In this heat?!
 

Hi everyone!

I MUST exercise in order to lose weight...just how I've always been. It's summer, there's a heat wave, and I'm not happy, heh. Please tell me HOW do you push through when you can barely breathe from the heat and humidity? I'm trying to get over being embarassed by my red face and sweat, but it's really hard to force myself out into this just to run errands let alone run around the park.

I have a treadmill in my house but it's not in an air conditioned room (and there are no other options). I can't afford a gym membership at this time (I thought working out in a gym with a pool would be ideal - then again I have to lose a sig amount of weight before I'll let myself into a bathing suit! GRR)

I NEED to MOVE but I get so damn hot and usually end up with a bad headache after exercising in the heat and especialy in the bright sun. Any suggestions, tips, personal experiences? Thank you SO much!

Amberoo, can you get up early and exercise then? I'm running (outdoors) at 5 a.m. because DH goes to work at 5:45 and it's way too hot for me when he comes home. It's not too bright out that early either, unless you are way up north.

Alternatively, can you put a fan close to your treadmill? You don't say where you are, but I know I can get a floor model fan for ~$20 CDN which isn't that much. It helps evaporate the sweat and cool you off. In our old house I had one by the treadmill and it really helped (no AC). Just remember to drink lots of water if you are sweating lots.

Hope this helps, I need to exercise in order to lose too. Actually in order to feel at all decent. ;)

Jax

Hi Jax! Yep I put a standing fan RIGHT in front of me on the tread... It helps with the sweat, and a little bit with breathing....but the damn HEAT is still there! Heh. I just can't stand it, on super hot or really humid days it's as if my lungs shut down! (I'm healthy, tho, no breathing problems)

My mother suggested doing what you do - and I suppose that is my answer. I'm so not a morning person and I go to bed VERY late BUT I'm dedicated to losing weight this time around, so if getting up at dawn is what I have to do, then so be it. Are you a morning person? Do you go back to sleep after your run? And how long did it take you to get into that waking up early to bust your butt routine? SO difficult for me. Thanks!!

Depending on how hot it is, In addition to the fan, you could wet and wring out your t-shirt and wet your head before treadmilling. The combination of the air from the fan and the evaporating water can be very cooling.

Similarly, you can wear a wet bandana if you're walking or jogging outside. But of course drink lots of water and be careful, because you wouldn't want to get heat stroke!

Are you hydrated enough? If you are sweating lots, you need to make sure you're drinking enough to make it up! That *could* be the cause of your headaches.

As for moving your wakeup time up - what worked for me was to do it slowly. I started moving bedtime back by 15 minutes, and getting up 15 minutes earlier. After a few days, I moved them back by another 15 minutes. Lather rinse repeat until you get to your desired wakeup time, without compromising how much sleep you get. 15mins won't seem like a big change, and you can build up to your desired time pretty quickly!

I know how you feel. I have a stationary bike that I put in my bedroom (the only airconditioned room in my apartment) and I still sweat like a pig!! But I just keep reminding myself that it's only a half an hour and it's worth it!!! Also, you'll be wishing for the heat in the Winter! :D

Do you live in a place where you can go out and exercise at night? A nice, brisk walk after dinner will do the job during a heat wave.

I know what you mean though--the AC was out in my gym yesterday and temps outside were over 100. I thought I'd never make it through my run.

Well i am in TN and it is in the 90's and humid most days. I have an ellipitical in the garage...too hot to use it. (although it is broken right now, even if it werent, i wouldnt use it...too hot).

So i have discovered Walking away the pounds with leslie sansone and i am LOVING IT.

She has different videos for ALL levels of fitness. Right now i am doing walk and kick and it is officially kicking my butt. But i love every minute of it. It doesnt take much space either. All you need is a dvd player and about 3 square feet of space.

You can buy them cheap on ebay or you can rent them from most places you rent movies or even the library for free.

Give it a try, i really wish i would have found her sooner.

Amber - I *am* a morning person by choice, although 5 a.m. is a little more morning than usual! I do go to bed early, usually before 10 p.m., sometimes by 9. It frequently doesn't cool here by that point so I find my mornings better for exercise. I sweat buckets when I work out inside, even though the basement is cooler. But it's not humid here - maybe that's the difference. 32° here right now (90F) and there's no way I'm running outside in the afternoon or early evening. The week is forecast to get hotter too. Even with carrying water I get a headache too. If you are sweating lots are you wearing cotton? or technical fabric that wicks the sweat away? That helps.

I usually get up with DH, he's at work earlier in the summer to beat the heat too, and I don't tend to go back to bed. On running days I eat my breakfast after the run, other days I eat with him when I get up. Generally I prefer to exercise before brekkie - although I know many who need to eat first.

I'd second what practiceliving said - try moving your wake-up time forward in 15 min increments. Just remember you'll need to go to bed earlier too - otherwise you'll just be exhausted. Good luck.

When my treadmill is fixed I might try the wet T-shirt thing too. It sounds good even right now, not exercising!

Jax

Well I'm amazed that the heat doesn't actually bother me like it used to. In fact, since losing weight, I tend to be much colder. I have to put on a sweater and pants just to visit my parents central air conditioned (OVER air conditioned) house. LOL I FREEZE there. But I used to complain about how hot I was.

However, that said, its still pretty danged hot out. Its been mid 90s and humid here a lot lately. The once every 2 to 3 week rains will cool it down to the 80s for a couple of days anyway. ;) So, I turn on the window AC before exercising and letting the room cool down. If you don't have AC IN the room, is it near? Can you position fans to pull the AC into the room where your treadmill is? Keep cold cold water with you on the treadmill, keep a towel and dress very lightly.

But I like to get out in the summer and go to the park frequently. I dress lightly, tank and shorts with footies instead of socks covering my ankles. I take plenty of cold water with me, and I stick mostly in the shaded areas. I'm not a morning person either and used to try running in the morning when it was cooler, but I couldn't stick with it that way. But as I've gone along, I notice my tolerance of the heat has increased a lot.

Maybe you can pick up one of those things you wear around your neck that's supposed to cool you down. Don't know if they work though.

Boy can I ever sympathize with you! I live in Phoenix, AZ and our average temp right now is about 110 degrees. I never used to be a morning person, but I've adapted very well and even enjoy mornings now! I still get up around 5 or 6 am on my days off because I like it (and I also don't want to mess up the internal clock my body is now used to). Give mornings a shot, they're honestly not as bad as you think! :D :D