8 hot summer exercise tips: Keep your cool as temps rise
4 min
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It’s peak summer, the sun is shining, and the temperature is rising. What could be better than enjoying life outside with your family or friends? Working out together is even more fun in the sun. We love getting active in the summer. If you follow our 8 summer exercise tips, you’ll have no trouble staying active even in heat and humidity.
Is exercising in summer a good idea?
Physical activity helps get your circulation going, strengthens your muscles, improves your endurance, and, in combination with a calorie deficit, helps you lose weight effectively. Generally speaking, this doesn’t change in the summer.
Exercising during the summer is definitely not unhealthy. You can and should continue to pursue your goals, no matter the season. It often feels, however, more difficult. Workouts feel more strenuous and your performance might lag as a result. This is partly due to increased sunlight and high temperatures, which can put additional strain on your body. With our following tips, nothing will stand in the way of you splashing into an athletic summer.
Editor’s tip: Staying hydrated is especially important for summer exercise. In addition to drinking lots of water to keep you quenched, isotonic drinks and electrolytes are useful to have on hand. Our CocoWhey contains delicious coconut water and an extra portion of protein for your muscles.
Will exercising in the summer heat help you lose weight?
Working out in combination with a calorie deficit is what helps you lose weight, not the time of year. However, if you find yourself losing weight more easily in summer than at other times of the year, summer may have something to do with it – indirectly.
Hot temps make you sweat more. But sweat is not burned-off fat, just water that your body expels through the skin to cool itself. Any weight loss that results from this isn’t permanent. As soon as you replenish your fluids by eating or drinking, the water loss is balanced out again.
Scorching temperatures cause people to drink more water and eat fewer and lighter foods overall, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Doing this creates a larger calorie deficit and that helps you lose weight faster.
8 tips for your summer workouts
1. Drink enough
Your body loses fluid when you sweat and breathe. That’s why it’s especially important to drink enough in hot weather, even if you aren’t sweating much. During summer workouts, your body’s cooling system is running at full speed. A fluid loss of 2% is enough to severely affect your performance.
Our tip: Drink a large sip of water or of an isotonic drink every 15 minutes – even if you’re not super thirsty. We have some tips that will make it easier than ever!
2. Get the timing right
Exercising midday in the blazing heat is the most strenuous time for your body and isn’t always advisable. Time your workout so that you avoid the high noon heat. The best time to train is in the early morning shortly after getting up until mid-morning or in the evening when the sun is slowly fading.
3. The right place to exercise
If you can’t avoid exercising in the middle of the day, find a shady spot outdoors under a tree. Move your running route to a forest where it’s generally cooler. Of course, you can also train at home or in the gym. Maybe your gym is even air conditioned.
4. Wear functional clothing
The right clothes make it easier for your body to cool down even in the hottest temps. Unlike cotton shirts and thick sweatpants, functional clothing is much lighter and more breathable on your skin. Light-colored hats also help prevent sunstroke.
5. Use sunscreen
It doesn’t matter if you work out with or without a shirt, sunburns can sometimes develop faster than you think. Always remember to put sunscreen on your skin, especially in the summer. You wouldn’t want to miss your next training session because you got too burned the day before. Keep in mind that you can still burn even on a cloudy day!
6. Eat fruits and vegetables
Hot temperatures tend to decrease many people’s appetite for solid foods, so fruits and vegetables are perfect for summer. In addition to vitamins and minerals, they also contain plenty of fluids, fiber, and fewer calories than many other foods. It’s a great way to replenish your water reservoir when exercising outdoors and to help maintain your calorie deficit.
7. Don’t overdo it
HIIT workouts are indeed time-saving, but in summer’s peak temperatures they also put a lot of strain on your body. Shift gears and train a little slower right now. If your body is already well-accustomed to the heat after a few training sessions, you can try to slowly increase the speed of your workout.
8. Pay attention to your warning signs
Learn to listen to your body and take your body’s red flags seriously. Muscle cramps most often felt in the calves or thighs and are the first sign of overwork. If you have a noticeably pale face, or attacks of weakness, dizziness, headaches, and even vomiting, you might be suffering from heat exhaustion. Get into the shade, drink plenty of fluids and electrolytes, and put a cool towel on your forehead. If those symptoms are severe, we advise you to consult a doctor, as you may already be suffering from sun stroke or heat stroke.
Summary
- Exercising in the summer is no better and no worse than in other seasons.
- Increased sweating doesn’t make you lose weight faster because it’s just water you’re losing.
- You’ll only lose weight when you are in a calorie deficit.
- When exercising in the summer, make sure you stay hydrated and protect your head from too much sun to prevent burn and lower your risk of heat stroke.
- Don’t overexert yourself, and take your body’s warning signs seriously in order to beat the heat.
Sources for this article
We at foodspring use only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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