Man, it’s been a hot summer so far.  The heat is everywhere—cities that normally don’t get very warm in the summer have experienced temperatures in the triple digits.  Don’t let the heat be an excuse to skip your workout. Understanding how your body reacts to extra warm temperatures is important–and it could save your life.

When you exercise in the heat, your body has to work a lot harder.  Your heart and lungs work double duty to keep your body in check.  Your heart rate increases as your body tries to dissipate the heat.  And if it’s humid, your body works even harder which can cause your internal body temperature to skyrocket.

The most important thing to remember is to THINK and use good judgment.  Everyone handles exposure to heat differently.  Just be sure not to stay outside for extended periods of time and stop exercising if you feel your body is having trouble cooling down.

Become familiar with the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion:

Heat Exhaustion

• Heavy sweating
• Dizziness
• Paleness
• Muscle Cramps
• Nausea/Vomiting
• Headache
• Fainting
• Fatigue
• Pulse is fast and weak

If you experience any of these symptoms, stop exercising immediately and do everything you can to cool yourself down.  Drink cool fluids, go to an air-conditioned building, take a cold shower (if available) and get some rest.  If left untreated, heat exhaustion may lead to heat stroke, which is a medical emergency and is life-threatening.

Follow these tips to stay cool AND in shape this summer:

• Drink a LOT of water!  You already know this so just do it.  Don’t let yourself get dehydrated and don’t wait until you feel thirsty to take a drink.
• Go swimming.  It’s a great form of exercise, it’s fun and you’ll stay cool.  Don’t forget the sunscreen!
• Exercise early in the morning or later in the day when it’s cooler.  I prefer the mornings because it’s a great to start your day.
• Wear loose, comfortable clothes.  Choose fabrics that wick away sweat and change out of sweaty clothes after you work out.
• If you don’t have any issues with water retention or blood pressure, don’t be afraid to put a little salt on your food. When you’re sweating a lot, you may need a little extra sodium.
• If it’s really hot outside, choose an indoor activity.  Take a group exercise class, lift weights at your local gym, or move to your favorite exercise video.
• ALWAYS pay attention to how you feel.  Listen to your body.

Staying fit in the summer is easy, but you have to be smart about it.  Enjoy the beautiful hot days but make sure you stay cool while exercising.

Molly

Have you heard the news?  Clinique just launched a new product that has the attention of women all over the globe.  Their new “Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & UV Protector” promises to be almost as effective as a laser treatment.  After 12 weeks of slathering 2-3 drops of the serum on their faces in the morning and evening, panelists achieved 63% of the visible wrinkle-reduction power of a laser.

Wow.  This is amazing if it’s really true.  Some of my friends have gotten great results from laser treatments but you have to be prepared to hide away for a few days while your face is peeling off (think of a snake losing its skin).  These procedures are not very kind to your wallet and usually work best if you do a series of them.  This will more than likely cost you thousands of dollars.

Or, you can pay $44.50 for a bottle of Repairwear Laser Focus.

This is their pitch:  “A potent serum gives every skin a second chance against lines, wrinkles, sun damage. In 4 weeks, see obvious reduction in lines, wrinkles, improved texture. At 12 weeks, the visible wrinkle-reducing power is remarkably close to a dermalogical laser procedure. 63%, to be exact.  Different commitment, different results. And yet impressive results guaranteed.”

Repairwear Laser Focus encourages cellular repair by promoting healthy elastin and collagen.  It’s full of antioxidants which help prevent future damage to your skin.  It’s gentle enough to use around your eyes and is suitable for all ages and skin types.

It doesn’t say “Money Back Guarantee” yet it guarantees “impressive results”.  To clarify what that meant, I called Clinique to ask them if they offered a money back guarantee and they said ABSOULUTELY!

So here’s the Just You Only Better challenge:   Join me by using Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus for 12 weeks.  In 3 months, I’ll write an article to let you know my results.  Simply post a comment to let us know how it worked for you.  One lucky participant (I’ll put all the names in a hat) will receive a free bottle of Repairwear—my thanks for taking part in this mini research project!

Who’s up for the challenge?
Molly

I have resisted Pilates since it became popular in the 90’s. It’s not because I didn’t want to look like all those sexy celebrities who swear by Pilates, I just thought it wasn’t for me. I always believed that running and lifting weights was all I needed to stay fit.  Boy was I wrong.

As you know, some things happen for a reason. For quite some time, I’d been thinking I should give Pilates a try to see if it would help alleviate some of the dysfunction in my thoracic spine. One day I woke up and decided that was the day I would find a Pilates Studio and give them a call. Later that morning, I met Jennifer Kries while walking Stella and Jessie in Washington Square. She told me she taught Pilates and I promised I would set up a session with her. After 3 months of emailing each other back and forth, I finally scheduled my first lesson. I knew it would be an educational experience but had no idea:

1. How much I would learn
2. How many misconceptions I had about Pilates; and
3. How incredibly talented Jennifer is

Jennifer is a true healer with an extensive background in mind-body arts and fitness. Her knowledge of anatomy, her verbal cues and her incredible teaching methods impressed me beyond words. She has inspired and empowered women around the world with her award winning Method Series DVDs (which she did not tell me about when I met her).

According to Jennifer, there are six principles of Pilates: concentration, control, centering, breath, flow and precision. When performed correctly, you learn to move with maximum efficiency while minimizing stress on your body. You are able to access new levels in your body and create a deeper, more complete feeling of fitness, energy and vitality that remains with you days after your workout.

Jennifer continues her explanation: “The focus is on the center of the body—the “powerhouse”. These corset muscles—also also known as the stabilizing core muscles of the torso—support the spine. The active collaboration of these major muscle groups creates a solid cylinder around the central spine. Keeping these muscles super strong helps prevent shearing or eroding forces from being applied to the vertebrae, ligaments and discs. Problems in the spine result from acute injuries, repetitive trauma and habitual patterns of movement that are unconscious and unproductive for the body and mind.”

My first day, Jennifer simply asked me to stand and breathe while she observed me. Can I tell you how hard this was? I would have much rather had her tell me to drop to the floor and do 50 push-ups. Because of the restrictions in my mid-back, taking continual deep breaths while standing with good posture is quite difficult.

To make a long story short, Jennifer’s trained eye saw many destructive things about my posture. My “natural” posture is causing a lot of compression on my low back and hips (which can also affect the knees). The tightness in my rib cage is causing me to round my shoulders which will continue to worsen my posture over time if I don’t do something about it now.

After 4 sessions, I’ve learned specific exercises that will help improve both my posture and my rib dysfunction over time. The extreme rigidity in my thoracic spine is improving and I’m definitely sleeping better. The deep breathing is still really hard for me, but it is getting a little easier.

I believe that Pilates is almost a necessity for people like me.  No, I’m not a dancer or an actress; I’m a 46 year old woman with significant issues in my spine and I suffer from sporadic pain in my hips and knees.  I am planning on taking Pilates at least one time per week for the rest of my life!  With weekly classes, I am confident that my posture will be better when I’m 65 than it is today.  I think it’s a good goal.

If you want to increase your core strength, improve your lung capacity and improve your mind-body connection, please give Pilates a try. You’ll learn to connect your mind with your body.  If you’re willing, you’ll also learn to slow down and realize that life is not something we should strive to race through.  We should embrace life every day by living in the moment.

If you’re interested in purchasing one of Jennifer’s DVDs, please visit her site at www.jenniferkries.com.   If you’ve had a “life-changing” experience from performing Pilates, please share your story.

Stand tall and Breathe,

Molly