Have you ever wondered why people are often more motivated to exercise when it’s warm and sunny? It’s because they believe it can do wonders for their weight loss. But exercising in hot weather can take its toll on your body when not done properly.

So if you want to do more and get more for exercising in hot weather, here is how you can maximize your exercise periods:

Adapt gradually

Exercising on hot weather feels like it puts more pressure on the body simply because it increases your core temperature. When your body heats up, your blood goes straight to your skin’s layer to keep you cool. This leaves less blood for your muscles, increasing your heart rate. In a humid atmosphere, your sweat doesn’t evaporate so your internal temperature doesn’t lower faster.

This is why you have to take it easy on your first few days of exercising in hot weather. Get your body acclimated to the temperature by doing exercises indoors for the first two weeks before going out.

Always drink water

You always run the risk of dehydration when you’re exercising in hot weather. You also sweat more in hot weather.

Drinking water help keep your core temperature at an ideal level, so it’s a good idea to drink before, during, and after the workout. Sports drinks can have the capacity to quench your thirst (see what we did there?), they are just as effective as simply drinking a cold bottle of water. The only downside to sports drinks is that they contain sugar and empty calories.

Choose your time wisely

Just because it’s hot doesn’t mean it’s the perfect time to exercise. You shouldn’t exercise during the hours when outdoor temperatures are at its peak, which is between 10:00AM and 3:00PM. When temperatures are at its peak, it puts you at risk for sunburn and your skin loses the ability to cool itself.

When you can, exercise in the morning before 10:00AM or in the afternoon after 3:00PM. You not only protect yourself from heatstroke, but your metabolism starts to burn the excess calories early and you stay active all day.

Replenish lost minerals

You lose essential minerals like sodium and potassium when you exercise. You also lose more of them when you exercise in hot weather. Sodium and potassium help retain your body retains fluids and aid in recovery from exercising.

Olives and nuts are rich sources of sodium, while bananas, cantaloupes, and yogurts are high in potassium. So if you include these in your diet, you should be able to exercise in hot weather without losing a lot of these minerals.