Bits n Pieces

Sweat is needed to cool your body while you exercise and how much or easily you sweat depends on many factors like your fitness level.

The more you contract your muscles during exercise, the more heat you produce, wrote Jay Blahnik, a personal trainer and Idea Health & Fitness Association spokesman, in The Los Angeles Times.

The author of Full-Body Flexibility said that sweat is necessary to cool the body while exercising because it prevents you from overheating. However, your environment, exercise intensity, fitness level, gender and genetics all play a role in how easily and how much you sweat. Consider these points:

• Most men sweat more than women do, even when exercising at similar intensities. However, that does not mean men can handle hotter temperatures than women or vice versa.


• You cannot sweat off extra pounds. Exercising in very hot environments or wearing clothes that promote water loss can compromise your body's cooling system. While you may appear to lose weight on the scale, it is just water weight and you will regain it as soon as you eat and drink normally.


• Proper hydration and clothing can help keep your body cooler and often reduce how much you sweat. Drink about 100ml of water every 10 to 15 minutes while exercising and wear breathable clothing.


• Do not judge the intensity of a workout by how much you sweat. If you exercise in a colder environment, it is likely you will not sweat as much. Measure your intensity using other factors like breathing rate.


• Even if you are sweating when you work out, it is still possible to overheat when you exercise in extremely hot temperatures or badly ventilated areas. Do not exercise outside during the warmest hours of the day.


• You cannot sweat off a hangover, which is primarily caused by dehydration. However, doing some light to moderate exercise may not be a bad idea. Exercise increases circulation and can help release endorphins. Be sure to drink lots of water or exercising can dehydrate you further.


• If you exercise regularly, you may sweat more easily than your sedentary friends. Though this may be a nuisance, it is good as your body has become more efficient at cooling itself.

Source: The Straits Times