Sweating and Weight Loss: Does Perspiring Help You Burn Calories and Lose Weight?
Getting a nice, sweaty workout may feel like an accomplishment, but it may not be the best indicator of how much good you’re doing your body. A great workout is about so much more than how sweaty you are at the end of it. Here’s all you need to know about ‘breaking a sweat’.
So you just came back from a 60-minute sweaty session from the gym. You are happy because you think you think you have lost some weight with sweat. We all tend to associate the quantity of sweat with the effectiveness of the workout session. But is sweat a reliable indicator of the potency of your workout? Is sweating more reciprocal to losing more weight? What is the science behind sweating? Allow us to answer all your questions.
Is Sweating The Best Way to Measure the Efficacy of Your Workout?
Here is the truth. Sweating is not the best way to measure the effectiveness of the workout. It is your body's way to cool down and internal body temperature is different for different people. While you end up red-faced and dripping in sweat after a brisk walk and immediately start sweating after a warm-up session of a Zumba class, your friend might look cool as a cucumber after the CrossFit class. The primary purpose of sweat is to cool the surface of the skin, which helps to regulate body temperature. On A Weight Loss Diet? 5 Surprising Ways to Enjoy Cheat Meals and Still Lose Weight.
What about Hot Yoga and Infrared Saunas?
But if you are talking about hot yoga and infrared saunas, yes they can help with weight loss. Wonder how? As opposed to exercising in normal temperature and sweating, exercising in the heat can help you burn more calories, as your body needs to work too hard to cool itself. But it if sitting in a sauna or sweating it out in the Bikram yoga class is your thing, be sure to drink enough water before, during and after the sweat session as you can get very dehydrated. Always proceed with caution. Signs of Weight Loss: 5 Signs You Are Losing Weight Even if Your Weighing Machine Doesn’t Say So.
In case you are working out outside in the summers, gradually up the intensity of the workout, as it takes around seven to ten days to acclimate to the heat. Wear comfortable clothes, drink lots of water and also pay attention to the heat index.
Do You Actually Lose Weight By Sweating?
Sure you will lose weight by torching your calories and burning the fat, you can also lose some water weight by sweating. That said, excessive sweat isn't going to help you lose weight in the long run since sweating is only the body's cooling mechanism. In other words, getting super sweaty during your workouts isn't necessarily going to help you lose weight. Losing about half to one kilo of water weight in a week can be considered safe.
Instead of focusing on your sweat, try boosting your workout with some high-intensity bursts of cardio, picking up heavier weights, or simply taking your workout outdoors. Research shows that the varied terrain and wind resistance outdoors can help you burn more calories.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 26, 2019 03:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).