Love Your Summer Workout with these 10 Tips

You should take extra care when exercising in warm weather. The following tips will keep you safe in the heat:

1. Exercise in the early morning or after the sun sets, avoiding the sun’s mid-day heat. Or, find a shady new route with Road Runners Club of America (rrca.org), which features running routes around the country via Google maps. You can also log on to online weather sites, which offer local parks forecasts, a fitness comfort indexes, and hourly forecasts to help you figure out the best time of day to get your sweat on!

2. Take frequent rest and water breaks, every 5-10 minutes or so, allowing your body to recover so that you can make it to the end of your workout. Try this: slow down or rest and hydrate between each of your favorite songs. The 10-15 second break will allow you to keep going for the next tune.

3. Drink water before you feel thirsty. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. This is especially true as you get older. Carrying a small water bottle or using a backpack containing a specially-designed water system are two great options.

4. Avoid beverages with alcohol and caffeine because these can cause dehydration. Choose water or a low calorie sports drink.

5. Drink fluids before, during, and after exercise. You know if you are well-hydrated if you have pale yellow or clear urine and if you are using the bathroom every 2-4 hours.

6. Comfort is key. Wear light, loose fitting clothing, made of breathable fabric in light colors so that your workout wear doesn’t get in the way of your workout.

7. Reduce speed or distance as needed. The hotter it is, the harder your body has to work -- so if you normally walk at a 18-minute-mile pace, when the temperature hits 90 you may find yourself having to slow down to a 20. If you have a heart rate monitor, this is the time to use it. Or, try the the "talk test". Recite the Pledge of Allegiance or any nursery rhyme that you remember from your school days. (murmur it under your breath if you're worried about getting funny looks). If you can still hold a conversation, but have to take a few breaths every sentence or so, then you know you are at a good pace.

8. Exercise indoors during ozone alerts, extreme heat, and very high humidity. Enough said.

9. Listen to your body. Stop exercising if you feel chest pain, short of breath, dizzy, lightheaded, weak, very fatigued, nauseated, or that your heart is pounding. Exercising with a buddy is always a good idea in the chance of emergency.

10. Use sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses to protect your eyes, head, and body from the sun’s harmful rays. Make sure your sunscreen is not expired, too!

For more tips on exercise, nutrition, and overall health contact your personal health coach at myGPNS.com.

Adapted from move.va.gov by Coach Katrina Seidman MS RD LDN, NASM-CPT