When designing a workout schedule, it's important to take into account the climate and weather of where you live. This is especially true in areas of the United States where the temperature consistently comes in above 80 degrees or even into the triple digits. When trying to lose weight in hotter climates, it's important to keep in mind both your safety when you're outside, as well as alternatives to stay cool while exercising.
Step 1
Invest in a gym or fitness membership. Fitness centers provide an additional option for exercising on hot days while avoiding the heat at the same time. Sign up for classes -- such as yoga, indoor cycling, Pilates or boot camp, if they are available -- to change things up if exercising indoors on equipment such as a treadmill or elliptical is boring to you compared with exercising outdoors.
Step 2
Find exercises to do inside at home if you can't afford a gym membership or don't want to pay for one. Exercise can easily be achieved indoors through aerobic workouts such as running in place or jumping jacks, as well as resistance exercises such as pushups, situps, pullups, lunges or squats. Invest in cheap pieces of strength training equipment such as kettlebells or dumbbells, or in entertaining exercise tools such as DVDs or interactive fitness video games.
Step 3
Wear sunscreen anytime you are exercising outdoors. Choose a sunscreen with at least an SPF of 30, suggests the American Academy of Dermatology. Sunscreen helps protect the skin from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun, which can cause serious sunburns, as well as can increase your risks for developing skin cancer.
Step 4
Stay hydrated not only while exercising in the heat, but also before and after you exercise. When you exercise, your body naturally sweats as a way to cool your internal temperature. Exercising when it's hot out increases the amount of moisture you lose from sweat, increasing how fast your body can become dehydrated. Exercising while dehydrated increases your risks for heat exhaustion and heat stroke which can result in swelling of the brain, seizures, hypovolemic shock and even death if left untreated.
Step 5
Find shade when exercising outdoors. Choose a running path through a heavily forested area with lots of shade trees, or find the shade of a large tree to perform resistance exercises under. Even if only part of your exercise routine is in the shade, it still reduces the risks associated with working out in the direct heat of the sun.
Step 6
Avoid exercising during the midday sun. This is the time of day when the sun is at its closest distance to the earth, creating higher temperatures and stronger exposure to UV radiation. Exercise in the mornings or evenings when the sun is less intense.
Things You'll Need
- Sunscreen
- Reusable water bottle
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