​I sweated a lot for a month and gained two kilograms. Please be polite and don't come here in summer.

I once heard this saying: "Sweat is the tears of fat."

Most people probably think that the more you sweat during exercise, the better the weight loss effect will be.

Because of this understanding, many people start sweating profusely on the road to weight loss. Nothing else matters, as long as they can sweat.

So, is there any connection between sweating and weight loss? If so, can I lose weight just by sweating without exercising?

01

Sweating during exercise is because the body needs to dissipate heat

Sweating is a way for the human body to excrete waste, but its main function is to regulate body temperature, in other words, to dissipate heat. When the human body is in a quiet state, it will start to sweat when the ambient temperature reaches about 30°C. If the air humidity is high, sweating may begin when the temperature reaches 25°C.

When we start exercising, in order to provide the energy needed for exercise, the body's energy substances will be broken down to produce more heat and a large amount of metabolites - carbon dioxide and water. At this time, in order to maintain normal body temperature, the human body must increase the amount of sweat to dissipate the excess heat. This is why we sweat a lot during strenuous exercise.

Image source: hippopx

Furthermore, since sweating is a way for the body to dissipate heat through evaporation, the amount of sweating is affected by multiple factors, such as the temperature and humidity of the environment, the intensity of exercise, and personal physique. For example, when the amount and intensity of exercise are the same, people with good physique and strong body will usually find it easier to complete a certain exercise, generate less heat, and sweat less than people with poor physique. On the contrary, people with weak physique or who have not exercised for a long time will sweat profusely when they move.

02

Don't blindly pursue sweating in order to lose weight.

Colorado State University in the United States once conducted such an experiment. The experimental designers selected 11 women and 8 men and arranged them to participate in a 90-minute hot yoga class and a regular yoga class (the physical conditions and surrounding environment of the participants in the two classes were basically the same), and the course content was exactly the same. The final experimental results showed that compared with regular yoga classes, the participants sweated significantly more in hot yoga classes, but the calories consumed basically did not change. In other words, when the amount and intensity of exercise remain unchanged, the amount of sweating has nothing to do with the weight loss effect.

That's right, otherwise why would we keep fit? Wouldn't it be great to lose weight by sweating every day?

It seems that in the end, we still have to control our mouths and move our legs... Existing studies have shown that the effect of exercise weight loss is mainly affected by the amount and intensity of exercise. Taking aerobic exercise as an example, the first 15 minutes of exercise mainly rely on breaking down sugars to provide energy for the body. When the exercise lasts for 20-30 minutes, it will gradually turn to breaking down fat to provide energy for the body, reducing the free fatty acids in fat cells, thereby reducing the size of fat cells, so it is difficult to achieve the effect of fat loss through short-term exercise. In addition, increasing the intensity of exercise can also increase the weight loss effect. High-intensity exercise can stimulate

It stimulates the body to secrete more lipolytic hormones, which promotes the decomposition of fat during exercise intervals and post-exercise recovery periods, thereby achieving the goal of weight loss.

After correctly understanding the relationship between sweating and weight loss, we can effectively avoid some wrong behaviors of blindly pursuing sweating for the purpose of weight loss.

For example, some businesses promote "sweat-inducing clothes", which are actually made of non-breathable chemical fiber materials to block the evaporation of sweat, resulting in ineffective heat dissipation. The human body can only compensate for excessive sweating. After such an exercise, people often sweat profusely, and the weight loss is mainly due to water loss rather than fat consumption.

Image source: Weibo

This weight loss at the expense of excessive sweating not only has no benefits, but also greatly increases the risk of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance in the body. In severe cases, it can lead to fainting or even death. The weight loss after a workout or sweating comes at the expense of dehydration. The body will recover after replenishing water. We must not be complacent based on short-term numerical changes on the scale. On the contrary, in order to prevent excessive dehydration from causing damage to health, it is necessary to replenish water in a timely and adequate manner during exercise.

In addition, studies have shown that long-term low- to medium-intensity exercise is the most effective in burning fat. Therefore, to lose weight, we do not need to force ourselves to do high-intensity exercise (which may cause sports injuries), but persistence is important, and safety is important. Start with moderate-intensity exercise every day, and only perseverance can achieve results!

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Review expert: Shen Yingjian, deputy chief physician of the Nutrition Department of Hebei Yanda Hospital.

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Tadpole Musical Notation original article, please indicate the source when reprinting

Editor/Xiaotu Asi