5 Summer Workout Must Have's

Every summer dons upon us with an escalating energy to get out, workout so that you look good to be envied for your beach body. That time of the year is on its anvil now and I can understand your rush of excitement to look good. But just for a moment let me warn you about spur of the moment enthusiasm in us, making many of us become oblivious to the harshness of the summer on our exercise schedule and thereby our coveted chiseled body. Here are 5 things you should keep at the back of your hand while working out in summer season.

1. Rehydration – Although 66% of your body is water rehydration in a continuous manner is mandatory. The first factor to take you down is being dehydrated during summer. Well your immediate reaction to this being drinking lots of water is not completely wrong. A study done to see the effect of drinking plain water on hydration of the body during workout was concluded that it is like filling up a bucket with a hole at the bottom. The rate at which water rehydrates the body is the same as it causes diuretic effect on it. Sweating coupled with humidity only adds to the problem. While rehydrating the body remember to add in sodium of about 50 – 60 mmols or 100 ml of water will have 1 gm of salt and 5 to 10 gms. of simple sugar or glucose added. The sugar source needs to easily absorbed in the circulatory system so it should be glucose. Always remember to drink at least 3 times of the fluid that has quenched your thirst e.g. If 200 ml of fluid has quenched your thirst then 600 ml of the same fluid should be ideally consumed to rehydrate the entire body. Drink at least 2 -3 glasses of 250 ml each of the fluid at least an hour before the exercise and about 200 – 250 ml during the workout. Post workout rehydrate with the same fluid at least 3 – 4 such glasses.

2 . Carbohydrate Loading – Your muscles are the major functional tissue to be utilized while working out. Major muscle groups like that of arms and legs and liver store in them a carbohydrate or chained glucose called glycogen. Glycogen is the emergency supply of glucose if the blood glucose gets replete. This means that in order to be ready for supplying glucose to the muscles the glycogen store should be adequate. Insufficient glycogen in the muscles is one of the major reasons of post workout pain, soreness for longer period, cramps while working out. A simple way to ensure this problem is taken care of is by loading your muscles with enough carbs pre workout. Ensure to consume as per your recommended diet plan a 3 hourly complex – simple carbs cycle. Complex carbs – whole wheat products, rye, red rice, millets, etc, simple sugars stick to seasonal fruits chose from all possible colors, dry fruits. Glycogen loading goes over for 18 hours so be sure you have had enough before workout. Make sure you consume 100 gm of carbs within the first hour post exercise this helps in the immediate carb loading in the worked muscle group instead of being distributed throughout the body.

3. Protein rebuild – Protein becomes essential for tissue wear and tear while workout as well as the insulin influencer in the body. Pre workout (around an hour) protein controls the sudden jump in the insulin secretion after consuming the carbs and regulates fat metabolism or breakdown. Protein also rebuilds lost muscle fibres post workout and supplies enough amino acids for tissue loss other than muscular.
10 – 15 % of your carb intake should be of high biological value proteins like low fat milk, casein products, whey products, egg white, soy milk. These have to be zero fat.

4. Suppressants – Caffeine is usually consumed pre workout but it harms the body completely to benefit from the workout. It acts as a dehydrant leaving the body far from rehydrating even with the fluid intake, it suppresses muscular pain hence not allowing the body’s natural indication for fatigue or exercise threshold making you workout for longer duration and stripping the body of its resources including excessive tissue loss. Fat is another such suppressant. Its intake pre workout slows gastric emptying leaving absorption of carbs and protein at a slower rate in the body and even slower replenishing of the required nutrients. It also causes sluggish effect on the brain.

5. Vitamin – Energy and metabolism influencing vitamins like B1, B2, B3, B12, are an essential lot that needs to be replenished through natural sources like carb and protein source. Vitamin A and E playing pivotal roles as antioxidants in curbing the free radicals stimulated by intense workout.

Wish you wellness,
Neha Wasnik
R.D
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