It's Getting Warm Outside -- Be SMART About the Heat!

I have to say, it feels weird to be writing about smart workouts in the heat on March 12th, but I just ran 2.5 miles and I was soaked when I got back to the club (gross, I know, sorry).  And since this week we are supposed to be getting some temperatures in the 60's-70's and sunny weather, I wanted to share this information with you about the importance of hydration when you work out in warm weather.  I wrote the piece below last summer during the dog days, but it can't help to have it now, so you know how to prepare yourself in advance (and know the signs/symptoms of heat exhaustion).  Enjoy!

Be Aware: How to Prevent Heat Exhaustion & Heat Stroke

by Snap Fitness Avon Connecticut on Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 4:34pm ·

By Jessica Bergen

Due to my own stupidity and lack of preparation, I personally suffered from heat illness this past Sunday afternoon.  I spent a few hours in the morning at the ERRACE here in Avon (which was AWESOME), then I decided after only drinking one bottle of water, that I would continue to spend my afternoon outdoors.  I played field hockey for two hours, and coached for another.  By the time 4:30 PM rolled around, I was in trouble.  I had stopped sweating, had goosebumps, a severe headache, and nausea.  I eventually ended up getting physically sick, which is never a fun experience.  Luckily for me, my friends and I recognized all of the signs and got me to a cool place, where I consumed a LOT of cold water. 

The lesson to be learned here is to pay attention to the weather forecast, and plan for hot weather the night before.  I can't say enough that heat illness is NOT fun, and NOT funny.  There are many ways to PREVENT heat illness, which I am going to share with all of you so that you do not end up like me.

1. Hydrate the night before any major workout, competition, or day in the sun.  Hydrating during each of these is great, but if you haven't hydrated the night before, you've set yourself up for failure.  If you're already dehydrated, it will be impossible for your body to catch back up while the sun is beating down on you.
2. Avoid Diuretic drinks.  Coffees, teas, energy drinks, alcohol, and many others make you have to pee, which depletes not only your fluids, but many essential vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes as well.
3. Eat a great meal the day before, and the morning of, any competition, workout, or day in the sun.  Your body needs energy to operate.  That energy is spent digesting food, propelling you forward, AND cooling your body.
4. Pay attention to the heat index.  The heat index is a great tool to use (I now have an app on my iphone for it) to see how hot it REALLY is outside.  It takes into account not only the temperature in degrees, but the humidity (% of water vapor in the air).  This is important because the more humid it is outside, the harder it is for your body to naturally cool itself via sweat, thus increasing your chances of developing a heat illness.
5. Wear sunblock, and spend as much time as you can in the shade.  The sun is a huge factor in stealing the moisture from your body (not to mention the threat of melanoma), so wear a hat if you can, and keep some sleeves.
6. DO NOT WEAR COTTON.  Has your mother ever said "Cotton kills"?  This statement could not be more true when it comes to hot weather.  The purpose of sweat is to help cool your body.  The cooling sensation that you feel comes from the evaporation of that sweat from your skin.  If you're wearing a cotton top that is holding sweat onto your body, it is harder for your body to cool itself.  This trouble is multiplied if the heat index is over 100.  So do yourself a favor and buy some Under Armour Heat Gear, which specializes on wicking moisture away from your skin.
7. Recover after your workouts with something that has electrolytes in it, on top of consuming more water.  Gatorade is my favorite, but I think coconut water is also great.  Chocolate milk has also been proven to be a great (and yummy) recovery drink!

Some warning signs that someone may be developing a heat-related illness are as follows:

• After sweating profusely, individual has stopped sweating (your body has run out of fluids needed to cool you)
• Severe Headache (blood viscosity has increased due to lack of fluids)
• Muscle Cramps
• Nausea
• Goosebumps
• Loss of color in the face
• Feeling of overall weakness

Get the individual inside, out of the sun, and on fluids ASAP.  Do whatever you can to cool the core body temperature down.  Ice packs are a very good idea-especially on the back of the neck. 

If you fear that the individual may lose consciousness or begins vomiting blood, be sure call 9-1-1 ASAP.  It is much better to be safe than sorry.