It. Is. Get-ting. So. Hot.

Regardless of whether you live in TX and have been experiencing summer for a few months, or summer is just now finding its way to you, It's Getting Hot Out There!

Now that you are unable to hide your layers of 'natural insulation' underneath baggy clothes, you may be motivated to kick it into high gear and get bikini ready! Whatever your motivation, Fit Britt supports your workout endeavors! Here are a few tips to keep in mind when exercising in hot weather:

Heat Illness - The main concern is an increased risk of heat injuries (heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat stroke). The first symptoms are headache and nausea, followed by muscle cramps and eventually lack of sweating, dry skin, etc. This can be avoided by making smart choices about your activities, attire, time of day, etc.

Reduced Performance - Additionally, depending on your level of competitiveness, you may be interested in learning that your endurance capacity and VO2max (efficiency of using oxygen during exercise) both decrease as you lose body weight from sweat and dehydration. These symptoms can be prolonged, if not avoided by making smart decisions and planning ahead.

Acclimatization - it is encouraging to note that you CAN acclimatize to the weather, to some degree (pun not intended). Whether you are just starting a new program and it happens to be the middle of summer, or you are competing in events that require you to travel to different climates, allow yourself 7-14 days for your body to become most efficient at working in the hot environment. You should notice that you actually begin to sweat MORE and lose less salt along the way.
Hydration - being dehydrated will decrease your body's ability to sweat as well as cool itself. Additionally, as you sweat, you decrease your blood volume by pulling water out of your body. This, in turn, makes it more difficult for your blood to circulate, deliver essential nutrients and remove waste as you continue your workout (hence the decrease in performance mentioned above).

In order to stay properly hydrated:

• Focus on staying well hydrated within the 24 hours before your exercise session (limit caffeine, consume foods that contain a lot of water such as fruits and carbohydrates).
• Drink 1-2 cups of fluid (preferably water or sports drinks) 1-2 hours before exercise.
• Typically, water is sufficient during activity for exercise sessions less than 60 minutes.
• When exercising for more than 60 minutes, and/or you are sweating a lot, incorporate a sports drink with carbohydrates (sugar = fuel!) and electrolytes (to replace the sodium you depleted while sweating). A good rule of thumb is to find a drink that has 6-8 grams of carbohydrates per 100mL of fluid.
• Consume your beverages at the coldest temperature you can tolerate - as this will help cool your body from the inside-out.
• IF YOU FEEL THIRSTY, YOU ARE ALREADY DEHYDRATED!
• After your workout, replenish with more fluids. You will know you are well hydrated when your urine is light yellow to clear.
• If your exercise session lasted for over an hour, and it was really hot, you may want to consider weighing yourself before and after exercise. You can assume any weight loss is water weight that needs to be replenished (consume 3 cups for every pound lost).

Humidity - In addition to temperature, humidity will also contribute to your body heat during a workout. Humidity will decrease the body's ability to dissipate heat (through evaporation) and will hinder the cooling process. I like this chart because it also mentions calculating the temperature to be higher if you are wearing thicker clothing or are in direct sunlight.

Target Heart Rate - If you work within a specific heart rate range during exercise, this would still be a wise suggestion while exercising in the heat. You will notice that your heart rate increases much quicker (in an effort to help cool your body). This means, you will have to decrease your intensity in order to keep your heart rate within the same zone.
Clothing - There is a reason dry wick clothes have been so popular - because they feel so much better! This is not the time of year to pull on your garbage bag sweat suit... and forget the cotton too, get some dry wick shorts and tanks in order to improve the evaporative heat loss from your body.
Sun Screen - If you have ever seen me exercise outdoors (no matter what time of year) my face is the color of a tomato when I am finished... but fortunately for me this is just temporary blood flow. Avoid any long-lasting redness or damage from the sun (ie: cancer and wrinkles) by remembering your sun screen! Here are a few reminders to make sure you get the maximum effectiveness out of your sun screen:

• Apply sunscreen liberally (should form a white film at first) 30 minutes before going in the sun to give time to absorb.
• Select an SPF between 15 and 50, depending on how prone you are to burning.
• Re-apply every 2 hours.
• Try to avoid the strongest rays of the day: between 11 am and 3 pm.
• Look for clothing that also provides UV protection.

Have fun in the sun, but make smart decisions to help keep your body fit inside and out!

Have a HEALTHY day!

~Fit Britt

Sources used for this information:
- Sports and Exercise Nutrition, 3rd Edition, McArdle, Katch & Katch
- Exercise and Sport Nutrition, Kreider, Leutholtz, Katch & Katch
- ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 8th Edition