Hands up you lazy little things, who’s been using the hot weather as an excuse to sack off doing the pitiful amount of exercise you were doing pre-heatwave? Yeah, us too. It’s not that we’re not into running in the heat, it’s just that A) it might be dangerous (or so we’re telling ourselves) and B) running round town with so much sweat pouring out of you that you look like the little girl in The Ring is kind of erm, embarrassing. Especially when you stop in a corner shop to buy a bottle of water and the man behind the counter takes one look at you and gets that disgusted look on his face normally reserved for grown men touching themselves in public.
Anyways, all this madness needs to stop. Mainly because what with all this hot weather we’ve eaten more BBQ than we ever thought humanly possible and some exercise would probably be a very good idea, lest we die of a meaty overdose. We spoke to Gillian Reeves who works at Virgin Active as their National Group Exercise Manager (when you don't understand a job title you know it's impressive) and she gave a good talking -to about why we can’t use excessive heat as an excuse for not exercising.
Exercising in a heatwave isn't dangerous, just don't be stupid
'It’s safe to exercise outside in the heat, although we would recommend avoiding the midday sun, usually between 12:00-15:00. Make sure you stay hydrated at all times and use sun protection, but most importantly listen to your body. If you’re used to exercising in the heat you’re likely to be able to do more, but if not then keep an eye on your intensity levels and ensure you only do what you feel comfortable with.
'If exercising out in the heat really doesn’t agree with you, choose an air conditioned health club where the temperature is regulated and you can avoid the heat altogether. Don’t let the warm weather put you off your fitness, just work in an environment where you are most comfortable training.'
READ MORE: You've Picked A Run To Do Now How The Hell Are You Meant To Start Training?
Give yourself a break from trying to run really far
'You can still go for a jog or run, but don’t go as far or as fast. If you’re already a runner, longer distances might be fine, but we suggest monitoring yourself and building up your distances.
'If it’s a 10k that you really want to achieve, why not swap the outdoors for the treadmill? But if you’re keen to stay outside why not try something like swimming where you can keep cool in the water whilst exercising – check out the Virgin Active website to find out where our outdoor pools are.'
Stop working out in your boyfriend's old t-shirt
'There is some fantastic workout clothing available in technical fabrics that wick away sweat and keep you cool. Avoid cotton, as it holds on to your sweat, making the material wet and heavy. Polyester and other synthetic fabrics are also ones to avoid, as they don’t allow your body to breathe.'
READ MORE: How To Get That Funky Smell Out Of Workout Clothes
Be prepared in case you feel faint
'Keep your route close to a base. If you start feeling faint, slow right down, find some shade, rehydrate and relax for a minute. Make sure that you sit down, so that you don’t fall if you do end up fainting. Stop completely if it continues. If you are in a class or on the gym floor let an instructor or your buddy know how you’re feeling.'
Stop being a baby about sweating
'Embrace it. HIIT training has become so popular recently and it’s impossible not to sweat during these sessions, so wear it as a badge of honour as sweating is a sign of really pushing yourself.'
Gillian is the Virgin Active National Group Exercise Manager and therefore really knows her stuff.
Like this? Then you might also be interested in:
How To Deal With The Weekend's Warm Weather Like A Respectable Adult
Follow Jess on Twitter @jess_commons
Picture: Rene Burri/Magnum Photos
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.