That lovely, lovely summer heat that makes concrete roads look like they’re evaporating and turns the whole city into an oven. Cooking in yourhigh-intensitysweat as you exercise and sneeze your way through summer allergies just sounds so appealing, doesn’t it? No? Well, alright weirdo, since you seem to be so against suffering heat strokes, we suppose we ought to help you out. While it’s shocking that you’d rather be lazing around on the beach than doing high intensity workouts during the days when the temperature is the meager one hundred degrees, we do have some tips that could make your life easier and still keep you fit during the hottest days of summer.
Temperatures
All jokes aside, the summer heat can be very dangerous even for the most experienced athlete. You need to be very careful if you like to exercise during the day, and only do it in air-conditioned rooms. Don’t set the temperature too low, and make sure you clean the filters in your A/C unit frequently. Wear light, moisture-wicking workout clothes and remember to drink more water than you usually do. If you prefer to exercise outside, either do it very early in the morning or very late in the evening once the temperature has settled down a bit.
Allergies
Not all allergies peak during spring. Some people have to suffer through them in summer, and they can make simple day-to-day living annoyingly hard, let alone vigorous exercise. If these issues plague you, you might want to consider talking to your doctor and asking about allergy shots. However, they take years to become fully effective, so until that happens, it’s best to stay indoors as much as you can, and exercise with the windows closed. Consider investing in a good air purifier if you can because this is the quickest way to deal with allergies and clean the air in your living space. Exercising can exacerbate some conditions, so if your nasal passage is clogged and you’re swollen, then ease up and take antihistamines until it goes away. If you prefer working out in nature, then you have to wait for the pollen levels to go down, which is unfortunately usually during the middle of the day.
Vacations
Everyone goes away for the summer, from your favorite grocery clerk to your gym coach. Even if you don’t go to the gym, most clubs are closed during the summer months, and even your dancing and yoga instructors have to take a break too. So, what do you do when you’re used to exercising with certain people, but they’re not around at the moment? Well, simply plan ahead. If you wish to stay active while they are away, ask them to show you how you can do your exercises at home, and how to practice your skills so they wouldn’t go rusty. There’s also the issue of your own vacation. If you have your own workout routine, then you can do that anywhere, whether it’s your own house or a hotel room. But you may wish to take a break from your standard exercise routine and change it up a little while you’re away. Why not go running along the beach, swimming, or hiking if you prefer the mountains for your vacation? A fun way to stay in shape until you come back.
Motivation
The heat is great while we’re relaxing with a cocktail in our hands at St. Tropez, but when we’re home, it just makes us tired and irritable. To keep yourself motivated, here’s an interesting trick – try something new. It can be a new form of exercise, for example starting summer dance classes, or it can be something completely unrelated to working out. Pick up a new hobby and the excitement and joy you get from doing it can easily be transferred to other areas of your life, and keep you motivated to stick to your exercise routine.
Summer does pose a particular set of challenges for anyone who wishes to stay active, but we don’t have to give up on our goals because of them. Remember these tips when you’re planning your exercise routine, and you’ll have no issues sticking to it.
