High humidity and balmy weather are not the friends of straight hair styles nor a fired-up workout! Workouts feel hard, they are exhausting and at worst, it can lead to heat stroke where the body is unable to control its temperature.
The good news however is that the more we “acclimatize” to humidity, the easier it becomes so with more of the same weather on the way, don’t pack it in just yet…the benefits to your fitness may exceed those altitude training.
But yes, you will SWEAT! Sweating is your friend in the heat as the evaporation of it from your skin cools you down. In humidity however, all that moisture in the air means that not only does your hair frizz, but your sweat cannot evaporate so the cooling down process for your body is far more challenging.
The following are some tips for preparing for your next sweaty exercise sesh:
Hydrate – increase your water intake before, during and after your workout and include electrolytes such as coconut water
While working out, wear as little clothing as possible to maximize skin exposure and evaporation. Tight clothing will inhibit any air circulation
Tie up that hair frizz and keep it away from your neck
Short bouts of high intensity exercise should be followed by longer rests
Incorporate swimming or dips into your session to cool your core
Respond to any warning signs of overheating such as dizziness, light headedness and cramps
Minimize deodorants, let yourself sweat!
SWEATING BENEFITS & MYTHS
Sweating is an effective removal route for BPAs and heavy metals
Sweating during exercise may help with thermoregulation for menopausal women, leading to reduced hot flushes
More research needed into the common idea of bacterial cleansing or sweating out a fever – possibly a myth (sadly)
Sorry, sweating does not help you get rid of alcohol
Sweating won’t help you lose weight immediately. Any difference on the scales after a sweaty workout is due to loss of fluid (Nadal reportedly lost 4.5 kg of weight in fluids during his Australian Open final).
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