Do you think if "we" were fitter we'd suffer less in the heat?

[munemema]

There's been lots here about how difficult everyone is finding it.

I'm a typically fair Celt and used to be one of them.

But I got fit about a decade ago and haven't really suffered since. I wouldn't go for a run in the midday sun but can fairly happily carry on with my day/work whatever the weather, whereas before I would be miserable and nights were awful. Now I sleep fine when it's hot.

At work this week, in an old Victorian building with no aircon, people have been complaining that it's intolerable and it's certainly warm but I haven't found it particularly uncomfortable, whereas I've always thought of myself as someone who doesn't like the heat.

Or maybe I've learned to cope better as I've got older, although as I'm perimenopause, that seems unlikely.

Young and fit, fat and old, I have always struggled in the heat.

I’m very fat. I am ridiculously hot and sweaty. If there was less droopy flabbiness to stick together and weigh me down I’m sure I’d feel a million times better, never mind the insulating qualities of stones of extra lard. Another hot summer, another resolution not to be like this next year.

(By the way, I do think clothes play a part - I wear very light, thin cotton tops with loose sleeves and linen trousers. Am fine in this up to about 30 degrees, after which the layers of lard really weigh me down. I see lots of people wearing tight clothes or stuff made from polyester - that must make a difference when it comes to handling heat.)

I'm a sweaty mess but don't really feel uncomfortable.

If I have alcohol I am terrible tho! No after work drinks for me.

I'm fit (and fat), but it's made me sweat more, not less. It's like my body is primed to drip buckets at the drop of a hat.

Fit (and also nowhere near fat! ) and I HATE the heat. Makes me feel lethargic and headachy. Though I don't sweat that much..

Some people have a naturally higher temperature than others so when it’s hot outside, they melt.

I’ve always hated the heat however fit I have been. I profusely sweat from my head and back so I feel absolutely disgusting all of the time.

IMO no.

I hate the heat because I burn in the slightest wiff of sunshine. Regardless of how fit, fat or anything else I am.

I've not really seen a big difference in my own coping. I suppose I struggled even more when I was obese, but now I'm not, and I still hate it. My asthma is very bad, I've had attacks every night this week, and I hate the feeling of any "gloop" on my skin (be it sun cream or sweat), and I have a headache even though I'm drinking loads. It all makes me sleep-deprived and cranky.

I'd be fine with this weather if I could be on a beach without any other fuckers around, enjoying a breeze and doing a bit of swimming. Airless rush hours trains full of smelly, sweaty people? Nope.

What is my own fault, I suppose, is that I can't abide most "summer clothes". Hate maxi dresses, linen trousers and all that. So I'm mentally uncomfortable if I dress for the weather, and physically uncomfortable if I dress how I like. But either way I need to cover up, as I get sun rash on my arms and legs if they get more than 5-10 minutes of sunshine on them. That's always been the case, even in my (slim and fit) childhood, when I spent the summers in oversized school shirts and long skirts.

From a personal POV I disagree.
When I was young, slim and super fit I have always struggled in the sun. I am not a heart seeker at all and always choose have my holidays when the temperature is moderate.
Now I'm older , not so slim and not super fit I still struggle the same amount.

I’m much fitter than I was 5 years ago but I feel like I suffer more in the heat now. I’ve spent the last week having to take a change of tops into work with me because I can’t stop sweating.

I think it does have merit as a general rule but obviously there will be exceptions. We live in a hot climate and we are generally okay as used to it but the slimmer and fitter ones amongst us definitely seem to hold up better in general and I say that as an obese person.

We spent a fair chunk of time travelling in hotter areas than we are used to and the fitter amongst us held up better. Fitness seemed to provide more advantage than being slim but not fit, but slim and fit were the definite winners in the heat (talking around 45degC). They also required a lot less water as a rule.

Fitness seemed to provide more advantage than being slim but not fit, but slim and fit were the definite winners in the heat (talking around 45degC). They also required a lot less water as a rule.

I'd agree with this. I've also noticed the water intake thing too, although, in my experience, I drink more for the first couple of days after arriving in a hot environment then I seem to acclimatise and hardly need to drink any more than I do in the UK. We tend not use air-con in cars or in the house unless it tops 40, which I have also found helps build heat tolerance.

I'm 5'7" and weigh 9.5 stone and I'm miserable.

I didn't say if you;re not overweight BoronationStreet. I've never been overweight either but I cope much better in the heat since I've been fitter.

I've just lost 8 stone and feel more comfortable in so many ways but still hate this 30c+ and feel internally boiling. At least I can wear approproate summer clothes now though so that helps!

I've always struggled in the heat. I was a very active, slim, healthy eating child but never did well in the hot weather. I HATED the long car journeys when we went away (days before air conditioned cars), always felt like I couldn't breathe. I also couldn't cope when we went away to warmer countries. I suppose it won't help bring less fit but I think it also depends on each individual person.

I hate the heat. I get constant headaches, my RA flares and I am covered in a heat rash. I am fairly fit but these things still happen whatever weight I am. Some people just don't like the heat

Just to add that I've always drunk lots of water.

Im less than 7 stone (weighed at the Drs today) and cannot tolerate being out in this for too long.

Nothing to do with fitness and everything to do with muscle mass. Generally if you have more muscle you will feel the heat more as your body is more efficient at heating you up, and overweight and obese people have more muscle (in addition to the fat).

www.arch.cam.ac.uk/muscle-more-important-than-fat-in-regulating-heat-loss-from-the-hands

I'm a delicate flower, anything below 25 and I need a fleece, anything about 28 and I'm too hot .

I'm not as fit or thin as I should be, but even when younger and fitter I was the same.

Tbh I loathe feeling the cold so much more as that's effectively 11 months out of 12! This is just a few days.

I have wondered that but I'm fitter than I've ever been and struggling more this year than ever!

Loads of factors will affect how individuals cope with heat physically and mentally.

I am physically fit and have a MH issue and struggle in the heat.

I’m overweight and I’m sure I’d suffer less if I was thinner.