WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Podcasts
  • Video
WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Podcasts
  • Video
This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack
Watch 0:23

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack

{headline}

{headline}

How To Use The Afterburn Effect To Torch Calories

How To Use The Afterburn Effect To Torch Calories

Here’s How To Get Rid Of The Dangerous Fat You Can’t Actually See

Here’s How To Get Rid Of The Dangerous Fat You Can’t Actually See

This Is The Best Workout To Do If You Hate HIIT And Want To Lose Weight

This Is The Best Workout To Do If You Hate HIIT And Want To Lose Weight

The Best Type Of Workout To Do If You Want To See Results Fast

The Best Type Of Workout To Do If You Want To See Results Fast

{headline}

{headline}

How To Tell If You Sweat Too Much And What To Do About It

How To Tell If You Sweat Too Much And What To Do About It

This Workout Keeps Burning Calories For Hours After You're Done

This Workout Keeps Burning Calories For Hours After You're Done

Turns Out Going To The Movies Totally Counts As Cardio

Turns Out Going To The Movies Totally Counts As Cardio

{headline}

{headline}

How Do You Know You're Working Out Hard Enough In HIIT?

How Do You Know You're Working Out Hard Enough In HIIT?

How To Get Rid Of Love Handles Faster, According To A Personal Trainer

How To Get Rid Of Love Handles Faster, According To A Personal Trainer

The Fat-Busting Exercise Behind Kate Hudson’s 11kg Weight Loss

The Fat-Busting Exercise Behind Kate Hudson’s 11kg Weight Loss

Your Gym Clothes Will Never Be Stinky Again Thanks To This Trick

Your Gym Clothes Will Never Be Stinky Again Thanks To This Trick

‘The 12 Week Training Regime That Helped Me Shift 7kg Of Fat’

‘The 12 Week Training Regime That Helped Me Shift 7kg Of Fat’

Kristen Bell’s Approach To Working Out Is Something We Should All Live By

Kristen Bell’s Approach To Working Out Is Something We Should All Live By

‘The Workout That Helped Me Lose 3Kgs Of Pure Fat In 4 Weeks’

‘The Workout That Helped Me Lose 3Kgs Of Pure Fat In 4 Weeks’

  1. Home
  2. Health

Does Sweating Burn Fat? Here's The Expert Opinion

Let's sort this one out. - by Tahmina Begum
  • 21 Mar 2019
Does Sweating Burn Fat? Here's The Expert Opinion
Getty

Does sweating help you lose weight? Given the stress placed on pouring salty liquid from your pores by so many HIIT trainers and hot yoga studios, you'd be forgiven for thinking so.

And sure, when you picture a 'good work out', what usually comes to mind is being red in the face, dripping profusely and feeling hyped enough to bounce off the walls.

But is how much you perspire a true indication of how much fat you might be tearing through, as you train?

'Sweat is an indicator of your body’s temperature regulation, rather than how hard it is working – and these can be connected, but are different,' says sport scientist for Auster Fitness, Harry Aitken. Think: hitting your deadlift PB probably destroyed you, but you likely didn't sweat as much as when you were coasting in your last spin session.

sweat
Getty

As to any apparent weight loss effects that seem to be down to how much you've been sweating? They're not really legit. Karen Austin, Founder of Topaz Fitness Academy, explains that 'sweating is literally a loss of water instead of a loss of fat, therefore [any apparent weight loss] will be temporary – until your next glass of water'.

RELATED: Do You Need To Sweat To See Results? An Expert Weighs In 

Sweating and weight loss: cardio versus strength training

Okay. So you are likely to sweat less at the weight rack then you are on the treadmill. But what does that mean for torching calories? 'You will likely sweat a lot less doing weights as you take rest periods between exercises, allowing your body to cool down,' says Aitken.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean that you'll ultimately lose more weight doing cardio than strength training. This is a complex topic, so we'll direct you this way to read up on strength training versus cardio for weight loss. 

Sweating and weight loss: Remember, everybody is different

It's also wise to remember that our bodies are all built a little differently. 'Some have more sweat glands than others,' says Austin. People with more sweat glands are going to perspire more, natch – but that does not mean that they're on track to lose more fat than a person with fewer glands who is working to the same intensity.

sweat
Getty

The upshot is that 'going by just sweating alone is not a good indicator of how much weight you're going to lose or burn.'

Does sweating help you lose weight: the verdict

Long story short, no. Sweat volume also does not indicate how fit you are, nor how many calories you're going to burn. A good sweat sesh can work wonders for getting glowing skin, by carrying grime out of your pores (just make sure you wash your face after working out, STAT, to stop any gunk resettling into your complexion) and can certainly help you feel like you've gone hard.

But, when it comes to weight loss, it'll always be how much you put in, rather than what you sweat out. 

This article originally appeared on Women's Health UK.

RELATED: How To Tell If You Sweat Too Much And What To Do About It
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Weight Loss
  • Yoga
  • Running
  • Cardio Workouts
  • Full Body Workouts
  • Weight Loss Exercise

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Recommended to you

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack
Watch 0:23

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack

{headline}

{headline}

How To Use The Afterburn Effect To Torch Calories

How To Use The Afterburn Effect To Torch Calories

Here’s How To Get Rid Of The Dangerous Fat You Can’t Actually See

Here’s How To Get Rid Of The Dangerous Fat You Can’t Actually See

This Is The Best Workout To Do If You Hate HIIT And Want To Lose Weight

This Is The Best Workout To Do If You Hate HIIT And Want To Lose Weight

The Best Type Of Workout To Do If You Want To See Results Fast

The Best Type Of Workout To Do If You Want To See Results Fast

{headline}

{headline}

How To Tell If You Sweat Too Much And What To Do About It

How To Tell If You Sweat Too Much And What To Do About It

This Workout Keeps Burning Calories For Hours After You're Done

This Workout Keeps Burning Calories For Hours After You're Done

Turns Out Going To The Movies Totally Counts As Cardio

Turns Out Going To The Movies Totally Counts As Cardio

{headline}

{headline}

How Do You Know You're Working Out Hard Enough In HIIT?

How Do You Know You're Working Out Hard Enough In HIIT?

How To Get Rid Of Love Handles Faster, According To A Personal Trainer

How To Get Rid Of Love Handles Faster, According To A Personal Trainer

The Fat-Busting Exercise Behind Kate Hudson’s 11kg Weight Loss

The Fat-Busting Exercise Behind Kate Hudson’s 11kg Weight Loss

Your Gym Clothes Will Never Be Stinky Again Thanks To This Trick

Your Gym Clothes Will Never Be Stinky Again Thanks To This Trick

‘The 12 Week Training Regime That Helped Me Shift 7kg Of Fat’

‘The 12 Week Training Regime That Helped Me Shift 7kg Of Fat’

Kristen Bell’s Approach To Working Out Is Something We Should All Live By

Kristen Bell’s Approach To Working Out Is Something We Should All Live By

‘The Workout That Helped Me Lose 3Kgs Of Pure Fat In 4 Weeks’

‘The Workout That Helped Me Lose 3Kgs Of Pure Fat In 4 Weeks’

WomensHealth
  • Contact Us
  • About Paragon Media
  • Contact Paragon Media
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • Contact Us
  • About Paragon Media
  • Contact Paragon Media
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement

Brands

Our Network

  • Paragon Media Pty Ltd
  • Men’s Health
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe Now-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe Now