Beat the Summer Heat to Stay Replete with Activity

Cold Towels Help Cool Down

​Some love the bright shining sun and feel it a welcome change after the cold and sluggish winter season. For some others, it is a ticket to the scorching heat which makes exercising outdoors a punishment of sorts. This summer, instead of staying indoors fearing the heat waves to can continue your physical activity programs with some basic knowledge of thermoregulation and staying cool.

Thermoregulation is how our body maintains the internal temperature at constant levels despite outside factors. Exercise, even walking your dog or running around the park, increases body temperature and thermoregulation is required to control it. Sweat is one means of thermoregulation and helps drain out excess water off the body.

Summer is a critical period where one needs to be extremely careful while trying to lose weight. Almost 70% of our muscle tissue and blood constitute water and too much sweating can make us lose 3-5% of body weight steering the body to dehydration. Weight loss beyond 5% due to sweating (heat stress) can even turn out to be fatal.

Try following these tips to stay cool this summer:

1. Exercise in air-conditioned rooms or when this is not feasible, try working out in an environment where there is proper air circulation. Cool surrounding makes exercising less strenuous and helps the body maintain optimal thermoregulation.
2. Try exercising early in the morning before the sun’s rays start inducing more sweat. Keep exercising as your first morning activity as before the sun is above the horizon, it can be the coolest time of the day. Exercising in the evening is not a crime until you keep these two factors in your mind-asphalt or concrete surfaces can give off heat and lack of light can cause serious falls and hurt you.
3. Though you might feel the need to wear minimal clothing during summer, wearing a shirt can help you stay cooler as sweat is being removed from the skin. Remember that, higher the water removal from your skin’s surface, cooler will you stay during workout.
4. During hot seasons, abstain from exercising inside gym studios where the temperature is artificially elevated. The outside heat and the inside heat combined together can put your body under great stress and damage it.
5. Individuals training hard or playing sports in the hot summer weather are recommended to take an ice bath to bring down core temperature. Ice baths also promote muscle recovery which is highly beneficial for individuals participating in multi-day long tournaments. If ice bath is not your preferred choice, at least wear a hoodie or sweatshirt which will help you feel comfortable despite being drenched in sweat.
6. It helps to use a cold towel in place of an ice bath when it is unavailable. Place it on your neck or wrist to reduce core temperature and provide a cooling sensation. At home, you can keep some towels inside the freezer to use them or when outside for an event or practice, you can place a couple of towels inside in a cooler to help you cool down quickly. How many of you know that taking a cold shower can reduce the number of sick days enabling you to be regular to office? Though surprising, it's a proven fact and has been discussed in detail at www.firsteatright.com. 
7. Hydration is extremely important during the summer season, especially when you are bound to lose sweat. Ensure to drink water before, during and after workout. Weigh yourself before and after workout and for every 0.5 kilogram lost, drink 1 liter of water. Plain water is the best thirst quencher as sports drinks might be high in calories although they help rehydrate quickly. 
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Exercise basically is inducing physical stress over our body and heat during summer adds extra stress. Following the above strategies can help you stay cool and keep your exercise routines intact too. Be wise and workout-when you feel that heat waves are too much on certain days, try limiting workout sessions and when days seem to be cooler, try to push yourself harder.