Sweating lose weight: myth or truth?

Many people believe that in order to have the feeling that physical activity really had an effect, you have to sweat. Often the feeling of well being after training is due to sweat. But what few know is that sweat is not synonymous with caloric expenditure, fat loss or weight loss.

Despite not being a parameter to indicate weight loss, sweat can be used as a tool to assess whether physical activity is being practiced intensely or not, since the practice of intense exercise accelerates the metabolism and increases body temperature, resulting in in sweat. However, some people may sweat more than others, even with small stimuli, it is important to use another parameter to assess the intensity of the exercise.

1. The greater the amount of sweat, the greater the fat loss?

Sweat does not represent fat loss and, therefore, cannot be used as a parameter for weight loss.

Sweat is an attempt by the body to balance body temperature: when the body reaches a very high temperature, such as during physical activity or when the weather is very hot, the sweat glands release the sweat, which is composed of water and minerals, in order to avoid damage to the vital functions of the organism. Thus, sweat does not represent the loss of fat, but of liquids, which is why it is important that people stay hydrated during physical activities.

It is normal for there to be greater sweat production during very intense physical exercises, it is important for the person to make adequate hydration during physical activity, but some people even sweat while standing still and in any situation, this condition being known as hyperhidrosis. Understand what hyperhidrosis is and how to treat it.

2. I weighed myself after exercise and my weight decreased: did I lose weight?

Weight loss after exercise can be common, but it does not indicate weight loss, but loss of water, and it is important that the person drinks water to replace the amount of water lost.

If the weight after exercise has decreased by more than 2% compared to the initial weight, it may be indicative of dehydration. See what the symptoms are and how to fight dehydration.

To lose weight, you don't have to sweat, but spend more calories than you consume daily, have a balanced diet and practice physical activities regularly, preferably in the early morning or late afternoon, away from the hottest hours of the day. See how to have a healthy diet to lose weight.

3. Does exercising with warm clothes or plastic help you lose weight?

The practice of exercises with warm clothes or plastic does not help to lose weight, it only raises the body temperature, stimulating the sweat glands to produce and release more sweat in an attempt to regulate the body temperature.

The best exercises for those who want to lose weight are those that promote greater energy consumption in less activity time, such as running and swimming, for example. See what are the best exercises to lose weight.

4. Does sweating detoxify the body?

Sweating does not mean that the body's impurities and toxins are being eliminated, on the contrary, sweat represents the loss of water and minerals essential for the body's functioning. The kidneys are the organs responsible for filtering and eliminating toxic substances from the body through urine. Know when and how to detoxify the body.

5. How to replace minerals lost after intense physical activity?

The best way to replenish minerals after intense training is to drink water during and after physical activity. Another option is to drink isotonic drinks, which are usually more consumed by people whose activity is not only intense but extensive. These isotonics should be consumed during exercise in small amounts and are contraindicated in people who have kidney problems.

Check out how to make a natural isotonic that, in addition to preventing excessive loss of minerals during exercise, improves performance during training: