Shore Fit
By Bonnie Dodd-Miller
We are just about to embrace the hottest days of the year as the summer season is quickly approaching. Temperatures are rising and humidity can become a major nuisance when exercising outdoors. The combination of the two can make it tough to enjoy outdoor exercising. People prefer to exercise outside, especially in the warmer months, which leaves fitness fanatics wondering, how hot is “too hot” for outdoor exercise?
It’s not the temperature that should be your main concern. Humidity is a greater threat because it affects your body’s ability to cool itself down. In dry heat sweat will evaporate, but on a humid day, your sweat is more likely to remain on your skin and drip. When sweat clings to your skin it’s harder for your body to maintain a safe temperature. Friends and family come to backyard workouts all summer long at my house and we have a few things that keep us cool. For one, we do them either very early in the morning or later in the evening. We have umbrellas for shade and a fan that has a water mister attached to it. I also make sure that everyone has water and we take many water breaks to stay hydrated. It’s very important to be safe while exercising outdoors in the heat.
Heat exhaustion is serious and not to be taken lightly. I recommend drinking a gallon of water per day especially when you’re sweating and losing fluids. Being prepared is key. Heat exhaustion is when your body loses fluids or key nutrients due to exposure to heat. Symptoms of heat exhaustion are excessive sweating, a rapid pulse, pale skin, confusion, dizziness, muscle cramps, a headache, nausea and fainting. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, get out of the heat, drink plenty of fluid and take a cool shower or bath. If you have a pool, that’s also a great option to cool off. Get your sweat on and then take a dip or better yet, exercise in the pool! Exercising in the pool is great for so many reasons. It does a great job keeping your body temperature regulated in the hotter months. Exercising in the water helps the body cool off faster and reduces the risk of overheating.
Bonnie Miller is certified fitness instructor at the Ocean City Aquatic and Fitness Center and the JCC in Margate. She is a mom of three and resides Somers Point.
