Ug. I live in Maine. I mean, that's like really close to Canada, which is really close to the North Pole, right? Okay, so I chronically exaggerate. Point being, I'm not close enough to the North Pole at the moment. It's been 90 degrees with humidity as thick as a wool blanket for the past week, and I'm exhausted. Add a hard-core heavy weight training regime–without the immense pleasures of air conditioning–and the recipe conclusion is: Draining Exhaustion. By early evenings, I'm shot–sometimes it hits me much, much sooner in the day, for sure. Today was my leg day, which I've found to be the toughest part of my routine. I've been doing the Leg 1 and Leg 2 part of Amy's All Pump Xtreme, except with weights so heavy I can only manage six to eight reps per set. After that, I add a few upper body moves to make one long and heavy workout, which has been awesome (I love working out hard). Except in the heat. Not so awesome this week.
That said, I decided to devote this post to working out safely and effectively in the hot weather. If you're like me, and don't have the advantage of an air conditioned gym or house, or if you're an outside exerciser, you're going to need a few tips to be sure your workouts–and your body–don't suffer in the summer heat.
DEHYDRATION: This is the obvious one, the one we all know about. Gotta stay hydrated! And obviously, this is even more crucial in the summer. Heat exhaustion is a result of overdoing exercise when your body can't sustain the pace, heat, and humidity, which results in a loss of fluid (uh, think sweat). If you don't replace that fluid, problems will inevitable start. And don't wait until you're thirsty! By then, it's too late–thirst is your body's way of telling you that you're already dehydrated. You need to catch yourself before you get to that point. Signs of heat exhaustion can include basic weakness and fatigue, dizziness, cramps, nausea, and an elevated body temperature. Try to avoid super-cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps–hold the ice, please!
DON'T BE STUBBORN–SLOW DOWN IF YOU NEED TO: Listen to your body! Listen to your body! Listen to your body! And let me say again, listen to your body! There's no point in pushing yourself beyond your limits. If you're damaging or threatening your health, don't do it. You ceratinly won't progress your fitness level or goals by pushing yourself–as a matter of fact, there's a pretty good chance that you'll be limiting your goals by pushing yourself. You risk injury, which requires a recovery period … well, just don't go there, k?
WORKOUT OUT EARLY, OR LATE: Another no-brainer–try not to work out in the heat of noon. Your workouts just won't be as effective in that kind of heat, and you risk heat exhaustion. Before 7 a.m. or after 6 p.m. is best, if at all possible. Better yet, get inside, in the air conditioning! Again, if you can. I wish I had air conditioning …
WHAT FUN–WEAR SKIMPY CLOTHING! Okay, so this may not be such a great idea if you're at the gym. You exercise at the gym to get an effective workout, not chatter with the hot guys who may approach you in your skimpy gear (alternately, you could spend your time wondering why the hot guys are not approaching you in your skimpy gear, which is equally as dehabilitating to your workout regime). When you're home, though, you get to wear what you want. You DH will probably love it! Just draw the curtains. And make sure you're not too skimpy when the kids are around. But you get the idea, right? Don't wear sweatpants in the heat, girlfriend! Yeah, like I needed to tell you that. But whatever.
EAT REGULAR, SMALL MEALS: If you're anything like me, the heat will totally eliminate your appetite. Ug. It's really crucial eat normally, though, whether you feel like it or not. That's where the 5-6 small meals come in totally handy, for sure. Include as many fruits and veggies as you can; not only are they obviously nutrient-rich, but they've also got that necessary and extremely crucial water factor thingy goin' on.
PROTECT YOURSELF: If you're going to exercise outside, DON'T FORGET YOUR SUNSCREEN! I repeat, DO NOT FORGET YOUR SUNSCREEN! Just think how much younger you'll look in the years to come if you SPF at least 15 every time you head outside.
