Sweat, sweat, sweat!

ericadawn92

Hey guys...

So the past couple days when I've been working out, it's come to my attention how much I reallyyyy sweat! I've always known I sweat a lot when I work out (as does my mom, so I know part of it is genetic), but lately I feel like I'm sweating even MORE than usual...not to mention, I feel like I'm sweating so much more than everyone else working out around me.

I do tend to push myself really hard, and I know a lot of the people (mostly girls, honestly) around me at the gym don't seem to be working as hard, but still...

Do you have any ideas what causes people to sweat more than others, when working at the same intensity? Is is purely genetic or do other factors affect the amount you sweat?

And just for fun, are there any others out there who really "pour" when they're working out? Specifically other girls like me?

I honestly don't care that I sweat a lot. I'm at the gym, I'm not trying to look pretty...and it just makes me feel like I really did something. Just curious to hear thoughts!

Mokey41

I sweat buckets and wear glasses which is a PITA. My friend works out with me sometimes and I'm dripping and she's a bit "dewy". Pretty sure it's just genetic.

jkestens63

I work out hard and turn into one hot sweaty mess. And proud of every drop.

Emtabo01

I sweat a lot too, my sweat eventually changes the color of my clothes. Like blue fabric turns pinkish with my sweat after long enough. It's weird and I hate it. I don't let it stop me though, I just always have a discolored towel handy.

GiddyupTim

Some people just sweat more than others. My wife runs long distances. I have never seen a rivulet of sweat roll down her cheek. She gets a little dewy. That's it.

iWaffle

It depends on what you're doing, what your body temperature is, and what the conditions are like you're exercising in. Some people just need more cooling than others I guess.

I lost 3.5 pounds sweating during my run Saturday. Even on cool mornings I can lose 2 pounds during a run. It's your body's way of maintaining temperature. Don't worry too much about it. It's not like you can change this.

moniquedeanne

Honestly I wouldn't worry about it. Your body sweats to cool you off. If you're working harder than others you'll probably sweat more. I find that after I've been working out more consistently I start to sweat more and faster than if I haven't been doing anything. I think my body is just working more efficiently at that point because it knows what its in for. Sure when you're around others its not super awesome to be the sweatiest chick, but when I'm alone I feel I've accomplished more if I'm sweating puddles.

ericadawn92

glad to hear I'm not alone

SarahAFerguson

I do not sweat enough apparently. I am one of the Dewey people. I would love to sweat more, it would be easier to keep cool.

mamasmaltz3

I sweat a lot also. For me what I hate worse than the sweat is my face gets REALLY red and stays red for a couple hours after. When I was in gym class in high school the other girls would look at me funny and ask if I was ok.

xprettyreckless

Haha, I'm in the exact same boat - I always sweat like crazy in the gym while no one else seems to.
Then again, usually I find that I run a lot longer and faster than other people, cause I'm there for the sake of running
AND working-out, and not just working out.. does that make any sense at all?;)

SO YES. I sweat a lot too :P

ericadawn92

I sweat a lot also. For me what I hate worse than the sweat is my face gets REALLY red and stays red for a couple hours after. When I was in gym class in high school the other girls would look at me funny and ask if I was ok.

Yeah, I have the same problem too! My face gets red very easily, including when I'm embarrassed. I would rather be red-faced due to exercise than due to embarrassment any day though!

chuckles9189

My roommate and I are doing insanity. She rains and pours and thunderstorms sweat. and let me tell you. DON"T WORRY ABOUT IT. it makes ME work even harder. I ALWAYS want to sweat like her. I am very thankful for you ladies out there who SWEAT SWEAT SWEAT. Don't get me wrong I'm dripping after our workouts, but I can't completely squeegee my shirt. but I am totally motivated by the buckets pouring off of the girl next to me.

Just a thanks to you sweaty girls keepin my keester movin.

johloz

The other day it was raining outside, so I went jogging on the treadmill. Ran 5k at an easy 10min/mile pace. Got off the treadmill and went to the bathroom. On my way there, some girl stopped me and said, "Wow, were you just running outside in this rain?" Nope, I just sweat that much. Awkward.....

This is totally normal. The more in-shape I get, the more I sweat. I've read that when you are in better shape, your body becomes more efficient at cooling itself down, which means you start sweating more quickly and sweat more. That seems to be my experience at least. I don't consider it a workout until at least a few drops have rained onto the floor.

BrianSharpe

It's genetic.......I can make anything look like hard work!:laugh:

The only real thing with being one who perspires freely (sounds better than sweats like a horse) is that we do need to take in more fluids, especially when working out in hot, humid weather.

Ghkffb56

yup im a hot mess at the end of my workout ..lol.. you are not alone ^^. and it looks like i have tons of blush on, cause my cheeks get rly pink.

SHBoss1673

It's a combination of genetics, workout intensity, workout TYPE, and fitness level.

Genetics is obvious.

Workout intensity, also pretty obvious (the harder you work, the warmer your body gets, the more heat the body needs to disperse).

Workout type is less obvious. Exercises that work more towards the anaerobic threshold tend to produce higher sweat volumes faster. I.E. HIIT training, or circuits.

And fitness level is also less obvious. Most people think the better shape someone is in, the less they sweat. Most people would be wrong. A well tuned body dissipates heat efficiently. The better shape you are in, the more you will sweat. NOW, to be fair, it's a relative term. I.E. if an overweight out of shape person runs on the treadmill for 15 minutes at 7 mph, they might sweat a lot where someone in good shape wouldn't, but that's because the person in good shape isn't exerting them-self. But given the same relative intensity level (say maybe 8.5 mph for the same exercise length for a person in good shape, and they probably sweat more than the out of shape person.).

So don't feel bad about sweating in the gym (not that you were), it's a sign of exertion level, and that you're probably in better shape now. Kudos!

BeautyBMe

I'm a hot sweaty mess at the end of my workouts and darn proud of it!

toxicsgrl

you may have hyperhidrosis - excessive sweating. i suffer from it, so does my dad. its horrid and it drives me mad. i had the red face thing too in school. x

HappilyLifts

I hear ya! It drips from my nose, collects under my eyes and stings them, runs down the side of my face by my ears, down my neck into my cleavage, I can see if glisten on my shoulders and forearms and have even spotted it dripping from my wrists when I was on the stationary bike, which was kinda weird, that trickle must have run a long way! My towel is drenched after an hour.

I used to be embarrassed, but not anymore, it's a sign that I am 100% committed to the tasks in hand and working my butt off. Wear you sweat with pride :happy:

Mine's hereditary too. My mum is a sweater and goes beetroot like me, my husband never breaks a sweat, ever, not even if we are in 50 degrees C Spain or Orlando in the height of summer.

LilacSnow

It's genetic.......I can make anything look like hard work!:laugh:

mamasmaltz3

It's a combination of genetics, workout intensity, workout TYPE, and fitness level.

Genetics is obvious.

Workout intensity, also pretty obvious (the harder you work, the warmer your body gets, the more heat the body needs to disperse).

Workout type is less obvious. Exercises that work more towards the anaerobic threshold tend to produce higher sweat volumes faster. I.E. HIIT training, or circuits.

And fitness level is also less obvious. Most people think the better shape someone is in, the less they sweat. Most people would be wrong. A well tuned body dissipates heat efficiently. The better shape you are in, the more you will sweat. NOW, to be fair, it's a relative term. I.E. if an overweight out of shape person runs on the treadmill for 15 minutes at 7 mph, they might sweat a lot where someone in good shape wouldn't, but that's because the person in good shape isn't exerting them-self. But given the same relative intensity level (say maybe 8.5 mph for the same exercise length for a person in good shape, and they probably sweat more than the out of shape person.).

So don't feel bad about sweating in the gym (not that you were), it's a sign of exertion level, and that you're probably in better shape now. Kudos!

I like this answer! I am a fine tuned sweating machine, lol.

ericadawn92

This is awesome guys! This topic is making me proud to sweat

meshashesha2012

i sweat loads. it's extra nice when beads of sweat fall from my face down my tshirt because by the time it reaches inside my shirt it's much coolers than my body temp and it;s like ahhhhh cooling sweat :laugh:

wanderinglight

I hear ya! It drips from my nose, collects under my eyes and stings them, runs down the side of my face by my ears, down my neck into my cleavage, I can see if glisten on my shoulders and forearms and have even spotted it dripping from my wrists when I was on the stationary bike, which was kinda weird, that trickle must have run a long way! My towel is drenched after an hour.

I used to be embarrassed, but not anymore, it's a sign that I am 100% committed to the tasks in hand and working my butt off. Wear you sweat with pride :happy:

Mine's hereditary too. My mum is a sweater and goes beetroot like me, my husband never breaks a sweat, ever, not even if we are in 50 degrees C Spain or Orlando in the height of summer.

Me to a T!

wanderinglight

My body's ability to produce FAR more water than everyone around me astounds me. I am a sweaty mess!

P.S. I did hear that those who sweat more (genetically) tend to look younger. So there ya go!

ObtainingBalance

I seem to break out a sweat easy . That's why I don't like working out with make up on, its just wasted effort because I'll get all sweaty and shower after.


If I could choose, I would like not to sweat so much... but hey, I guess it does cool the body.

slkehl

I am soaked after I work out. I used to be self conscious about it, but now I just think it makes me look like a badass.

chubbygirl253

Ya I sweat like a *kitten* in church when I work out. And I'm very fair-skinned with freckles. So I turn bright pink. This summer in the locker room after a class a lady said something about me getting too much sun. I wasn't sunburned, I'm just pink. Another girl rudely told me once during a class warmup that if I sweat that much in the warmup maybe I need an easier class cuz it was gonna get much harder. I don't care, we are there to work up a sweat. At least I know I'm working hard!

3dogsrunning

The other day it was raining outside, so I went jogging on the treadmill. Ran 5k at an easy 10min/mile pace. Got off the treadmill and went to the bathroom. On my way there, some girl stopped me and said, "Wow, were you just running outside in this rain?" Nope, I just sweat that much. Awkward.....

This is totally normal. The more in-shape I get, the more I sweat. I've read that when you are in better shape, your body becomes more efficient at cooling itself down, which means you start sweating more quickly and sweat more. That seems to be my experience at least. I don't consider it a workout until at least a few drops have rained onto the floor.

Yup. I've had the rain thing happen to me too.
My husband also questions how hard I actually worked at the gym if I don't come home sweaty (he is joking not seriously "questioning"). We joke that I sweat if I think too hard.
I'm also one of those red faced people. That is what bothers me the most.

My body's ability to produce FAR more water than everyone around me astounds me. I am a sweaty mess!

P.S. I did hear that those who sweat more (genetcally) tend to look younger. So there ya go!

I'll take it! People do often think I am younger. I'm 32 and still can't go to the liquor store without ID (and legal age here is 19)

shade0343

If it's general sweating then probably genetic. If the sweating is limited to specific areas like the underarms and around the head it can be neurological. Not in the sense of emotional issues, but literally a problem with the involuntary nervous system. Depending on how bad it is there are treatment options. A friend of mine takes a small amount of medication for it and it made a huge difference. It made him SO much happier.