Enjoying the Warm Weather!

Lifting next to the Winooski River

For all of you reading this blog outside of the New England area: Oh my is hot outside here! Buildings are not setup in Vermont for such heat waves, which makes working out a bit uncomfortable…you sweat all day doing nothing but sit at a desk then you go to an even muskier place to workout?! My first thought is “No thank you! An air conditioned restaurant and my air conditioned condo sounds much more appealing, especially if there is a creemee involved!” The reality is that if I followed through on that decision, I would go crazy and my rear-end would get so wide -- from all the yummy creemees -- that I wouldn’t fit in my new bathing suit! So how do I keep myself comfortable and energized to workout in such hot weather? The key is wearing the right clothing, eating the right food, and staying HYDRATED.

The best type of clothing is light-colored articles made out of breathable and thin fabric. I look for tanks and shorts made out of wicking fabrics, which tend to be thin and very breathable. Wearing the least amount of clothing is also your best bet (that does not mean I am giving you permission to go workout naked). Your body regulates its temperature through sweating and allowing the sweat to evaporate off the skin causing a cooling effect – thermoregulation. Wearing too much clothing incorrect fabrics can prevent your body from efficiently regulating its temperature. The right clothing does make it more comfortable to workout in the warmer temperatures, especially when you are not used to the temperature.

Now: eating the right food in the summer to stay cool and energized… an interesting concept considering a summer past-time for me and most people I know is barbequing. Last time I checked, barbequing produces quite a bit of heat and requires you to stand outside in the heat to cook. Better yet, you cook foods full of fat that sit heavy in your stomach and do NOT energize you for a workout. Also, new studies have shown that direct heat on fattier foods, i.e. hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks, oxidizes the fat in the meat causing it to release carcinogens. Sorry if I just ruined your summer barbeque plans-- I promise I am not the food-police. I love to barbeque, but I make it healthier without having to worry about cancer causing chemicals! The easiest way to barbeque healthy is to not let the fat burn on the meat and don’t put it directly over the flame-- use indirect heat. Also, use leaner meats such as chicken breast, ground turkey breast, sirloin, flank steak, etc. My favorite barbeque tip is using aluminum foil. Simplest recipe: take a pork chop (or chicken breast) and lay it on top of aluminum foil, put a pineapple ring on top of the meat, then drizzle your favorite teriyaki marinade over everything, wrap up the aluminum and throw it on the grill. Another summer foodie past-time would be ice cream or creemees, if you are in Vermont. However, ice cream is full of fat and sugar and does not help the waist line or the summer body. Substitute ice cream with homemade frozen treats. I love freezing berries and grapes and snacking on them to cool off during the day. Also, making homemade “ice cream” sandwiches are quite tasty (recipe blog tomorrow).

Most importantly, STAY HYDRATED! To stay cool you need to sweat and to sweat you need fluids, so drink up! Try your best to drink water all day long. If you find water to be boring throw some lemon, lime, and/or orange slices into your water for some citrusy-pizzazz. Another one of my water tricks is to add watermelon slices and cucumber for a very crisp-melon flavor.

Now that you have all the knowledge of how to stay cool and healthy during the long, hot summer months and still maintain motivation to workout, I’ll see you in the gym!