Staying Active During Hot Summer Months

We all know that exercising and staying fit is of primary importance in achieving and maintaining health. But with an average temperature of 96 degrees in Dallas in August getting in our exercise safely becomes quite a challenge. Do you have cardiovascular disease, excess body fat, or consume alcohol? While you’ll likely get the most benefit from exercise you’re also at increased risk for heat exhaustion and heat stroke. During the summer it’s especially important to keep your body temperature within a reasonable range while you’re outside to reduce your risk of heat-related illness such as heat exhaustion (dizziness, nausea, cramps and headache) and heatstroke (fast heart rate, stopped sweating, high body temperature, passing out, feeling confused or having no energy).

So how do we safely exercise during the summer? First, make sure to stay hydrated before, during, or after exercise. How much should you be drinking? At least 32 ounces of water for every 45 minutes that you’re exercising outdoors. Anything less is setting yourself up for dehydration. If you feel that you have a dehydration or sun headache try drinking 8 oz. of coconut water instead of reaching for a sports drink. Both have essential electrolytes present but the coconut water has significantly less sugar and artificial ingredients.

The easiest adaptation to avoiding heat illness during the summer is to move your exercise indoors. Check out the suggestions below for more information on ways to effectively exercise inside. If you’re sticking with outdoor exercise, try to do your most intense exercise in the early morning. Late evening is another great option for some people but for people with concerns about sleep quality this can hinder your ability to get into a deep sleep.

Changing your workout gear is another easy method for reducing risk of heat exhaustion: wear light-colored and loose-fitting clothes that let your skin breathe.

Don’t forget- if you have access to a pool aqua exercise is one of the best exercises you can do. Swimming laps using various strokes is a great option. For a break between laps or sets of laps walk or jog around the shallow end of the pool or in place if it’s crowded. Or check out this great resource for aqua exercises on our blog to maximum that effort in the pool.

If moving it indoors is more of your style, don’t be afraid to think out of the box. If you have a gym membership consider a cardio dance class or a fully body circuit group fitness. You can of course go the standard cardio equipment and weight routine as well. While it’s not the most exciting for some people there’s a reason that routine is still around- it works!
If you don’t have a gym membership, indoor exercise is absolutely an option. Consider walking laps in the mall with a friend. Take the stairs to switch from one level to the next to optimize your cardiovascular workout. And don’t go store to store! Make a note of the stores you want to stop by and do that after finishing your workout.
Want a more traditional workout in your home but don’t know how to go about it? Utilize the SWORK-IT app that we featured on Facebook. This app allows you to dictate what you’re looking for in a workout- cardio, strength training, yoga, cardio, etc. and to tell it the length of time you want to work out for. The result? A customized workout with instructions straight to your phone. If technology isn’t your thing consider at home DVDs or fitness options on the Xbox, PlayStation, or Wii if you have a console at home. My personal favorite right now? Workout mode on Just Dance 2015. Fifty minutes of dancing, sign me up! Don’t have any fitness DVDs? Check out your local library. They usually have a great selection and you can try them before you buy them.