That Summer Bod: Staying Fit When It's Hot, Humid, And Stuffy
Working out in the summertime - we couldn’t think of a worse season of the year to go for a run! It’s hot even before midday, and there’s so much sunshine that you can feel the energy being zapped out of you within the first 10 minutes of being outside.
And even when you love the amount of sun, sky, and fresh air that summer brings with it, you have to admit that your workout routine always goes a bit awry at this time of year. No one likes getting sweaty when it’s already humid out!
So what can you do instead, to make sure you stay on top of your fitness goals while the sun’s out? You could hit the gym time and time again, working out with the help of AC and plenty of water, but that loses the fun after a while.
Instead, focus on working fitness into your general summer routine. Here’s a few ideas for that that you might want to consider.
Be More Active with Garden Care
Gardening is a pretty physical activity as is, and you definitely need to keep an eye on your knees and back while you’re digging away in the dirt. But if you’re going to be spending a lot more time out in the garden during the summer, make sure you count these activities toward your fitness goals.
After all, you’re going to be spending a lot of calories in getting them done - even if they do leave you with a bit of an ache.
And with that in mind, here are a few repeat gardening chores you can get hands-on with at least twice a month during the summertime:
Mow regularly
We all know just how much the summer lawn tends to need mowing! So why not count it as part of your fitness routine when the summer weather hits?
After all, it’s a very physical activity that requires a lot of repetitive movement, and engages your arms, legs, and core all at the same time.
And if you pick up a hand strimmer and get to work on the lawn edges, you can add a few extra hundred calories to the fitness tracker.
Clip trees and hedges by hand
Speaking of hand trimming, why not apply this same energy to the entirety of the plant life in your garden?
Clip as many of the plants by hand, whether they be bushes, hedges around the fence, or tall trees at the front or back of your garden.
Invest in a worthy garden step ladder that you can trust to keep you up and then get to work on the offshoots. Do this around once a week and you might just start feeling a bit more supple in your shoulders.
Clean the pool
Did you know that a good pool cleaning can burn up about 500 calories? And seeing as everyone is different, that amount could even be more!
And seeing as summer sees more pool use than any other time of year, you could have two or three cleans to get done over these 3 months!
Of course, if you want to get a good deep clean done first of all, hire a pool cleaning service to get rid of any muck, leaves, and debris that have found their way in. But once that’s all done with, this is a bit of a power chore to add to your summer fitness journey!
Have a Few More Back Yard Days
You’re going to be out in the back yard a bit more often during the summer, but why not take that to the max?
Have a few extra back yard days than you were really planning and just have some fun! It’ll keep you fit and flexible, and you’re less likely to notice how much you’re sweating!
If that sounds like a good idea to you, here are the kind of activities to plan ahead for:
Have water fights with the kids
They’re always fun, and a surefire summertime activity that everyone looks forward to! So why not have a few more lawn water fights this year? They’re good for checking just how flexible you really are!
Set up a hammock
You’re going to need somewhere to kick back and have a snooze after all that running around, splashing, and sliding. So why not set up a hammock, if you’ve got the space (and tree trunks) for it?
It’s usually best to tie hammocks between two trees, as they provide the most stability (and there’s no way you’re going to rip up a tree by trying to get into the hammock).
But you can also check out some more heavy duty frames, if you feel the need for one, and then set up your snoozing space anywhere in the shade.
Have more BBQ parties
They’re fun, they’re very social, and there’s lots of good food on offer throughout! And yes, even though you’ll be eating smoked meats and juicy fruit and veggie kebab sticks, you’re more likely to be on your feet the entire time.
So you’ll have a better activity baseline to begin with, but you’ll also be burning calories from dancing, walking, and playing with the kids too.
Staying Fit During the Summer: Don’t Sweat it!
When the temperature alone is enough to make you sweat, you don’t want to do a full circuit of reps and feel your heart race! You want to stop being sweaty ASAP! And that can make staying fit so much harder.
But if you account for all the summer activities you’re going to be doing, you might just find you won’t stray too far from your fitness goals at all. In fact, you should still be on target to hit them by the time the autumn comes round.
Every movement we make helps us to use our bodies and stay fit, and the summer always requires us to be more physical than we really think! Don’t forget that.
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