3 Hot Weather Workout Tips

Studies done by Loughborough University, U.K., and University of Sherbrooke, Que., recommend three tips when sticky summer days threaten to sap your energy cutting your outdoor workouts short.

1. Set your alarm: You’ll last up to 12 per cent longer on hot days if you exercise outdoors in the morning, when temperatures are lower. Try 6:45 a.m. versus 6:45 p.m.
Read two more tips

Chill Out

cooldowns: Your Overlooked Fitness Advantage

A relaxing conclusion to any activity you enjoy this summer is important. If you tend to blow off your cooldowns, consider that a 10 to 15-minute post-exercise cooldown lowers your heart rate to a normal, healthy level safely, and you’ll feel less tired than if you head straight for a cold shower. As incentive to conclude your workouts smartly, create a cooldown playlist with slow rhythms with 60 to 80 beats per minute. Get inspired with Fiterati's mellow-music playlist.

Cheat Meal Tricks

I praise the practice of a cheat meal once a week. South Street burger and fries, a cupcake or Wendy’s new coffee toffee twisted frosty (which tastes like a vanilla shake with tons of crushed up Skor bars!) aren’t anyone’s idea of health food, but food is as much for fun as it is for fitness – especially during a hot summer. It’s a practice that lets you have foods that are off limits due to excessive salt, fat or carbs that could be detrimental to your health and training goals. But if you tell yourself, "Hey, I’m consistently training, I’ve leaned out a lot, so why not splurge? I can afford it," you might start using "I’m fit enough" as an excuse and sabotage your health. Read Cheat Meal Tricks.

3 Anti-bonking Tips

Does this happen to you? Somewhere in the middle of your Booty Camp Fitness class, your brain or body announces, “I’m done.” That’s called bonking: a point of exhaustion that makes one unable to go further. Whether your get-up-and-go has got-up-and-went because of heat, poor diet, lack of water or fitness level, here’s help. Jonathan Cane, a Nike running coach and president of City Coach Multisport in New York City, gives three great tips in Fitness magazine to help you stick with your session and go the distance. Read 3 Anti-bonking Tips.