Too Hot To Exercise? Try These Cool Tips!

Personal trainer Lynn Bode says take it easy on these hot days

It's the first week of August and, yes, the dog days of summer have arrived. These 100+ degree temperatures along with the humidity make it quite unbearable to be outside. When you are livin' la vida low-carb and trying to stick with an exercise routine, the heat wave can make it very difficult to stay on your normal schedule.

I must confess that I have backed off on my regular exercise routine at the gym significantly this week because of the hot weather. What's the point in going to the gym to get my body temperature up when it's freakin' burning up outside already?! I know that's a sorry excuse for not getting in exercise, but there are certain precautions you must take if you choose to get your heart rate up and sweat in the midst of this.

There's an excellent article about this on the Weight Loss Buddy web site from certified online personal fitness trainer Lynn Bode, who has written fitness articles in a number of health and diet magazine, including the now-defunct Low-Carb Energy magazine.

Bode warns of the "potential dangers" of exercising, especially outside, when it gets this hot and provides some helpful advice about what you should do and what you shouldn't do to continue your weight loss and fitness routine.

Here's a recap of what she says you should DO:

1. Drink LOTS of water...DUH!
2. Eat 5-6 small meals and don't skip a meal.
3. Wear lighter clothing, preferably cotton.
4. Apply sunscreen to keep skin from burning.
5. Avoid strenuous exercise you don't normally do.
6. Exercise indoors when heat index is dangerously high.

What about the DON'T DO list? Here ya go:

1. Don't think sweating a lot is healthy weight loss.
2. Don't keep exercising if you hurt...STOP ASAP!
3. Don't forget to stay hydrated when swimming.
4. Don't exercise outside during the steamy midday.
5. Don't jump from a hot to cold environment too quickly.
6. Don't be afraid to have fun when you exercise.

The bottom line is to be SMART about your exercise and listen to your body. If you don't think you can handle the heat, then try to find ways to get exercise inside such as taking the stairs, doing laps in your office building, going to the mall to walk, etc.

While it can be challenging to make your exercise commitment stick when the weather is intolerable, it doesn't mean you need to get out of the habit. Pretty soon the cooler temperatures will be here and you'll have NO reason why you can't exercise to keep your body warm in the dead of winter. :D Isn't it neat how that works? Now, go get in 30-45 minutes on that treadmill. Go, go, go!