Charlotte Personal Trainer on Heat Wave Fitness:
North Carolina has two of the sweatiest cities in the USA. Raleigh is #2, and, us Charlotteans, have the pride of knowing we’re #1. (The swamp I left in DC ain’t got nothin’ on we.). All that is to say that, just in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s kinda hot out and we’re in a heat wave!
Here are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to keeping up with your fitness routine this summer:
1. Don’t give up. Walking and/or getting enough steps in is super important, and it’s still important during a heat wave. Be creative and resourceful in getting things done. One strategy that we use when it’s boiling or pouring rain is to walk around our living room. We live in a small apartment, and have kids, but it still works.
2. Do know the signs. Walking outside when it’s hot is uncomfortable, but there’s a difference between discomfort and danger. Here are the “get back inside” signs: cramps, nausea, (new) headache, extreme fatigue, dizziness, rapid heartbeat and/or if you stop sweating. If you start having any of these it’s time to cool off inside. If you have a fan to stand in front of this can help the sweat do it’s job of cooling you off more quickly.
3. Don’t neglect common sense. The basics suggestions you’ve heard your whole life still work in 2024. Basics such as: wear light colored and breathable clothing, find a shady route, and going out before it gets too hot or after it cools down.
4. Do be careful with drugs. The decongestants we take for summer colds, and the antihistamines we take for allergies can interfere with your ability to cool yourself, so be aware. Alcohol can also push you to overheat more quickly. Just because your buzz is gone doesn’t mean you are back to normal hydration.
5. Don’t forget humidity. One of the reasons Charlotte was rated as “America’s Sweatiest City” is because it’s humid down here. Sweat only effectively cools you off as it evaporates. However, if the air is already saturated with water (it’s humid AF), then your sweat doesn’t evaporate efficiently—making you stay hot. Humidity is as (if not more) important as heat when it comes to your comfort and safety.
This is why we have a high capacity dehumidifier going in our studio all Spring and Summer. The dehumidifier helps your sweat evaporate more quickly so you can keep working as hard as possible.
6. Do know you’ll burn fewer calories in the heat. Our muscles are primarily limited by temperature – meaning they overheat long before they run out of fuel. As our muscles get hotter our ability to do work declines, and as we do less work we burn fewer calories. So, the 2 mile walk that normally takes 39 min, might require 42 to 45 on a very hot day.
We keep the studio between 65 and 67 degrees to allow our clients to do more work, burn more calories and better stimulate their muscles. Fear not, they still sweat.
Stay cool ❄️!
PS – If you’re new here check out our NEW 10 Day Trial Page.
We offer custom fit personal training for women. All of our sessions are about an hour long and will be a full body strength training session every time. The first step is to set up a quick Intro Call to see if we are what you are looking for and we will be happy to discuss staying fit while it’s hot out even more.
The author, Josef Brandenburg, is the co-owner and a coach at True 180 Personal Training, Charlotte’s most effective personal training studio for women. We are changing the way fitness is done to get the results you deserve, even in a heat wave!