face it: we love icy treats during the summertime. Be it an ice cream cone, popsicle, or Frosé, the signature sweets of Summer are hard to pass up – and we aren’t asking you to! Just swap the sugar-loaded, creamy options for lighter, more natural versions. Whip up this easy Strawberry Gelato or pour Strawberry Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers® beverages into popsicle molds and – voilá! – your afternoon just got a whole lot sweeter.

5. Swap dining out for cooking at home

When it’s nice outside, we never want to be caught up in the kitchen! But the endless taco nights and bites to eat at our favorite outdoor restaurants add up. Grilling in the backyard, hosting a healthy BBQ, and quick & easy Summer salads are our favorite ways to cook at home during the Summer months.