Does sweating more mean a better workout?
Drenched after a session? Here's what your sweat is really telling you.
What do you think? Take a guess.
Sweat is how your body cools down, not a score for your workout. How much you sweat depends on heat, humidity, your body and your genes. In a humid Indian summer you can sweat a lot on a gentle walk.
Key points
It helps stop your core temperature from climbing too high.
The calories you burn come from how hard and how long you move.
As you adapt, your body starts cooling itself earlier. That's a good sign.
Weight lost through sweat returns once you drink, as it should.
Extra layers or exercising in extreme heat aren't a shortcut, and they can be risky.
The longer read
A soaked T-shirt can feel like proof of a great workout. But sweat isn't a scorecard.
What sweat actually does
Sweating is your body's cooling system. As you move, you produce heat, and sweat evaporating from your skin helps keep your core temperature from climbing too high.
How much you sweat depends on lots of things: the temperature, the humidity, your body size, your genes and what you're wearing. Researchers at the National University of Singapore, who study exercise in hot, humid weather much like ours, put it simply: more sweat doesn't mean more calories burned. The calories come from the effort, not the sweat.
In fact, as your body gets used to exercise and heat, it often starts sweating sooner. That's your body getting better at cooling down, not a sign that you're working less.
Better ways to judge a workout
- The talk test: at moderate effort you can talk but not sing.
- How you feel: rate your effort from 1 to 10.
- Progress over weeks: walking a bit further, feeling less out of breath, or sleeping better.
Stay safe in the heat
Drink water before, during and after moving, especially in summer. Avoid the hottest part of the day. If you feel dizzy, sick, confused or get a bad headache, stop, find shade, cool down and drink water. If you don't feel better quickly, get medical help.
Give it a go
On your next walk or workout, rate your effort from 1 to 10 instead of checking your sweat. Moderate is about 5 or 6: you can talk, but not sing.
Put it into practice
It's easier to keep going when you're doing it with others. Start one today.
Fittest Start
Join the ExperienceGeneral wellness information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or are starting something new after a long break, check with your doctor first.
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