Exercise is important for your physical health, but it can be difficult to exercise outside in the heat of summer because heat affects workout performance. In Florida, it is scorching hot right now, and our heat index has reached a record high. I am able to do my strength training indoors in the air conditioning, but if I want to do a cardio workout, walking outside is my only choice because I am not able to use cardio machines and don’t have access to a gym like most people do. Walking outside is brutal this time of year, but I don’t have much of a choice, and summer workouts are something I just have to get through because not exercising during the summer months is doing nothing for your physical health. Exercising in the heat can be dangerous because you can overheat faster, but it is possible to exercise outside safely if you take extra precautions. I hate doing my walks this time of year, but I still do them because you don’t have to avoid being outside if you train smarter, not harder. How can you exercise outside when it’s scorching hot out? In this post, I am going to talk about how I exercise outside safely during the heat of summer.
Fuel yourself properly– When I go outside to do my walk, I always make sure that my body is fueled properly because when you don’t properly fuel before and after your workout, you may not have the energy to do your workout. Before I go for a walk, I always make sure that I drink some water to prevent dehydration, and you will never see me go outside to exercise without giving my body nutrition. I don’t do fasted workouts because I am more prone to migraine attacks, especially in the heat, and it feels unsafe for me. My workouts are short, and I am not usually outside more than twenty minutes, but if I were to do a workout that was longer than thirty minutes, I would bring water with me just in case I needed it. It is so incredibly important to fuel your body properly before exercise because failing to fuel properly is what causes people to pass out during exercise. Make sure you are adequately fueling your workouts because not only will you have more energy to do the workout, but you also will be less likely to pass out from heat exhaustion. If you are going to be outside sweating a lot for a while, bring some water with you and maybe add some electrolytes because when you sweat, you lose water, and electrolytes can help replenish the water you lost a lot faster than water alone will.
Listen to your body- People sometimes get worried when they see a loved one outside doing a workout because they think it’s dangerous and are worried for their safety. It is possible to suffer from heat exhaustion when you are exercising outdoors, but typically, that only happens when people don’t listen to their bodies and try to push through pain when their bodies are telling them to stop. When I exercise outside, I am always very aware of my body, and if I were to start feeling dizzy because I was a little dehydrated, I wouldn’t keep going and would stop to drink some water. Your body will always give you signals during exercise, and sometimes people have issues because they ignore them. Listen to your body and don’t try to push through if you start feeling sick, because doing things like that is what makes exercise dangerous.
Exercise sooner rather than later- In Florida, it’s scorching hot all the time during the summer months, and it doesn’t matter what time you exercise; you will not be able to escape the heat entirely. I have done a workout at eight a.m. and was sweating before I started. It is not quite as hot in the morning as it would be later in the afternoon, and mornings are the best time to get your workout in because the sun hasn’t come out yet. I do shorter workouts multiple times a day because my physical disability prevents me from being able to do one long workout. It is impossible for me to completely avoid exercising in the scorching heat because I have to do at least one afternoon workout, but I do have most of them done by noon, so I only have to do one workout in the middle of the afternoon. Get your workout done sooner rather than later because the longer you wait, the hotter it’s going to be.
Do something lighter impact- If you do a higher impact workout, such as running, you are at a slightly higher risk for overheating than someone who does a lower impact workout such as walking because you are sweating more. When I exercise, I am not overly concerned that I am going to overheat because my workouts are short and I do them in my front yard, so if something terrible were to happen to me, someone would eventually find me. It can be hard to do a high-impact workout during the summer because heat affects workout performance, and some people may not be able to exercise in the summer heat without getting super fatigued. Low-impact workouts do not burn as many calories, but they can be just as effective and are a great option for people who can’t do high-impact routines. Do something lower-impact if you struggle to exercise outdoors because you won’t sweat as much, and it will be a safer option for you.
Do shorter workouts– Long two-hour workouts can be difficult to do during summer because it’s so unbearably hot out, and all you want to do is get in the air conditioning. Don’t do long workouts if it’s hard for you, and stick to doing shorter routines more often. Short workouts can be just as effective as longer routines because it’s not the time that is most important, and it’s how hard you are willing to push yourself.
Jump in the pool after your workout– If you have access to a pool, one of the things you can do is either do your workouts in the pool or jump in the pool after your workout to cool off. I don’t generally get in the pool after every exercise because I exercise three times a day, and it would be an all-day event, but it is a great option if you get overheated or don’t want to take a shower after your workout. Pool workouts are a great way to maintain your fitness during summer because it keeps you cool, and you aren’t going to overheat while swimming.
During summer, I hate exercising and wish my disability did not prevent me from using cardio machines because I would much rather exercise indoors than outdoors. Exercising outside in the heat can be dangerous, but it can be safe if you listen to your body and fuel yourself properly before and after your workout. It can be hard to exercise in the heat, but it is possible if you focus on training smarter, not harder. Exercising outside is difficult during summer, but if you do it enough, eventually your body starts to get used to the temperatures, and it becomes easier. Everyone is different, and it depends on what type of workout you are doing, because people who do short ten-minute workouts are not going to take the same safety precautions as someone who does longer ones. How do you exercise in the heat? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
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