Don't Let The Heat Stop You From Raising Your Heart Beat!

The upcoming weather forecast is miserably hot... High heat & humidity can make you feel tired at best & be downright dangerous. But, don't let the heat derail your physical activity habit.

For our readers who are gym membership-less OR just don't want to leave the house, think of inside activities now. Creating a list of possibilities ahead of time can help remove that obstacle. Here's a few home workout ideas that use little to no equipment.
***Note:  Work within your comfort level & ability. Feel free to mix & match, modify, or do fewer repetitions or sets as needed.***
- American Council on Exercise's At-Home with No Equipment Workout
- Oprah.com's The-10-Best-New-Exercises-for-Women
- Military.com's Indoor Workout Ideas

Already have your favorite go-to activities but no hand weights at home? Substitute canned goods, water jugs, lightweight giggling kids, etc. For a little extra challenge & balance benefit, consider CAREFULLY trying your exercises on a Swiss (aka exercise) ball.

Or, this may be a great time to wipe the dust off some exercise videos/DVDs. Bored of your's? Trade with a friend or check out what's available at the library. Other free (& convenient) options might include Sparkpeople.com's 14 Fitness Videos, Time Warner Cable's Health-On-Demand channel, or YouTube (be cautious... some are actually ads masquerading as free videos).

If you insist on or have to be outside,:
- hydrate before, during, & after activity
- avoid the hottest parts of the day
- stay in the shade whenever possible
- watch out for signs of heat cramps, heat exhaustion, & heat stroke (Kidshealth.org's Heat Illness)