Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
As a personal trainer and fitness blogger, you’d be surprised the questions I get asked. One of the more common ones is about sweat. Do I have to sweat to lose weight? What can I do if I sweat in embarrassing places? Am I sweating too much? Is this normal?
With respect to exercise, I love it when my clients sweat! Let’s go over some common questions.
Am I Sweating Too Much?
Your body produces sweat to cool down your body temperature. Some people perspire more than others, but for different reasons. An overweight person may sweat more because their temperature gets elevated faster during exertion. An athlete sweats more than the common person because their metabolism is revved up. Typically men’s sweat glands secrete more sweat than women’s. Sometimes these glands get activated if we are excited or
embarrassed. And some of us experience the joy of hot flashes during menopause.
If you sweat excessively, you might have a condition called hyperhidrosis. Check with your doctor to see if something else might be going on.
Most people will sweat when they are working out hard. I always keep spare towels around for my clients and encourage them to carry a water bottle to replace all those fluids lost during exercise.
If you tend to sweat profusely or are jogging in the heat, for example, you might want to keep something Gatorade with you to replace lost electrolytes.
I’m Sweating in All the Wrong Places
It’s totally normal to sweat around all your private parts, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you want to look like you wet your yoga pants. I get it. There are a few wardrobe fixes to help with this. Black pants work wonders to camouflage this. So do longer shirts that cover your crotch area. The type of material you are wearing can make a difference too. Try dri-wick fabric, it wics the sweat off your body, whereas something like cotton will absorb your perspiration showing damp spots and also making you feel a lot colder once your workout is done.
Stinky Sweat
You know the saying, ‘you are what you eat’? Well, it seems true in the case of sweat. That’s why if you eat a lot of garlic or curry the night before your sweat will smell like it after. Sweat also has a lot of sodium in it, which is why sometimes people get white rings around their waistline on their yoga pants if they ate a lot of salty foods recently.
The sweat glands around your armpits and genitals produce a thicker sweat that can smell like ammonia. The smell also comes out if you’re feeling stressed.
But don’t stress about sweat! Put on deodorant and bring a change of clothes to wash after your workout. If you’re in a rush and can’t show, take some wet-wipes in your gym bag and clean off your private parts and feet (which also sweat more). Wash your gym clothes as soon as possible to wash the chemical smells out. Here’s another trick I learned – put dryer sheets inside your sneakers when you carry them in your gym bag. It keeps everything smelling fresher.
Am I Sweating Enough?
If you aren’t sweating it usually means one of two things: either you’re not drinking enough water and you’re slightly dehydrated or you’re intensity level can go higher. The rule of thumb is for adults to drink eight glasses of water per day, slightly more if you are exercising a lot or out in the heat. (General word of advice – some people (you know who you are) can go overboard with the water. Don’t drink 5 gallons of water a day or anything crazy like that because you can throw off your electrolytes.) Stick to the basics and stay hydrated. And if your workout seems too easy it probably is! Kick it up a notch!
If you are following the Fitness Challenge, today’s challenge is to post a sweaty selfie. Here’s mine! (Remember to hashtag it #ShesLosingIt and #SLIMethod).
Be healthy.
Lisa 😉
Want to Train with Me?
If you are interested in signing up for my online personal training programs, click here to order now: SLI Method. Monthly online training is $125/mo. and includes a customized suggested meal plan plus weekly workouts to do on your own based on the equipment available to you.
Local to Austin/Round Rock/Pflugerville? Email me – sheslosingit.net@gmail.com. I offer personal training sessions at a private gym: 5 sessions/$250. That includes a customized suggested meal plan. Spaces limited!
Lisa Traugott is a Mom’s Choice Award winning writer, published author, fitness blogger, wife and mom of two….and Original Cast Member of AMERICAN GRIT, starring John Cena, on FOX!
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