KT For Good: Don't let heat melt your fitness

In Part 9 of our #BeSummerSafe campaign, specialists share fitness routine to keep you healthy during the warmer season.

With the summer heat at full blast, sticking to your fun outdoor workouts can be hard - but hang in there, experts say. There are plenty of other options that can help you stay in shape, without having to venture out during the hottest months of the year. 
Chris Beavers - personal trainer and deputy manager at Ultimate Performance Dubai - said resistance training is one of the fastest and most effective ways to get stronger, build muscle, and lose weight for men and women of all ages. And it can be done in several air-conditioned gyms around Dubai. 
He recommended hiring a personal trainer or starting a results-focused body transformation programme.
"The benefits of lifting weights are myriad - from improved strength, better fat loss and increased metabolic rate, to better mobility, bone health, and better blood sugar control. 
"The great thing is that it's a training modality that can be done all year round - especially in the summer months," Beavers said.
The heat should not be an excuse to stop one's cardiovascular fitness routine, he pointed out. 
"If you're a lover of outdoor running, heading out as early as possible, before the daytime heat sets in, might be your best option. Finding indoor gyms and sports centres to get your cardio fix can also be a temporary option until the temperatures drop again."
Alternatively, summer can be a good time to pick up a new skill, sport or activity to get your heart pumping, Beavers said.
"You can get involved in team sports or activities with your friends and get a good calorie burn while doing things like basketball, seven-a-side football, badminton, parkour, gymnastics or martial arts," he said.
Fitness at home
Apart from exercising at the gym, Beavers also emphasised that general day-to-day activities can help one maintain a healthy weight. 
"The calorie that one burns from activities like walking, playing with the kids, or doing chores (collectively called non-exercise activity thermogenesis or Neat) cannot be understated. 
"It can account for anywhere between 15 and 50 per cent of your daily energy expenditure - that's why we recommend hitting a 10,000 minimum daily step count," he said. 
Home workouts can be a good way to stay fit and squeeze some extra activities in. These can range from quick, high-intensity interval training workouts with bodyweight exercises to following YouTube yoga and pilates routines.
Opportunities for strolls at parks and on beachers may be more limited in summer, but nutritionist Lovely Ranganath said it can be done early in the morning. Sunrise, she said, is usually the coolest time of the day.
"If you are not an early riser, exercising indoors by using workout video guides is also a good option to break a sweat. Make use of the gym in your building or area. Walking around indoor malls is also a great way to enjoy and lose calories at the same time," said Ranganath, a senior nutritionist at the hospitality and venue development department of Dubai World Trade Centre.
"Sports enthusiasts can have a go at indoor summer sports facilities scattered across the UAE."
She also said keeping a check on one's diet is also a must, encouraging people to drink plenty of fluids and eat fresh fruits and vegetables. 
Consistency and determination are key, the experts said. All it takes is a little planning and a change in mindset. It is important to keep fitness goals intact, regardless of the season.
saman@khaleejtimes.com

• KT For Good