Keeping Exercise Up In The Heat of Summer - 5 Ways to Make It Happen

It seems like this is the Summer of extreme heat pretty much wherever you are in the country this year. And when it’s hot out there, your get up and go may have gotten up and went! 

You’re already roasting so physical activity might be the last thing on your mind.  However, staying consistent with exercise will help boost your mood and metabolism, reduce stress you may feel from life changes, maintain a healthy weight or work on getting there and maintain your health, so it pays to figure out ways to stay active no matter what the weather.

My Overall Exercise Philosophy

Regardless of the weather, don’t force yourself to do killer workouts you can’t stand just because you’ve heard they’re big calorie burners. Find exercise you enjoy that feels doable and look for opportunities to get more movement in your day overall.  Even on hot days, chunking exercise into 10-minute chunks over the course of your day still works. Something is always better than nothing!

So let’s now apply this to staying active while beating the heat:

1. Adjust When You Exercise

We’re all creatures of habit, but if you’re used to working out at lunchtime or during hours that are at or near the peak temperatures for the day, it may be time to adjust accordingly.  Seems obvious, but if you enjoy being active outside, consider learning to love getting physical in the morning and evening…at least over the Summer.

2. Take Your Outside Workout Inside

If it’s excessively hot or humid, or air quality is poor as has often been the case this year, it may make sense to exercise indoors.  If you belong to a gym, it’s very simple to do this.  In fact, when I lived in Las Vegas, I had to switch to treadmill walking with hand weights during the peak heat which accomplished two things–it kept me following through with my walking program and I accidentally discovered Zumba® by seeing it going on in an adjacent fitness studio room.

If you work out at home, almost any outside activity can be brought indoors.  As an example, I like to do walking/jogging intervals at a local park whenever I can.  However, some days the weather just doesn’t cooperate.  So I purchased five of the foam gym floor-like puzzle pieces inexpensively at my local discount store to give me the flooring I need for replicating it indoors.  To avoid boredom, I put on a free walking video from Wind Walk Travel Videos on YouTube and my favorite music  and just like that I can walk anywhere in the country or the world!  You can also use these videos while you are on a treadmill.

3. Just Add Water

Even if you’re like me and not a swimmer, getting active in the water is a great way to beat the heat and have fun.  You can water walk and get the added benefit of the resistance of the water as you try to make your way around.  You can play water basketball or volleyball or attend a water aerobics class (they’re not just for older adults) or even Aqua Zumba!

4. Change it Up

Sometimes just a change of pace and trying something new will increase your desire to get moving.  Admittedly I was bored silly on the treadmill at my gym in Vegas, but seeing all the fun going on in that Zumba class through the fitness studio window eventually piqued my curiosity enough that I decided to give it a try.  Once I did, I left that treadmill in the dust! 

It was also the first step in my career change as I eventually became a Zumba Instructor which ultimately led to my becoming a Nationally Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach.  You never know just what can happen when you open your mind to something new!

5. Listen to Your Body

If you do keep up outside workouts at higher temperatures of the day, be sure to:

• lower your intensity and take more frequent breaks
• stay well hydrated (if you wait till you’re thirsty you’re too late)
• dress appropriately in lightweight light colors and moisture-wicking fabrics
• Wear sunscreen and apply bug repellants as needed
• If you experience any signs of heat-related illness or just don’t feel right, stop exercising, get out of the sun and inside to cool temperatures if possible. Take steps to cool yourself down quickly with water and drink fluids.  Don’t hesitate to seek emergency medical care if symptoms don’t improve within a few minutes.
• Always check with your health care provider before starting or enhancing your exercise program.

I hope these Summer  tips will help you safely keep up your physical activity while, as the late Glenn Frey sang, ”The Heat is On.”

About Coach Melanie, NBC-HWC

Melanie Jordan is a Nationally Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) with 12+ years of coaching and corporate wellness program experience for digital health start-ups, top health insurers, and her own private practice Your Healthy Life Made Easy LLC. Melanie specializes in working holistically with business professionals to become as successful at healthfully losing weight for good and transforming their overall health as they are in their careers.

If life changes have contributed to frustration with your weight and overall health, you’ll want to check out Coach Melanie’s 5-day E-Course 5 Essential Keys to Healthy Weight Loss Success. Access is free as a thank you for reading the Membrasin® Blog.

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