Let's talk about sweat...

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Will_Lift_4_Shoes
Will_Lift_4_Shoes Posts: 238 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
When I first started working out I would sweat but it was really more like glisten...wet back but not much else got sweaty. Now that I have been consistently working out I noticed that I can really get my sweat on. Not that you all want the details but it isn't just my forehead and back, it gets sweaty all over. My legs and arms even get a coating, it has been known to drip down my face and neck, it is a whole body experience. Part of me is pretty proud of myself knowing I can sweat like that, however, the girly girl in me is a little grossed out. I know that is probably TMI but I was wondering if this has been others experience. Did this happen as you got more physically fit? Can anyone explain this phenomenon? Just trying to understand what is happening here.

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  • jmilian825
    jmilian825 Posts: 193 Member
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    well I had a problem similar where I really didn't sweat a whole lot but recently that has started to change I've noticed I sweat more now but my only concern is my face gets really hot and will be dry compared to the rest of my body.
  • Will_Lift_4_Shoes
    Will_Lift_4_Shoes Posts: 238 Member
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    That is different. Do you drink enough water when you work out? I try and drink quite a bit when I working out. Maybe there is a link there? I just really don't know.
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
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    Your body is just getting efficient at cooling itself off. It's a good thing.
  • sarah692
    sarah692 Posts: 136 Member
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    I don't think how much you sweat always correlates with the amount of exertion; I'm pretty sure water intake plays a huge factor so if you're someone who drinks a lot, you'll sweat more.
  • Will_Lift_4_Shoes
    Will_Lift_4_Shoes Posts: 238 Member
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    I don't think how much you sweat always correlates with the amount of exertion; I'm pretty sure water intake plays a huge factor so if you're someone who drinks a lot, you'll sweat more.

    I don't necessarily agree with this. The harder I work the more I sweat. I do keep hydrated but I think qtiekiki is on the right track. Efficency is something that seems to be increasing quite a bit--calorie burning, sweating, heart rate. All of it is getting better.
  • mjpTennis
    mjpTennis Posts: 6,165 Member
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    I have been experiencing similar results and would lean towards it being your body is getting better at managing itself. In the beginning of my return to exercise routines, the sweat was just to a few spots. Now that I have reduced all the key factors - heart rate, blood pressure, and increased cardio performance, any sustained cardio workout and I am covered with sweat. I am curious to see how it changes as I continue shedding more body fat.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
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    I have a friend who considers herself fit and was explaining to me she doesn't sweat. So I did some research on it, since it rather annoyed me the way she bragged :) And basically.... her body wasn't working as efficiently and not sweating was nothing to brag about. I'm not "techinical" about explaining it, this was just my summary of my research. So I agree, it's a good thing!
  • dotti1121
    dotti1121 Posts: 751 Member
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    I've always sweated...ALOT :( Drenched and dripping...
  • SelkieDiver
    SelkieDiver Posts: 260 Member
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    I drip like a faucet! Today I was on the bike trainer and I think I left a puddle underneath :blushing: If I'm not dripping I'm not working hard enough. I want to be drenched by the end of my workout, whatever it is that day.

    And yes, when I first started I would barely sweat at all and I'd overheat. I'd turn beet red and stay that way for hours afterward. I'll take the sweating instead, thank you very much.
  • KyleDanielle
    KyleDanielle Posts: 9 Member
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    I went through the same thing, and now that I work out regularly, I sweat like crazy! I could tell you why, but I think Sports Medicine says it better:

    Sweating during exercise is a sign of an efficient cooler. An athlete who has adapted to keep the body core cool during exercise will shunt blood to the skin’s surface more quickly and release heat from the body. At the same time, the sweat glands increase their output and thus cool the body during sweat evaporation. While fit people produce more sweat than sedentary folks, they lose less sodium, because more of it is reabsorbed by the body. The result is a more efficient cooler.

    Its totally gross, but you're not the only one!
  • Will_Lift_4_Shoes
    Will_Lift_4_Shoes Posts: 238 Member
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    You are all so smart. Thanks for the responses. It is nice to know that I am not the only girl out there that "glistens" like a pig. I find I am less "hot" and flushed after my workout. It has become a lot easier to recover after working hard (less gasping for air). Just another NSV really, and who knew that one day I would be proud of the fact that I can sweat. :wink:
  • jmilian825
    jmilian825 Posts: 193 Member
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    That is different. Do you drink enough water when you work out? I try and drink quite a bit when I working out. Maybe there is a link there? I just really don't know.
    lol I drink between 14-20 cups of water daily :)

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