Straight facts on sweating

Believe it or not, some of the most frequently asked questions I get include:

• “I sweat too much, how do I stop it?”
• And “I work so hard but don’t sweat at all - what do you recommend?”

With so many myths and misconceptions surrounding sweating, this becomes a classic “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” case.  

Sweating profusely? “Ewww she’s gross!”

Not a drop of sweat through a workout? “She must be really slacking off”.

Let me make something clear: sweating is NORMAL. Literally every single person on the planet sweats! But why do some people sweat a lot, and some only a little? And why do we sweat at all? Let’s get to some straight facts on sweating!

FACT #1: Sweating is the body's cooling system

Essentially, sweating is your body’s natural cooling mechanism. Whenever the body’s core tem-perature rises, we start sweating - and when sweat droplets hit the air, they evaporate, creating a cooling effect!

If we didn’t sweat, we would quite literally be cooked, as the body temperature would quickly reach dangerous levels.

So, repeat after me: sweating is necessary! 

FACT #2: We all Sweat Differently

There are so many variables determining sweat rate, such as:

• Body composition - the greater the body mass is, the more effort is needed to reduce the tem-perature, resulting in more sweating. Muscle mass also increases heat production, which means higher sweat rate!
• Age - we tend to become less efficient with regulating temperature as we get older, resulting in sweating less.
• Hormonal fluctuations - during the menstrual cycle subtle changes in core body temperatu-re may affect how much you sweat. And this is just one example of how hormonal changes can affect sweat production!.
• Fitness level - when performing a similar workout, a fitter person is likely to start sweating sooner, as the body becomes really efficient in regulating its temperature during exercise!

Add external factors such as humidity, temperature outside, or the fact that food and beverages can also produce heat when digested - and it’s pretty easy to see that not only we all sweat diffe-rently, but it can also vary depending on the situation!

FACT #3: More sweat + Better Workout

Around 10 years ago, wrapping yourself in plastic or wearing neoprene garments to promote sweating was considered credible fat loss advice.

However, “sweating the fat out” is no more than a myth - and artificially increasing sweat rate can actually be quite dangerous, resulting in dehydration, dizziness and weakness.  So it’s a definite no from me!

“Ok TEAM, so sweating doesn’t promote fat loss - but surely it means you’re working harder if you’re sweating more, right?”.

Well, not necessarily.  In addition to the above, not every type of training is supposed to leave you drenched in sweat! For example, you may find yourself sweating more during an intense HIIT session compared to a lifting day with longer rest periods. But it doesn’t mean that you didn’t work hard enough - so long as you have given the session your all.

All in All, sweating is nothing to worry about

Don’t let misconceptions, judgement or unrealistic expectations get in the way of your success. Instead, embrace your journey with all the struggles, challenges and sweat (or lack thereof!) - and let’s get it!

Much Love, CarynFitMami Team