How to Motivate Yourself for Hot and Humid Summer Workouts

When it comes to working out in the summer, some people are largely motivated by the idea of putting on a bathing suit. However, there are countless other sources of motivation to start or maintain a fitness routine. When temperatures rise and the humidity has reached the level of pure misery, here's how you can stay on track.

Get Creative With Your Workout Logic

It can take a significant amount of mental gymnastics to prepare yourself for an outdoor workout during the dog days of summer. However, motivational speaker Gregory Berge, the founder of The Best Athlete You Can Be, starts with one tip when working with professional athletes: Reframe your mindset.

In this case, Berge suggests, write down 10 reasons why it's actually great to train in hot and humid conditions. "I tell my athletes that, if need be, they can be imaginative," he says. "But they must have 10 reasons, because the quantity of positive focus in their mind must outweigh the initial quantity of negative focus."

Sure, coming up with these reasons can be a struggle, so here are a few of Berge's suggestions to get you started: It's great to train in hot and humid conditions because...

• It develops my mental toughness, and I'll feel like a total boss afterward.
• The cold shower or jump into the chilly pool will feel amazing when I'm done.
• It's like a free Bikram or hot yoga class.
• I'm really, really ridiculously good looking in my new summer workout clothes.
• I have post-workout popsicles in my freezer for after it's over.
• I'll be able to sympathize with the millions of people who live without air conditioning.
• I look like a Nike/Gatorade/Under Armour ad afterward.

Enjoy Summer-Only Activities

Winter is a time of hibernation. Summer, on the other hand, is the time to socialize. Why not combine that with staying active? Alysa Boan, NASM-certified personal trainer of FitnessTrainer.com, encourages her clients to join a summer league — sand or water volleyball or golf (without the cart), for example — to stay fit during the hotter months of the year.

"These can be a great motivation when you're struggling to fit a 'workout' into your schedule," she says. It's the best time to enjoy the great outdoors, even if the temperature is quite swampy. Some other options, beyond simply enjoying a swim in the pool, include:

• Beach or poolside yoga
• Paddleboarding or SUP yoga
• Neighborhood pick-up basketball games
• Rowing or kayaking
• Yardwork or gardening
• Hiking in a shaded forest

Read more: 7 Fun Summer Activities That Burn the Most Calories

Soak in a Hot Bath

If you spend enough time working out in the heat and humidity, it turns out that you can train yourself to get used to it — and be better for it. A 2016 study published in Sports Science Exchange found that heat acclimatization reduced physiological strain on the body, improved personal comfort and exercise capability and reduced the risk of suffering from a serious heat illness when exposed to higher temperatures.

It takes time and perseverance, though. The study it typically takes about one to two weeks of exercising in the heat for about 90 minutes a day. Don't want to go 90 days of torture in the sun? A 2018 study published in Frontiers in Physiology found that participants experienced the benefits of heat acclimation by soaking in a hot bath after their workouts for six consecutive days.

Find Your Workout Song of the Summer

Music experts are quick to name a "song of the summer" each year, but their music tastes aren't necessarily your music tastes. So find your own song of the summer and feature it prominently on a summer workout playlist.

A 2015 study published in Perceptual and Motor Skills found that women ran farther when listening to music that they liked. Another 2015 review published in Medicine Science in Sports Exercise found that music during intense interval training had a positive effect on how much participants enjoyed the time spent exercising compared with people who didn't listen to music.

Read more: The Ultimate Summer Workout Playlists

Take Advantage of the Sun

The sun might be cause of your motivational conundrum, but it can also be a great source of motivation if you think about it the right way. Ty Stone, NASM-certified personal trainer for Anatomy, suggests considering just how much vitamin D you'll absorb if you head outside for a workout and what that can do for your mood.

A 2014 review published in Nutrients found that vitamin D has a positive effect on serotonin, a hormone that improves your mood, happiness and overall feelings of well-being. "This explains why being outdoors can make people happier," Stone notes.

Of course, you should always wear sunscreen when exercising outside. Luckily, a 2019 study published in the British Journal of Dermatology determined that sunscreens don't inhibit vitamin D production when used correctly. Additionally, products with a high ultraviolet A protection encourages vitamin D synthesis.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

It's pretty hard to stay motivated when your body doesn't feel great, and hydration plays a significant role in that — before, during and after your exercise session. Proper hydration, particularly in hotter temperatures, impacts your health in myriad ways, says Carolyn Dean, MD, best-selling author of The Magnesium Miracle, including:

• Heart health: keeps your volume of blood at proper levels so your cells get enough oxygen
• Kidney health: helps your kidneys filter waste efficiently
• Muscle and joint health: lubricates the muscles and joints and delivers nutrients to the muscles

The American Academy of Physicians recommends drinking 17 to 20 ounces of water two to three hours before exercising and another eight ounces 20 to 30 minutes before exercising. Then, drink 7 to 10 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise, and eight ounces in the 30 minutes after you exercise.

Like any other advice, though, you might need to adjust the amount based on how you feel. If you're doing high-intensity exercise in the heat for an hour or longer, add a sports drink to replenish electrolytes.

Reward Yourself Smartly

In an ideal world, a post-workout endorphin rush would be the only reward you need. But when the heat index reaches triple digits, you might need an actual reward to get you in those workout clothes — and that's OK, says Nick Rizzo, training and fitness director for RunRepeat.com.

It helps to associate exercise with something positive, whether it's buying a new workout tank or enjoying an afternoon off at the pool. And make sure to change up you rewards from time to time. "Don't worry if you occasionally dabble in a treat as a reward here and there, either," Rizzo says. "Do you know what is worse than the occasional off-diet treat as a reward? Your habit of going for a run four times a week being wiped out."