Whole Living Daily

Here’s the scenario: you’re working out at home or in a studio, it’s June, it’s getting hot and you’re first impulse is to crank the A/C. Don’t do it. Step away from the thermostat. Instead, open a window, keep working out and let the sweat drip. Here’s why.

First, sweating is a form of detoxification for the body.

Second, sweating means the muscles are warm and warm muscles are happy, less injured, muscles.

And third, studies show that heat helps glucose breakdown faster – great news for those trying to burn lbs.

These three reasons are enough to convince me to NOT use A/C while working out, but there is one more benefit that no one ever discusses but I think is huge: The world is hot.

It's Hot Out There
When you’re in the subway station in August, it’s hot. When you’re mowing the lawn at noon, it’s hot. When you’ve rented a U-haul and it doesn’t come with air conditioning, it’s hot. When you travel to third world countries, you’ll be hard-up to find A/C.

Aren’t we working out and getting fit so that we expand our comfort zones? So that you can go to Honduras and be fine with the climate? Yes. Fitness should in many ways prepare us for all of life's physical stressors, heat being one of them.

To prepare for the 2008 U.S.Open Tennis Championship, Rodger Federer trained in the desert heat of Dubai. He played for hours at a time with local teenager tennis prodigies under the Middle Eastern sun. He won the NYC tournament and was “fresh as a daisy” even in long fifth-set matches. I don’t think he trained longer than other players, but he certainly trained smarter.

My advice as a fitness pro is this: Embrace heat. When you're in the office, fine, use the A/C. If you’ve got panting pets at home, use the A/C. If you’re working out - you don’t have to go to Dubai - but just say no to A/C. It does a body good.

NOTE! This does not mean you need to suffer heat stroke! Make sure you drink plenty of water before, during, and after you exercise, and if you start to get lightheaded or dizzy, by all means stop and cool down! We're talking about getting some sweat going, not put yourself in the hospital. Always go easy on your body and heed its cues. You'll know when you need to slow down or cool off.

Ellen Barrett is a mind/body fitness expert and regular contributor to Whole Living. For information about her exercise DVDs, books, and classes, please visit EllenBarrett.com