General Fitness & Nutrition: Sweating (Lots)

In general, sweating is good.  And when exercising, sweating a lot is better than sweating a little.  It usually indicates an efficient bodily cooling system, and it may rid the body of toxins and salt.

Like you, I sweat a great deal when I run or bike, and when I stop (or cool down), my sweat output seems to increase.  I just take pride in the knowledge that my body is functioning properly (at least in that area), and make sure I drink sufficient fluids.

As to smell, keep in mind that sweat itself usually doesn't smell bad.  It's the bacteria (and maybe other crap on you) that mixes with the sweat and can smell really bad.  I recommend showering after exercise, and using some form of deodorant that kills bacteria.  But (IMO) usually odor due to exercise isn't the problem.  If it's not due to general hygiene, it's usually due to diet, chemical mixes or some form of genetic-environmental interaction, rather than simple sweat.

My recommendation is that unless it *really* is a problem (and for that, you should seek some medical advice) you take pride in your body's cooling efficiency, and show some sympathy to those poor folks who just don't perspire like we do :-)

I agree that you definitely should not worry about it. I wear my hair in pigtails to keep my hair out of my face. When it's hot out, sweat pours down my face, and my face turns red when I exert myself. If someone is judging me for the way I look or how sweaty I am, they can take a hike. And a guarantee, if it's a hot day, they'll sweat, too!

 Also, I carry a folded up bandana when I run during hot weather. I wipe the sweat off my face with it. It gets pretty soaked, but it's better than sweat getting in my eyes. And of course I wash it out every day when I come home from running.

I also sweat A LOT. In a high school wrestling practice I lost 8 pounds in a 2 hr practice (That is 1 gallon!)  I sweat from every square inch.

We don't sweat more when we stop, it is the reduced air flow from standing still, it just doesn't evaporate as quick. I sweat when I bike, but with the wind, it doesn't show till I stop.

The worst things for me is the non-sport activities. I dance a lot and I usually take 4 shirt when I go. And during intimate activities it is not fun.

I did start taking a pill which has greatly reduced my sweating. Be very very careful sweating is good. I don't run outside when it is about 70. I now sweat very little when I am dancing vertically or horizontally.  The name of the pill is 'Glycopyrrolate'. 

I am right with you when comes to the sweat.  I am a 38 yo male and I look like I took a wrong turn through the carwash.  My times are about the same as yours and I puddle if I am in one place to long.  I just wear larger t-shirts, since they have more surface area to wipe the sweat away from my face.

 On the positive side, I think it's great to sweat when working out......looks like you did good!

Absoulte ditto.  (I am 31 F too). I am astonished by the amount of sweat by body produces during and after a run.   It seems as if my capacity for sweat has been greatly increased by running, and I think I now sweat more with regular activites  too.

oh well....... that's my take on it.  I like running.  It makes me happy.  If becoming a sweat factory is the price i pay, it's still worth it.

I'll also add my name to the people that sweat a lot when running. I'm a 27yo M and run at quite a high level (best time of 32:44 for 10km), and I sweat a lot more than most others that I know who are of a similar ability, both in training and races - they can be almost dry and I can be covered in sweat! I think the reason why I sweat a lot is because I just naturally produce a lot of body heat (my ex-girlfriend used to call me her furnace because of this!) So when I exercise, it doesn't take much of a rise in my body temperature to trigger sweating to start to cool me down again. But that's just my theory!

amandatherunner - Don't worry about what you look like when you're running and sweating. I don't think it is unattractive if a girl is sweating while running, it's what you're supposed to do! Good luck with the running, hun.

As a profuse sweater, I find one benefit in wringing out my completely-drenched running shirt every 6-8 miles or so, depending on the weather. I put it back on afterwards and it cools me down soooo much. Plus, it's just kinda impressive to wring out a shirt that looks like its been sitting in a tub of water.

 As long runs go on and my body realizes it can't sweat that way forever, my sweat output reduces to an evaporation/replacement level after about the half-marathon distance.