Page 11 - Florida Sentinel 8-19-16 Online Edition

Local
Local Personal Trainers Give Tips To Working Out In Extreme Heat
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
The unbearably hot August weather can be a deterrent for those who enjoy outdoor exer- cise activities like running, power walking, or cycling.
But local fitness experts say that the steamy temperatures outside doesn’t mean you have to give up your fitness routine until it cools down.
Instead, be smarter about how and when you exercise, they say.
“Early morning workouts are good,” said Ashlee John, a personal trainer and owner of Fete Fit. “Stay out of the sun and be mindful of the time of the day.”
Wearing clothes that fit loosely and that are made of materials that allow your skin to ‘”breathe” – like cotton – also can make for a more com- fortable workout, John said.
If you don’t prefer to exer- cise in the morning, a workout
ASHLEE JOHN ....of Fete Fit
later in the day is fine, said Justin Mitchell, a personal trainer and owner of Round 1 Boxing for Fitness.
Working out directly in the sun should be avoided, but there are some advantages to exercising when it’s excep- tionally warm outdoors, Mitchell said.
“The more heat, the better because heat burns calories,” he said. “Your body is trying to sweat and burn calories and
JUSTIN MITCHELL ....of Round 1 Boxing For Fitness
the air conditioner slows that down.”
No matter when or where your workout takes place, it’s important to keep water handy, the trainers say.
Mitchell said he encour- ages his clients to drink a gal- lon of water a day.
Coconut water is especially good because it contains elec- trolytes that help prevent de- hydration, said Thierno Diallo, fitness director at Camp Tampa.
Another easy way to in- crease your overall water in- crease is to eat foods that have high water content, such as watermelon, he said.
“It has lots of good sugar and will keep you hydrated and full,” he said.
When working out, it’s im- portant to listen to your body and take more breaks than you would otherwise, Diallo said.
“Give your body time to rest,” he said. “It sort of de- creases the likelihood of over- heating.”
Aside from the weather, cookouts and vacations can make it difficult to maintain a solid workout regimen.
But if you falter, it’s not im- possible to get back on track,
THIERNO DIALLO ....fitness director at Camp Tampa
said Devin Smith, a per- sonal trainer at Explosive Per- formance Training.
“Remember why you
DEVIN SMITH .....Explosive Performance Training
started,” he said. “A lot of times we give up and get frus- trated when things don’t hap- pen right away.”
FRIDAY, AUGUST 19 , 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 11-A