Getting a sensible workout routine together - and sticking to it like billy-o is one of the BEST decisions you'll ever make in your life. Elementary, I know, but my dear Watson, you'd be amazed at the number of people that put off or otherwise never make this one simple decision that can change their lives for the better.

There are a ton of excuses that folks like to make to convince themselves that "that type of workout is just not for them". You hear people complaining about lack of time, lack of exercise equipment, lack of a decent gym or other area to workout nearby - and so forth. And truth be told, these are all excuses when it comes right down to it - where there is a will, there is ALWAYS a way, and this is especially so with exercise.

Now, something you'll hear people talk about a lot of times is the weather. For instance, someone living in hot and humid subtropical Asia (or elsewhere) may complain about his daily run due to the heat, and end up skipping it altogether a lot of days. On the other end of the spectrum, those living in Scandanavian countries deal with snowy conditions (and zero daylight) a lot of the year - but does that  mean they should stop exercising outdoors for themajority of the year?

Let's think about it - what good would it do to get on an exercise program "when the weather is good" and then do nothing "when it's bad"?

It's summer where I live currently - and that means temperatures of over 45 degrees Celsius (over 113 F) IN THE SHADE. Does that mean I've cut back on my workouts, or have stopped trying to achieve my best during each and every workout? Absolutely not - even if it means dripping with sweat for the majority of my workout. Trust me, there are times where I feel like I'm breathing in molten lava instead of air - thats how hot it is - but I keep going.

And just so you know, I do NOT workout in air-conditoned gyms and do NOT have ceiling fans or A/C's running if I workout at home. I aim to create a spartan environment in which to workout - so if it's my living room, it'll be me, the carpet and the wall - and nothing else. Yes, I'll sweat up a storm - and YES, it'll make the workout that much tougher to accomplish - but believe me, I feel like a billion bucks at the end of it - and so will you if you do something similar.

Those of you that are familiar with  my writings know that I spent a few enjoyable years in China a while back. Part of my workout there was to climb a long, steep hill near my house on a daily basis - in sapping hot and humid conditions (sometimes I'd climb during the middle of the day if that is when I had time). I climbed this hill when it was HOT - I climbed during pouring rain (when almost no-one would be at the hill) - in short, I climbed darn near EVERY DAY without missing a day unless I really had to. And the results of this showed as well - those of you that have read Fast and Furious Fitness will know what I'm talking about.

Now, I'm not necessarily asking you to go to giddy limits here. You don't have to climb in the rain, and you don't necessarily need to workout during the middle of the day - but what I'm saying is to FIND A WAY to get your workout accomplished, irrespective of the weather conditions. This may mean modifying your workout a bit, or it may mean changing the time of your workout. Whatever it is, make sure you "get her done" - and do so like you mean it.

Finally, the other side of the coin is that you do need to respect weather conditions to a degree. For instance, I usually finish off around 2 bottles of water during my workout these days - I don't think I could maintain the intensity of the workout without replacing some of the fluid I lose. And if you run in cold weather, make sure your wearing protective clothing while you do so. And so forth.

The main point I'm trying to make here is to find a way - and strike a BALANCE that allows you to get your workout in regardless of weather conditions - and do so SAFELY.

Find that balance, and you'll be that much further down the road of strength, health, and lifelong fitness.

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: I talk about Fast and Furious Fitness in this note - it can be found right HERE.