How to Beat a Summer Workout Slump
As the Wicked Witch of the West famously said, "I'm mmmelllltiiiinnnggg!" According to my car (a very credible source), it was 107 outside at noon today--not exactly conducive to a lunchtime walk around the office park, eh?
I always seem to slip into a fitness slump in July and August, when the heat and humidity are at their peak. And I'm not the only one: My very unscientific poll of friends, acquaintances and readers confirms that this is the most challenging season to stay fit. How do you resist the temptation to curl up on the couch with a pint of Ben & Jerry's and the AC on full blast? Here are some of my favorite tactics.
--Become a mall-walker. Hey, who says mall-walking is just for the senior set? Get thee to the Galleria, lace up thy trainers and take some laps. If you're lucky and the crowds are elsewhere, you can even try doing some intervals: Pick a landmark (Banana Republic?) and pick up your pace till you reach it; slow down to recover, then repeat. Just resist the urge to pull out the plastic and take advantage of the inevitable closeout sales. Note to runners: Better stick to walking--you could raise the suspicions of the ever-vigilant Mall Cop if you break into a trot.
--Walk your office building. I once worked in the perfect building for this: Each floor was a square with an open area-atrium in the middle. I would take the stairs up one floor, walk a lap, climb another flight to the next and walk another lap, and so on. A 150-pound person burns about 270 calories walking up stairs ... not too shabby.
--Become a morning person. Around these parts, it can still be 80 degrees at 6 a.m., but at least it's not in the 100s. Talk a friend into meeting you for an early morning walk, run or outdoor fitness session. Even though there's some short-term pain, you'll feel better about yourself afterward. More tips on becoming a morning exerciser.
--Move your workout to the water. And I don't just mean swimming laps and water aerobics (although give it a try if you haven't already). Working out in the water is amazingly hard, because you're working against constant resistance. But because you're in the drink, you stay cooler, so it doesn't feel as difficult. You can do just about anything in the water that you can do on land: jumping jacks, kick boxing, biceps curls (with or without floating dumbbells). I did water running to stay fit when I was pregnant--I simply "ran" laps in the pool rather than swimming them. You can even take one of those foam "noodles," mount it, and pedal like a bike to work your lower body.
--Explore the gym. I love being outdoors too, but maybe this is the time to check out a new class at the health club. Zumba? Gyrotonics? Belly dancing? Hula-hooping? Sure sounds like more fun than slogging around a steamy track.
--Drink, drink, drink! Keep a glass of water with you at all times! I start the day by downing two 8-oz glasses back-to-back while standing by the water cooler at work. It's not easy, but at least I get a jump on my water consumption.
See you at the mall ... I'll be the one looking longingly at the Cinnabons ...
Lisa D
I always seem to slip into a fitness slump in July and August, when the heat and humidity are at their peak. And I'm not the only one: My very unscientific poll of friends, acquaintances and readers confirms that this is the most challenging season to stay fit. How do you resist the temptation to curl up on the couch with a pint of Ben & Jerry's and the AC on full blast? Here are some of my favorite tactics.
--Become a mall-walker. Hey, who says mall-walking is just for the senior set? Get thee to the Galleria, lace up thy trainers and take some laps. If you're lucky and the crowds are elsewhere, you can even try doing some intervals: Pick a landmark (Banana Republic?) and pick up your pace till you reach it; slow down to recover, then repeat. Just resist the urge to pull out the plastic and take advantage of the inevitable closeout sales. Note to runners: Better stick to walking--you could raise the suspicions of the ever-vigilant Mall Cop if you break into a trot.
--Walk your office building. I once worked in the perfect building for this: Each floor was a square with an open area-atrium in the middle. I would take the stairs up one floor, walk a lap, climb another flight to the next and walk another lap, and so on. A 150-pound person burns about 270 calories walking up stairs ... not too shabby.
--Become a morning person. Around these parts, it can still be 80 degrees at 6 a.m., but at least it's not in the 100s. Talk a friend into meeting you for an early morning walk, run or outdoor fitness session. Even though there's some short-term pain, you'll feel better about yourself afterward. More tips on becoming a morning exerciser.
--Move your workout to the water. And I don't just mean swimming laps and water aerobics (although give it a try if you haven't already). Working out in the water is amazingly hard, because you're working against constant resistance. But because you're in the drink, you stay cooler, so it doesn't feel as difficult. You can do just about anything in the water that you can do on land: jumping jacks, kick boxing, biceps curls (with or without floating dumbbells). I did water running to stay fit when I was pregnant--I simply "ran" laps in the pool rather than swimming them. You can even take one of those foam "noodles," mount it, and pedal like a bike to work your lower body.
--Explore the gym. I love being outdoors too, but maybe this is the time to check out a new class at the health club. Zumba? Gyrotonics? Belly dancing? Hula-hooping? Sure sounds like more fun than slogging around a steamy track.
--Drink, drink, drink! Keep a glass of water with you at all times! I start the day by downing two 8-oz glasses back-to-back while standing by the water cooler at work. It's not easy, but at least I get a jump on my water consumption.
See you at the mall ... I'll be the one looking longingly at the Cinnabons ...
Lisa D
posted by Lisa Delaney at
9:16 AM
1 Comments:
I used to walk the office building now I swim.
Post a Comment
<< Home