Jini Cicero
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Out and About

Zion National Park

Zion National Park

Now that summer is winding down, here comes the triple digit weather! If you live in Los Angeles, I hope you’re keeping cool. If you’re in some other stifling part of the country, well, looks like we’re all in this together.

It’s hot! But as you read this, I’ll be training at the gym –my regular Saturday morning workout.

Don’t let anyone tell you that when the weather’s hot it’s too dangerous to exercise…indoors. Unless you have extreme heat indoors (which is rarely the case since about 1902 -and the invention of central air conditioning), it’s not a problem. Outside…well, use common sense of course and in either situation, drink about two to four, 16-32 ounces glasses of water each hour.

I bring this up because I’m often asked by clients why I won’t turn up the air conditioner on a hot or even not-so-hot day. That’s correct, I won’t. The warmer the muscles, the better they function in terms of range of motion, joint lubrication, and general function (it’s just safer.) And guess what? You actually slowdown the metabolism you’re trying to fire up when you crank that A/C. And of course you want to sweat out those toxins and cool the body down naturally (again, to maximize fat burning.)

I carried lots of water with me when I went hiking in Zion National Park in Utah last weekend. What an amazing experience! Just look at the photo to the right. The only reason you know it’s not Oz (or that it’s not simply a photo of a painting), is because I’m in it! I highly recommend a trip to Zion. It’s something that you can’t imagine until you’re standing there, looking up about 1,000 ft. at one of the enormous red rock formations.

Don’t forget to read this week’s blog on AGEs (you’re about to find out what those are.)