Walking in hot weather – increase in temperature can have a dramatic effect if it is not taken into account.
One potential problem is dehydration. The solution is simple- drink more. Our bodies become acclimatised to a certain temperature and fluid input. The daily increase of ambient temperature during summer means that every hour over the 24 hour day the body is using more fluid to maintain its own temperature. Simply drinking normally will not be enough when the daily temperature is higher and water is lost from the body even during sleep. This means that the amount needed during exercise will increase (for instance, make sure a glass of water is drunk before walking) and overall intake increases. Otherwise, you may notice excessive thirst, particularly at night, and possibly a dehydration headache.
Sunglasses are a great idea to prevent glare, wrinkles and sun damage to the eyes. Hats are a must also. Ones that stay on and cover the back of the neck and shade the face. Make sure it is made from a light fabric or straw to allow evaporation but no holes. They also help with avoiding insects outside and I like to use a personal insect spray for this as well. As with everything else whether this approach suits you is up to the individual. Some people are hardier then others and I find, men often see sunscreen, for instance, as a bit wimpish.
In addition to temperature issues, the sun has a number of effects specific to the skin: sun burn, benign through to dangerous skin cancers and general photo aging damage and wrinkling from exposure to uv rays. The skin type and latitude of the location can affect the impact: for instance, here in Australia, where there is a high reported incidence of skin cancer. UVA rays are also renowned for aging skin. It is recommended to apply sunscreen regularly, with even and careful distribution over the body, e.g.exposed skin on the feet must be included. Use a broad spectrum (UVA and UVB) sun screen, water proof, either reapply on the go or get one which will be effective for the time you will be outdoors. Sun screen does not stay effective indefinitely so check the use by date before buying or using last years.
When walking I use a SPF 20, tinted moisturizer on my face and a children’s sun screen SPF 30+ for my body which contains both chemical and physical sunscreens. I also wear a foundation on my face whenever I am going out because this is a physical barrier to ultra violet rays.
Typically changes in weather can affect walking to lose weight. It may be simply the venue such as indoors versus outdoors, avoiding mudslides or puddles, or finding shade on a hot day.
I prefer to exercise indoors with air conditioning in summer. I still need to tie my hair out of the way and sometimes if I’m very hot I might dampen a small towel to wipe the back of my neck, to cool down. Taking a hot day into consideration, I choose options which allow me to continue to enjoy walking to lose weight under these conditions. This is when having a variety of different ways you find walking enjoyable is necessary to be serious about weight loss. One of the best is grooving to a weight loss and exercise dvd!
