Have you ever had such an intense workout that it feels like you’ve been outside in a rain shower? Chances are you’ve burned a lot of calories. But does sweat really burn more fat? And do you sweat less when you’re fit? We answer these questions today!

Fluid loss is not fat loss

You sweat during exercise because your body cools down that way. The sweat droplets on your skin provide evaporation and cooling. Due to the increase in body temperature, the metabolism increases, which increases the rate of combustion. Boxers who have to get into a certain weight class therefore sometimes run in very warm clothing to get the sweat production going.

But be careful. This fluid loss is not fat loss. By sweating more you temporarily lose moisture, but that can be added again by drinking a glass of water. Sweating doesn’t burn extra calories, says Karin Austin in Womens Health. For example, if you do strength training, chances are you will sweat less than during a spinning class. That’s because during strength training you take breaks between exercises. It doesn’t have to mean that you lose more fat from a heavy cardio session than a strength training.

Moreover, every body is different. Some have more glands than others, causing them to sweat more. It is not the case that people with more glands also burn more fat.

So what is sweat good for?

Sweat can make you feel satisfied after your workout! In addition, a good sweat session can work wonders for your skin. When you sweat, dirt is removed through your pores.

Do you sweat less when you are well trained?

You might think you sweat less the longer you exercise. But this is not so! If you are well trained, the body is forced to apply heat regulation more efficiently. The body temperature is thus lowered through the sweating process. When you get fitter, you can train harder and your body produces more heat. Your body responds faster to this by sweating to reduce risks such as overheating.

Sweat Tweets

When the temperature rises in your body, it is picked up by the hypothalamus, which is located in the brain. This gives a signal to the sweat glands that they have to get started with sweat production. Then the skin can cool down. There are also some other interesting tidbits about sweat that we would like to share with you:

• Did you know that men sweat more than women?
• Did you know that you sweat more when you are stressed and emotional?
• Did you know that you sweat more during pregnancy and menopause?
• Did you know that people with a higher BMI sweat more?
• Did you know that alcohol and coffee make you sweat more?
• A spicy meal is also good for sweating a lot