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How to Exercise and Beat the Heat

So if medium to high intensity exercise such as running, cycling, tennis or personal training is your sport of choice be smart - consider the heat. Remember, there is no badge of honour for pushing yourself in dangerous heat and humidity. Here are the top 5 tips to consider when exercising in the heat and humidity.

1. Hydrate:
If only it was as simple as to "drink 8 glasses of water a day" to ensure we stay hydrated, the reality is we need to listen to our bodies, to work out if we are thirsty or not. Generally, hydration is considered to be when our urine is clear and we have a full bladder every two to three hours. The best time to drink fluids is actually the day before we exercise, this ensures we are hydrated for when we start. When we are exercising generally we want to consider drinking 250mls per 15 minutes above 60 minutes of medium to high intensity training. Post exercise is again, an important time to hydrate if we are exercising for over 60 minutes we would consider having an electrolyte drink.

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2. Timing:
When training in summer it is advisable to train in the cooler times of the day - i.e morning or afternoon. If you do like to get out and run or exercise during your lunch break, consider switching your exercise for low intensity or cooler options such as swimming, yoga or indoor strength training. Be sensible and check the heat index before training.

3. Intensity:
If you choose to exercise during the heat, put action plans in place that will ensure you don't over do it. If you feel yourself over heating - drop your intensity down a bit to allow yourself to cool down. For example, run for 20 minutes then power walk for 10 min. Pick flat cycle courses and ditch the hills. If you like to do a long run or cycle, half the distance and do it twice, that way you will be closer to home if you start to feel fatigued.

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4. Protection:Hat, sunscreen and loose clothing:
Purchase some light coloured, technical, breathable, loose fitting exercise gear this will allow your moisture to pass through and be evaporated - which keeps you cooler. Always, wear a hat, sunglasses that protect against UVA and UVB and always wear waterproof sunscreen. If you are a cyclist ensure your helmet allows airflow through it to cool the scalp.

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5. Choose your surface:
Try to find naturally cooler surfaces to exercise on. Grass, sand, even white concrete footpaths are better than the road, switch inner city running or cycling for near the beach.

Most importantly, listen to your body - if you start to get muscle cramps, headaches, nausea STOP training find shade and start to drink some fluids.

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