Knowing the right workouts and how to keep hydrated can prevent injury and heat strokes from happening. Here are things to keep you on track with your summer goals.

Always remember 

Listen to your body when performing any exercises to avoid over-extending yourself. Warm weather workouts are known to cause your body to lose more liquid which can affect your overall performance, and if not monitored can result in dangers to your health. Therefore, make sure that you stay hydrated. 

To know if you are well hydrated, check the colour of your urine. It should be a pale yellow to clear colour. Anything darker means that you are not hydrated. You can balance your intake of liquids by drinking the recommended amount of water and eating fruits that are rich in liquids. 

Keep workouts in cool areas

To avoid having heat stroke in warmer weather, move your workouts to a cooler part of the day such as exercising in the morning or later in the afternoon. While you might have more options when exercising outside, make sure that the area you are in has sufficient shade to prevent heat stroke.

Change of terrain

If you are looking for a challenge when it comes to performing high-intensity workouts or running, challenge yourself by switching the terrain. Instead of hitting the treadmill or staying on your mat, go outside. Keep in mind that each surface you workout on will require the appropriate shoe to avoid injury.

You can choose to run in a forested area where you can take advantage of the flat surface along with the hills that come with it or switch to running or exercising on the beach where the sand requires more endurance. Remember to stay hydrated.

Bodyweight exercise for anywhere

Bodyweight exercises are ideal for challenging your body by using your own weight. It is also ideal to replace workout equipment when moving your training to the outdoors. Remember to pace yourself with these before moving to something intense such as a 30-minute strength workout. You can include bodyweight exercises such as:

Planks

Lunges

Burpees

Push-ups

Mountain climbers

Squat jumps

Choosing the right foods to aid recovery

Knowing what foods to eat before and after a workout can aid in replenishing any fluid and electrolytes that were lost during a workout, refuelling glycogen stores, muscle repair, and building your immune support. Before embarking on any diet of any sort, it’s important to consult a qualified dietician and nutritionist to get something that is catered towards your health needs. Recovery foods include, but are not limited to: 

Bananas

Oatmeal, 

Whey protein 

Chicken breasts

Avocado

Eggs

Almonds

Spinach

Chai seeds

Having this prepared before you begin your workout leads to less time being used to cook and more time recovering. On your days off remember to stretch it out by using a foam roller, stretching with yoga or going for a relaxing walk.