Exercise for Fitness

 Dehydration This refers to excessive loss of water from the body, usually through perspiration or sweating, urination,
or evaporation.

During participation in physical activities, the body regulates its temperature depending on the intensity of
the activity. During moderate to vigorous physical activities, the body perspires or sweats and you get thirsty.

 Sweating. On a normal day, the body loses about 2.5 liters of water from the lungs and skin, from urine and feces,
and from perspiration. The body must replace this through proper hydration. To offset fluid losses, it is suggested
that 150 to 250ml of fluid should be taken every 15 minutes.
 Thirst. Thirst is a sensation of dryness in the mouth and throat associated with a desire for liquids. Maintaining water
balance is an important consideration during exercise. Physical activity results in increased heat production, and
evaporation of sweat from the skin allows the body to dissipate this heat and maintain a normal body temperature.
The amount of fluid lost as sweat varies according to factors such as the intensity and duration of activity and the air
temperature or humidity.

Most of the time, an individual waits for thirst to kick in before replenishing lost water. However, it is advisable to replenish
lost fluids even before feeling thirsty. This is especially important when an individual exercises in the heat or does so for an
extended period of time.

 Overexertion or Overtraining- This refers to the detrimental cause of excessive training.

Some individuals engage in too much physical activity. Some exercisers and athletes often push themselves too hard
in their pursuit of high-level performance. Thus, they are susceptible to a variety of hyperkinetic conditions known as overload
syndrome. This condition is characterized by fatigue, irritability, and sleep problems, as well as increased risks for injuries.

In an over-trained status, performance is known to decline sharply and this can cause individuals to train even harder.
This dip in performance may be mistaken for dip in physical effort so the exerciser or athlete increases the effort to pull up
the performance.

A useful physical indicator of overtraining is a slightly elevated morning heart rate (4 or 5 beats more than normal
values). Essentially, an elevated morning heart rate reveals that the body has to work too hard to recover from the exercise
and is not in its normal resting mode.

When doing resistance training, an individual is likely overtraining and may not reap the full benefits of the program
if the body is not allowed to recover completely in 2 or 3 days after maximal effort. Decrease in total number of sets or
exercises, or both, is recommended.

You also need to pace your workout properly to avoid staleness. Staleness, or getting bored or uninterested, is usually a
consequence of overtraining.

 Hyperthermia - This is an alarming rise in body temperature, which is an effect of exercising in a very humid
environment. It sets the stage for heat stress and even heat stroke, the potentially fatal collapse of the temperature-
regulating mechanism.

In hot environments, the body is able to maintain temporary thermal balance during exercise through circulatory
adjustments and evaporation of sweat. However, the body responds differently in a hot, dry environment. The body actually
gains heat when the air temperature exceeds the temperature of the skin. Under these conditions, the evaporation of sweat
allows the maintenance of thermal equilibrium. When humidity is also high and evaporation cannot take place, the body
temperature continues to rise, and performance is severely impaired.

Is it safe to exercise in hot weather? Prolonged, vigorous exercise can be dangerous in hot and humid weather. Heat
from exercise is released in the form of sweat, which cools the skin and the blood circulating near the body surface as it
evaporates. The hotter the weather, the more water the body loses through sweat; the more humid the weather, the less
efficient the sweating mechanism is at lowering body temperature.

If you lose too much water or if your body temperature rises too high, you may suffer from heat disorder such as
heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Use caution when exercising if the temperature is above 80 F or if the humidity is above 60%.
To exercise safely, watch for the signals of heat disorder, regardless of the weather.

Heat Acclimatization. On the first day of vigorous exercise in hot weather, one may experience near maximal heart rate,
elevated skin and core temperatures, and severe fatigue. But after a few days of similar exposure, the same task can be
accomplished with a reduced heart rate, made possible by improved blood distribution and increased blood volume. Skin and
core temperatures are lower, since sweating begins at a lower temperature.

Highly fit individuals become acclimatized in 4 days while sedentary ones take about 8 days. The best way to get
acclimatized is to work in the actual conditions (temperature and humidity) one has to endure.
 Tips when Exercising in the Heat/Hot Weather
Slow down exercise and add rest breaks to maintain prescribed target heart rate. As you become acclimatized, you
can gradually increase intensity and duration.
Drink 2 cups of fluids 2 hours before you begin exercising and drink 4-8 ounces of fluid every 10-15 minutes during
exercise (more frequently during high intensity activities).
Wear clothing that “breathes,” allowing air to circulate and cool the body. Wearing white or light colors will help by
reflecting rather than absorbing heat. A hat can keep direct sun off your face. Do not wear rubber, plastic, or nonporous
clothing.
Rest frequently in the shade.
Slow down or stop if you begin to feel uncomfortable. Watch for the signs of heat disorders. If they occur, act
appropriately.
When you exercise in hot environments, you need to be aware of heat disorders:

Heat Disorders
Problem Signs and Symptoms Treatment
Heat cramps – when considerable salt History of exertion; muscle cramps, Stop exercising, drink fluids, and
is lost in sweat. Take lightly salted usually in the muscles used during massage or stretch cramped muscles.
foods and massage to relieve cramps. exercise Cool the body. Stop exercising, get out
of the heat, remove excess clothing,
Heat exhaustion – when heat stress Fast, shallow breathing; weakness;
drink cold fluids, and apply cool and/or
exceeds the capacity of the dizziness; headache; moist or cool skin
damp towels to the body. Get
temperature regulating mechanism. or profuse sweating; pale face; normal
immediate medical attention, and try
or slightly elevated temperature; weak
to lower body temperature. Get out
pulse
of the heat, remove excess clothing,
drink cold fluids, and apply cool and/or
damp towels to the body or immerse in
Heat stroke – the temperature Noisy breathing; hot, flushed skin (may
cold water, but not to induce shivering.
regulating mechanism has given up be dry or sweaty); red face; chills or
Person should be placed in shock or
shivering; disorientation; erratic
recovery position. If conscious, person
behavior; high body temperature; no
may sip water. Raise the legs. Fan
perspiration; full, rapid pulse; altered
person and use wrapped cold packs in
consciousness or unconsciousness;
the armpits and groin.
convulsions

 Hypothermia - Excessively low body temperature, characterized by uncontrollable shivering, loss of coordination,
and mental confusion.
This occurs when the body begins to lose heat faster than it can be produced. Prolonged exertion leads to
progressive muscular fatigue. As exposure continues and additional body heat is lost, the cold reaches the brain. One loses
judgment and the ability to reason. Speech becomes slow and slurred and control of the hands is lost.

Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment of Hypothermia

Signs and Symptoms Treatment
Early signs If the victim is unconscious, open airway and check for
Shivering Pale, cold skin Cold environment breathing.
As the condition worsens If the victim is conscious, bring to shelter or keep in warm
No shivering, even though the person is cold room.
Increasing drowsiness Replace wet clothes with dry ones.
Irrational behavior and confusion Give high energy foods and warm drinks.
Slow, shallow breathing Cover the head, hands, and feet because heat is lost
Slow, weak pulse through the extremities.
Walking becomes clumsy and tendency of wanting to lie Do not let the victim lie down and rest since the core
down and rest escalates temperature is dropping. Without treatment, one might lose
consciousness and die.
Transport the victim to a medical facility as quickly as
possible
Constricting blood vessels (vasoconstriction) increases the stimulating capacity of the skin, but it also results in a
marked reduction in the temperature of the extremities. Protective vasoconstriction often leads to discomfort in the fingers
and toes. Blood is rerouted to the deeper, more vital body organs.

To relieve pain, it is necessary to warm the affected area or raise the core temperature. While shivering may cause some
increase in temperature, gross muscular activity is far more effective in restoring heat to the troubled area. Shivering is the
defense mechanism of the body against cold.
 Core temperature is the temperature of the deep organs. The temperature of the body is normally at 37 degrees Celsius or
98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. It adjusts to enzyme activity within the muscles. Changes in core temperature can be reflected in
the skin.

Cold Acclimatization. This refers to metabolic adjustments are done as well as improved tissue insulation. Large body mass,
short extremities, and increased levels of body fat help to get acclimatized to cold weather.

Others Concerns:

Heat Rash – also called prickly heat, is a benign condition associated with a red, raised rash accompanied by sensations of
prickling and tingling during sweating. It usually occurs when the skin is continuously wet with un-evaporated sweat. It is
generally localized to areas covered by clothing.

Heat Syncope – heat collapse, is associated with rapid physical fatigue during overexposure to heat. This results in dizziness
or fainting. It is quickly relieved placing the individual in a cool environment and replacing fluids.

Sun protection factor (SPF). Sunscreen applied to the skin can help prevent many of the damaging effects of ultraviolet
radiation. A sunscreen’s effectiveness in absorbing the sunburn-inducing radiation is expressed as the sun protection factor
(SPF). An SPF of 6 indicates that an individual can be exposed to ultraviolet light 6x longer than without a sunscreen.