KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — With the warmer temperatures, many may prefer to workout outside. However, if you are doing so, it is important to take some precautions to make sure you are staying safe.
10News spoke with April Nitzsche, owner of Workout Anytime in Bearden. She said hot temperatures should not stop you from working out outside if that is your preference as long as you are keeping health and safety top of mind.
When it comes to spending time outside during the summer, hydration always tends to be one of the first things people take into consideration. Nitzsche said she is big into the idea of "dehydration prevention." Here are some tips she wants you to follow to avoid getting dehydrated:
1. Hydrate in the morning when you wake up. Experts recommend a full glass of water in the morning.
2. Make sure you that you are drinking at least eight ounces every half hour or so if you know that you are going to be spending a lot of time outside.
3. Consider taking hydration tablets. Those are little tablets that you can put in your water and it helps replenish your electrolytes.
If you do get dehydrated, you need to be careful about how you re-hydrate to avoid water intoxication.
"Drink about half of this (a water bottle) every 15 minutes until you are rehydrated, but that is why the electrolytes are so important, because water intoxication happens when you drink a huge volume of water in a short amount of time without electrolytes," she explained.
Aside from hydration, these are other tips Nitzsche said you should follow if you plan on working out outside this summer:
1. Wear sunscreen. Think about the places in your body that tend to be the most exposed to the sun. Those include your face, shoulder, chest, and back.
2. Take into consideration the time of the day you are going to workout outside. Nitzsche recommends working out before 10:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m.
3. Plan your outfit. Avoid wearing all-black or long, heavy clothes. Instead consider wearing white and do not forget your hat and sunglasses.