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 By
Alicia Tamayo
Summer is officially upon us, and everyone wants to enjoy the beautiful
weather by heading outdoors. But how hot is too hot when it comes
to exercising in the summer heat?
First of all, I think it's crazy to exercise outside on a hot
day, especially in the afternoon. Don't get me wrong - I love running
outside! But there is absolutely no way I would ever be caught running
in the middle of the afternoon on one of the hottest days of the
summer. However, some people really just love the hot weather, and
perhaps can tolerate exercising in it. If you're one of those people,
or don't have exercise equipment or access to a gym, it's important
to be aware of the safety concerns.
If you aren't careful, working out in the heat can lead to heat
exhaustion or even heat stroke. Signs of heat exhaustion include
fatigue, weakness, muscle cramps, feeling dizzy, and/or dehydration.
When it's over 90 degrees outside, it's easy to become dehydrated.
A heat stroke is even worse; these symptoms include a body temperature
of over 104 degrees, inability to sweat, and loss of consciousness!
In really bad cases heat stroke can even lead to death.
That being said, you can exercise outdoors, you just have to be
safe and smart about it. PCM's got you covered with these outdoor
exercise tips!
 1.
Stay hydrated! Your body cools itself by sweating, but you need
to be hydrated in order to sweat. If you are dehydrated, your body
cannot cool itself which can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Drink water all day long, and at least one glass of water about
15 minutes before your workout. Make sure you bring a bottle of
water or sports drink with you to drink throughout your workout.
If you really sweat a lot, replenish electrolytes with a sports
drink after your workout.
2. Avoid caffeine and other diuretics before exercising outdoors.
This will just dehydrate your body before you even start sweating!
3. Avoid running between 10am and 4pm - the hottest time of the
day. This is also when the sun's UV rays are strongest, which can
cause sunburn.
4. Wear light colored, loose clothing. If you're a serious runner,
or sweat a lot when running outside, invest in some high-tech running
clothes to keep you cooler.
 5.
Try to avoid exercising in direct sunlight. Find a shady trail to
run or bike on to keep your body cooler.
6. Use sunscreen! If you're outdoors, you should have sunscreen
on. Wear something with a higher SPF that's sweatproof, if possible,
because you will definitely be sweating.
7. Put on a pair of sunglasses with UV protection. You don't want
a loose pair that you're going to have to keep pushing back up your
nose. Make sure they fit well, and offer UVA and UVB protection
to avoid eye damage.
8. Don't freak your body out with drastic temperature changes.
You don't want to run straight into a 68 degree house after just
spending an hour running in 90+degree heat. Give your body time
to cool down first.
9. Finally, be smart and listen to your body. If you aren't used
to running outdoors in the summer heat, don't try and run 3 miles
in 90 degree heat. Expect that you will not exercise as long or
as far on hotter days than you are used to. If you feel fatigued,
dizzy, weak, or stop sweating, don't try and push through it! It's
not worth killing yourself over.
Whether you exercise outdoors in the summer or not - be safe, stay
hydrated, listen to your body and enjoy the summer weather!
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