When the weather gets warm you don’t have to stop your faithful workouts. However, to continue to be successful means taking a few precautions to keep you safe. Learn to stay cool and hydrated.
Hot Weather Illnesses
The body can be affected by the heat before you even know what is happening. Hyperthermia is related to too high a temperature on the body. The normal temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Over that, and body functioning begins to be affected.
Physical activity in the heat can result in a variety of hyperthermic reactions. Heat exhaustion leaves you cold and clammy even though your heart rate is still normal. On the other hand, heat stroke significantly raises the body temperature, leading to excessive water loss. Even though you feel like you are burning up, the body may stop sweating to preserve water.
If you ever notice that you are not feeling quite right when exercising in the heat, stop immediately. Get into a cool place out of the sun and evaluate your situation. Call for medical help if you need it.
Workout Tips for Hot Weather
Prevention is better than a cure. While you can treat hot weather illnesses effectively, avoiding them altogether is the way you want to go. Here are some tips to help with that.
- Stay hydrated – Water is your best friend every day, but definitely when you are working out outdoors. Drink at least a cup of water before exercise, drink every 15 minutes during your workout and consume at least a cup after each workout session.
- Change your workout time – With days getting longer in the summer, wait until later in the day to train outdoors. Early in the morning or in the evening is better as far as outside temperature.
- Move indoors – Days that register 80 degrees or above with high humidity can affect you a lot sooner than lower temps. Try taking a class at the gym or use a DVD workout in your home. Every day isn’t hot so you can get back out there soon.
- Wear wicking fabric – There are tons of fitness clothing on the market these days that work by removing sweat from the skin and into the fabric. This keeps the body cooler so you can work out longer and in greater comfort.
- Try swimming – On hot days, take a dip in the pool. Swimming works all the muscles of the body in a virtually shock free environment. If you don’t swim, try water aerobics. Weight training can be done with all the benefit and none of the jarring on the joints.
- Minimize apparel – IPods reduce the boredom of indoor and outdoor workouts, but carrying too much stuff can add more of a burden to your workout – especially in warm weather. Remove jewelry, put your hair up in a hat or clip, and store money or keys in a pocket on your clothing instead of carrying an extra pack.
Warm weather doesn’t mean you have to lose your fun workouts. Use the tips above to avoid heat-related illnesses.
