5 Tips for Exercising in the Heat
We are in the thick of Summer. I know that in the South it is HOT and humid, and that so many of my sisters are experiencing this heat too!
I know that so many of you are dedicated to your goals of working out during the summer (go go girl!) and I’m so proud of you! However, I want to share these tips with you today because it can be dangerous to exercise or even to be sitting in the heat, and I want you to be as safe and prepared as possible this summer.
So today I’m sharing five tips on how to make your daily exercise bearable in the high temperatures. Let’s get started!
Avoid the hottest part of the day. According to almanac.com, "The hottest time of the day is around 3 p.m. Heat continues building up after noon, when the sun is highest in the sky, as long as more heat is arriving at the earth than leaving. By 3 p.m. or so, the sun is low enough in the sky for outgoing heat to be greater than incoming."
Dress appropriately. Lightweight, loose-fitting clothing helps sweat evaporate and keeps you less heated. Avoid dark colors, which tend to absorb heat.
Drink plenty of fluids. Dehydration is an important factor in heat illness. Staying well-hydrated with water helps your body sweat and cool down. Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink fluids. If you plan to exercise intensely (more than an hour), consider a sports drink instead of water with low sugar content. Sports drinks can replace the sodium, chloride, and potassium you lose through sweating.
Get acclimated. If you're used to exercising indoors or in milder weather, take it easy first when you workout in the heat. It can take at least one to two weeks to adapt to the heat. As your body acclimates to the hotter temperatures over time, gradually increase your workouts' length and intensity of your workouts.
Wear sunscreen. A sunburn is not fun. It also decreases your body's ability to cool itself and increases the risk of skin cancer.
Even though the temperatures are getting higher, you don’t have to let stop that from getting in your daily exercise and hitting your goals. Simply take the above precautions into consideration and be aware of the best times to get your sweat on. Most importantly, listen to your body - God has built in amazing systems within us to tell us when we’re hitting our limits!
