Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

Your body is going to perform differently when it's 60 degrees outside than when it is 90 degrees. Although exercising in hot weather requires extra planning and caution to avoid health risks, it is possible to improve performance, enjoy your training sessions and not feel completely drained when training in the heat. There's a good chance that you are not making good decisions when training in the heat and as a result, your performance and health is being compromised. Running without a hydration belt, not planning stops accordingly on the bike, showing up to workouts dehydrated, not fueling properly (or eating enough) and not rehydrating properly after workouts will negatively impact your body's thermoregulatory process. The human body is remarkable when it comes to exericising heat, so long as you take the necessary steps to acclimate gradually, pace yourself and look for opportunities to minimize dehydration and cool the skin.

  Heat. 🔥 The summer presents a vulnerable time for endurance athletes who are training outside in an effort to gain fitness for an upcoming event. High heat and humidity challenges the limits of the cardio system, central nervous system and skeletal muscle system. Maintaining core body temperature and keeping body fluids in balance are key priorities for your body. Training in a hot environment can put your body under a significant amount of physiological strain, which can negatively impact your health. By understanding how the heat can impact your health and performance, you can do a better job of keeping yourself healthy this summer.

Remember that time when you were wishing for warmer temps? Well, that time has come. I always run with hydration and fuel in my Naked running belt (all year long) but no surprise - I go through my fluids much quicker when it's hot and steamy outside. Although it can be misearble (and sometimes dangerous) to train in the heat, there are a few ways to help mitigate the physiological response to exercising in hot and humid temps. First off, it's important to understand why exercise feels so difficult in the heat. Blood that would normally go to the working muscles in a cooler environment is now going to the skin for cooling (so heat can be released into the air). Your body is trying to maintain a safe body temperature (homeostasis). If body temp increases beyond a safe level, normal bodily functions can't be maintained and your body will shut/slow down. With a greater risk for dehydration and loss of electrolytes in the heat, your body can not maintain normal phys...

Remember when you were complaining about the cold weather? Hello summer heat! The body has many mechanisms to help adapt to a range of environmental conditions. Heat acclimatization plays a major role in the body’s physical responses and overall ability to perform the heat. What is heat acclimatization?  Heat acclimatization (or acclimation) involves biological adaptations that reduce physiological strain (ex. heart rate and body temperature), improve comfort, improve exercise capacity and reduce the risks of serious heat illness during exposure to heat stress. Heat acclimatization can occur in a hot and dry environment as well as a hot and humid environment. Acclimatization varies person to person and also depends on the volume of exercise, the intensity of exercise, hydration status and fitness level. Trained athletes and those with less body surface area will generally (but not always) have more physical advantages to tolerating the heat compared to the untrained or t...