Sweating & Burning Calories are Not One in the Same

by Christian Duque

There’s an ages old misconception in the gym that perspiration somehow equates to fat-loss, burning calories, or getting shape. Quite frankly, there’s no information to suggest anything above. Perspiration has more to do with hydration (or lack thereof), as well as a person’s normal body temperature. Although breaking a sweat is often associated with high intensity cardio, which does burn fat & does elevate heart rate, it is possible to run a few miles without sweating much. So what really works in terms of fat loss in the gym.

There’s no question cardio is the key to success in the gym. Some folks enjoy sedentary cardio exercises (e.g. the bike), while other opt for less comfortable pieces of equipment that require a variety of intensity levels, resistance, & spontaneity. The key to losing fat, developing strength, & improving one’s appearance is shocking the muscle. Unfortunately, there’s not any single exercise that will make this happen, not with weights or cardio.

Sweating is essentially your body’s way of cooling itself down – or – reaching an optimal temperature; however, one clear advantage of ramping up body weight is that your muscle stay primed and your body doesn’t get cold during iron workouts. There are clearly pro’s & con’s to elevating body temperature, whether through training in a hot gym, caffeine, or ephedra-based supplements. Just keep in mind what sweat is all about – and what it’s not.