Don’t Let The Weather Derail Your Fitness Goals livingontrack.au/dont-let-the-weather-derail-your-fitness-goals/ When temperatures outdoors are mild, exercising in the fresh air is a pleasure. But when the heat cranks up or frigid cold makes you want to stay curled up under the covers, it’s more of a challenge to stay in shape. One solution is to exercise indoors. When the weather is uninviting, it’s the perfect time to put that gym membership to good use or break out that stack of workout DVDs and get moving. However, if you don’t want to stay indoors all summer or all winter, there are ways to exercise outdoors comfortably and safely all year long. Hot Weather Solutions Exercising in hot weather is hard on your body. Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions that you must take care to avoid. Pay attention to the weather forecast and know what the temperature is going to be for the duration of your workout. The most important thing to remember in hot weather is to drink plenty of water. Dehydration is dangerous and can lead to heat illness. Consider sports drinks of you are going to be exercising intensely for more than an hour or so to replace the sodium and potassium your body will lose through prolonged sweating; otherwise, water is adequate as long as you drink plenty. Dress in lightweight clothing to help sweat evaporate and help you stay cooler. Also try to time your workouts so that you avoid the midday sun. A sunburn makes it harder for your body to cool itself down, so try to exercise in the shade, or wear sunscreen. Finally, consider swimming as a great hot-weather alternative that keeps you cool while giving you a great workout. Cold Weather Solutions When it’s freezing (or nearly so) outside, most people’s inclination is to turn up the heat and stay indoors. That’s fine most of the time, but even when temperatures plummet, fresh air and sunshine are good for you, physically and emotionally. Dressing in layers is your number one tool for staying safe and comfortable in cold weather. Layers keep you warmer and also allow for removing an article of clothing or two when you do warm up. Be sure to cover your head, fingers, and toes. These extremities are more vulnerable to the cold. Gloves and shoes that are roomy enough to allow for thick socks are essential. Do avoid exercising outdoors if it is cold and rainy. Being wet makes it extremely hard for your body to warm up. And be on the lookout for signs of frostbite: numbness, tingling, or burning. Shivering and confusion are warning signs for hypothermia. Be sure to dress properly and listen to your body to avoid injury while refusing to let weather keep you trapped inside.
Posted on: Sun, 24 Nov 2013 10:22:20 +0000
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