I know for a fact I have said that on numerous occasions…..but let’s get real! These are the dog days of summer and anyone who has stepped outside for just a few minutes has been sweating! Now I know stepping out of the house is not what most would consider a workout (although others may argue, anything outside in this heat is a workout in its own right), but I thought that this would be a good week to speak on the topic of sweat!
For almost everyone who exercises, sweat is just a part of the workout and that is great. Our bodies heat up as we workout and sweating is just our body’s natural way to help cool us down. The more you sweat, the more efficient your body’s cooling system is and you can be proud of that!
Something else to consider when you are sweating is making sure that you are staying hydrated. As we sweat, our bodies are losing fluids (water, minerals, etc.). So we need to make sure to replenish those during and after our workouts so that we do not become dehydrated.
Water is my drink of choice, but if you have had a hard workout and you’ve been sweating heavily you may want to think about drinking something that has electrolytes in it to help replenish those that you have lost. Sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade are a couple of drinks that can help in that department.
Another thing to consider with workouts and sweating is the type of clothing you have on. It is great to wear synthetic fabrics that help to wick the sweat away from the body. Fabric such as cotton tends to hold on to the moisture and cling to you when you sweat.
Keep a hand towel or something close by to help wipe sweat away from your hands, head, arms and legs. This helps you feel a little better and keeps things a little safer so you don’t have to worry about slipping as much.
Finally, make sure you are listening to your body! It is great to sweat when you are doing physical activity, but if your sweating is accompanied by dizziness, nausea, chest pain or shortness of breath, then take it easy. You may need to go see your physician if those symptoms persist. First and foremost, you should always listen to you body.
So embrace your sweatiness and have fun with your workouts!
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