A woman is working hard in the gym.
Image Credit: Jacob Ammentorp Lund/iStock/Getty Images Perspiration often isn’t a good indicator of exercise intensity or calories burned. In fact, everyone perspires at different rates. Some people break a sweat as soon as they start working out, while others take awhile to increase their core body temperature enough to bead-up. If, however, sweating makes you feel like you’re getting the most out of your workout, a few steps can help get you going.
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Step 1
Pick up the intensity. Sweating is your body’s way of regulating its temperature, so kicking up the intensity – even with quick exercises – can increase your body’s core heat enough to trigger your sweat glands.
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Step 2
Increase the ambient temperature in your exercise space. If you’re working out at home, turning up the thermostat a few degrees can set the stage for more sweat. If it’s hot outside, take your workout outdoors.
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Step 3
Throw on another layer of clothing. Additional layers can trap heat next to the skin, helping increase your body’s core temperature. Heating up will activate your sweat glands.
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Step 4
Lengthen the duration of your workout. If all else fails, you might need to increase the duration of your exercise routine. The longer you work out, the more likely your core body temperature will escalate enough to trigger sweat. Tip According to the National Institutes of Health, you’re born with 2 to 4 million sweat glands. The more sweat glands you have, the more sweat your body tends to produce. If you sweat easily, you likely have closer to the 4 million sweat glands. Instead of basing the success of your workout on how much you sweat, mark the intensity of the exercise. More vigorous pursuits tend to burn more calories. It takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose 1 lb. of fat. If you reach a deficit of 500 calories a day, you’ll lose 1 lb. in a week. Warning When you sweat, you reduce the amount of fluids in your body. This can lead to dehydration. To combat this, drink plenty of water prior to more vigorous workouts and continue to replenish the fluids lost periodically during exercise. A good goal is at least 64 oz. of water a day. If you’re sweating a lot, increase this amount.
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references
MedlinePlus; Sweating; May 2009
University of Louisville Today: To Your Health -- Preventing Dehydration in Youth Sports
references
MedlinePlus; Sweating; May 2009
University of Louisville Today: To Your Health -- Preventing Dehydration in Youth Sports
A woman is working hard in the gym.
Image Credit: Jacob Ammentorp Lund/iStock/Getty Images
Image Credit: Jacob Ammentorp Lund/iStock/Getty Images
According to the National Institutes of Health, you’re born with 2 to 4 million sweat glands. The more sweat glands you have, the more sweat your body tends to produce. If you sweat easily, you likely have closer to the 4 million sweat glands. Instead of basing the success of your workout on how much you sweat, mark the intensity of the exercise. More vigorous pursuits tend to burn more calories. It takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose 1 lb. of fat. If you reach a deficit of 500 calories a day, you’ll lose 1 lb. in a week.
When you sweat, you reduce the amount of fluids in your body. This can lead to dehydration. To combat this, drink plenty of water prior to more vigorous workouts and continue to replenish the fluids lost periodically during exercise. A good goal is at least 64 oz. of water a day. If you’re sweating a lot, increase this amount.
MedlinePlus; Sweating; May 2009
University of Louisville Today: To Your Health -- Preventing Dehydration in Youth Sports
