Keeping it cool during workouts

-
Rising body temperature during rigorous exercise is quiet common. Humans have an inbuilt capability to increase their body temperatures at will, such as during periods of intense exercise. Some factor which also add to this are the environmental factors (climate, etc), time of the day, current diet and hydration status, etc. In countries where the climate is more humid or if there is a heat wave going on thereby increasing the day temperature to over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), exercising can become more exhausting.

While it may come as a surprise to some but given the so many functions that the human body is capable of performing, one thing that it just cannot do is cool itself down intentionally. Of course there is temperature regulation taking place from evaporation (from sweat), radiation, convection, etc. but these are mere process of heat loss (heat dissipation) which as a result cool the body down.

Some strategies for working out in extremely hot conditions:
1. Keeping diet and hydration status in check is key to a good workout. Sipping on water or a sports drink during workouts will help in maintaining water balance and avoid cramping. Before and after workout hydration plays as much a role as does intra workout hydration.

 2. If possible work out in an air conditioned gym (or room at home). Setting the temperature to a lower level may prove beneficial against overheating the body.

3. Choosing a time of the day when the temperature is comparatively lower than the maximum, like exercising early morning or in late evenings as opposed to mid day when the temperature is at a higher level.


Note: Before starting/changing an exercise and/or dietary pattern consult a qualified doctor/health care professional.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can we reduce body fat without reducing body weight?

-
Image
Every time we step on a weighting scale to check our weight, we see a number which shows us the total body weight. For the sake of this post, I'll be using the following equation:  Body Weight = Fat Weight + Lean Body Weight To know more about Lean Body Weight and Fat Weight click  here . In simple words, it is possible to lose body fat without losing body weight, with the assumption that the lean body weight also increases roughly by the same amount as body fat reduces. Now if the change in body fat (decrease) is unequal to the change in lean body weight (increase), body weight will change. This change in body weight will be dependent on the relative changes in either body fat or lean body weight or both. There can be several reasons for losing inches from the waist or a reduction in body fat without seeing any change in body weight. Some reasons are listed below: Reduction in body fat with a roughly equal increase in lean body mass. If you’re not doing wei
Read more

Cooking on a Fitness Program

-
Cooking forms an integral part of any fitness program. While we may consider regular exercise, healthy eating habits, etc as essential components of a fitness program, more often than not we prefer to outsource the cooking aspect on a fitness program to someone else. Any fitness program weather fat loss, weight loss or weight gain requires eating as per the goal desired. For those living with families, it may sometimes become difficult to consume meals as per the desired goal due to various reasons including depending on others to cook meals for them, not knowing how to cook, etc. Also, preparing two separate kind of meals, one for that member of the family following a specific diet and the other for the remaining members, not only becomes more time consuming but at the sane time may not be financially efficient for some. In some cases it may even happen that the entire family may have to consume meal prepared as per the likes of one member who is on a fitness program. While
Read more