Summer Workout Tips
Much as I’d rather spend the morning enjoying a protracted REM sleep cycle, on a typical day I rise early, feed my ravenous and vociferous Siamese cat and head to the gym for an invigorating workout — usually spin or yoga class. Laziness has its attractions, but exercise increases one’s attractiveness. Regular exercise promotes physical fitness and better overall health and has impressive, long-lasting beauty benefits as well.
Exercise is indispensable for maintaining your health and good looks (Photo: Getty Images)
Some of the effects are immediate. A vigorous aerobic workout gets your skin glowing with an increased flow of oxygenated blood to your skin. Exercise also balances the hormones, which can prevent wrinkle formation and reduce acne breakouts. Working out regularly can improve the quality of your nightly beauty sleep, which can decrease eye bags, dark circles and rejuvenate the complexion. As I’ve said on numerous occasions, health and beauty are inextricably linked.
This summer has been a lot less humid than is typical for the DMV so it’s more tempting than usual to take your workout outdoors. However, you still need to be careful when exercising outside in hot weather. Although I’m rather fond of sultry weather, I’ve been a lot more careful since one of my friends recently experienced an unpleasant bout of heat stroke after horseback riding in the mid-day heat. I’ve consulted with personal trainer and massage therapist Kiara Fuentes, proprietor of Diva Bootcamp in Richmond, Va., who has first-rate tips for exercising safely during the summer months.
Exercising outdoors can be fun, just be careful of the summer heat (Photo: Ververidis Vasilis/Shutterstock
DC on Heels: What general recommendations do you have for working out in the outdoors, especially in the summer? Your bootcamp looks amazing, by the way. How do you modify to accommodate hot weather?
Kiara Fuentes: During the summer, I recommend the clients wear light colored, loose, moisture wicking clothing, stay hydrated, wear sunscreen (I prefer brands that have less toxic chemicals) and bring a sports towel (there are some great sports towels on the market that are both cooling and wick away moisture).
DCOH: Summertime is vacation time. Are there some streamlined exercise routines that you recommend for clients when they on vacation?
KF: A lot of my clients are on the go and busy balancing careers, families etc. Luckily, a lot of what we do at bootcamp, because we don’t rely on a lot of equipment, is easily transferable to other locations. We use dumbbells and resistance bands, but also rely on our body weight for many exercises.
Resistance bands are a great tool for traveling, they are lightweight and easy to store but can be used for various exercises. Body weight exercises like planks, pushups, squats and lunges are my “go to” when traveling. They may be basic moves to some, but they challenge both multiple muscles and large muscle groups making them very effective, plus all of those body weight exercises mentioned come with countless variations to keep it interesting.
Kiara Fuentes, proprietor of Diva Bootcamp (Photo: Ashly Covington/Covington Imagery)
A native Washingtonian, Beauty Blogger Lia Phipps is an interior designer with an irrepressible, life-long fascination with health and beauty. When she is not selecting fabrics and paint colors for clients, she occupies herself with trying new products and dispensing beauty advice to friends, acquaintances and anyone who is willing to listen to “Tips from Phipps”.
