In the midst of the summer heat getting workouts in can get challenging. It doesn’t mean it is impossible though. In this post I am going to give you four tips that will help you be more successful working out when it gets really hot. These are things I do to make sure I still get my workout in even when the temperature goes up!
The biggest piece of advice I can give you about working out in the heat is to be honest with yourself and how you’re feeling and modify whenever you need too! There have totally been times when I have planned to do a certain workout and halfway through realize that it is just way too hot and have changed it up!
#01 Workout Early
Planning out my workouts is one of the biggest tasks I do to help me stay consistent. This includes checking out the weather when I know I’m going to be doing my workouts outside. Whenever I see the temperature is going to be high I plan on getting my workout in earlier in the morning.
Now I am not a morning person and I don’t love working out in the morning but when I know it is going to be super hot out I make sure to get it done early. I don’t want to be outside working out during the hottest part of the day. If working out in the morning is not an option then waiting for the evening is also a good solution.
The goal here really is to just make sure you aren’t working out outside during the hottest hours of the day.
#02 Water
Obviously you know how important drinking water is and since you’ve been around here for a while I know you are totally crushing that water habit! But working out in the heat means you are losing more water than you typically do so you need to drink a little more water than you are drinking on a normal day.
This does not mean you need to guzzle gallons of water each day or before you exercise. It just means that you are going to have to replenish more water than you normally do.
I tend to avoid drinking lots of water during my workouts because I don’t love how I feel. I’ll take little sips throughout and then drink a ton right after. You have to find what will work best for you!
#03 Wear Light Clothing
Wearing light clothing is important when working out in the heat. It will help keep your body cool. I know some of us, myself included, will struggle with this a bit. I’m pretty sure every pair of exercise leggings I own are black. I just feel the most confident in them! So to help with this I make sure my tank is a lighter color and super flowy. Wearing light and flowy tops helps me stay cool during those hot workouts!
#04 Intensity
Let’s get this straight right from the beginning here. I’m going to guess the majority of you reading this are not professional athletes. Clearly nothing wrong with that, neither am I! The point I want to make here is you do not have to complete your workout with a certain intensity if the conditions are not good.
If I planned on running 3 miles one day but when I go out and run and it is over 100˚ I’m going to adjust that workout and do that 3 mile run another day. This doesn’t mean I’m failing, it means I’m being smart about what I’m doing to my body. Instead of that run maybe I’ll do a strength workout or go for a walk instead. You do not have to push yourself to the point where you feel like you are going to pass out.
When working out in the heat you just need to be smart. If it is too hot then adjust your plan, try to workout inside, or change up your workout. You do not have anything to prove to try and push yourself to workout in conditions like that all that is going to do is you will make yourself sick.
Be Safe!
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