Sweating and weight loss

Many times we have heard about sweating. Some argue that sweating or perspiring you lose weight. Well, this article will develop the topic to understand what happens when you transpire in sports and if you can lose weight.

First, we have in mind that water is a vital substance for our body. Through it, all chemical reactions in the metabolism of our body are carried out. When we do exercises, water plays other roles in both organs, as in muscles.

When raising body temperature, perspiration plays a role cooling which is necessary to stay hydrated. Through the sweat, the body loses chlorine, potassium, sodium and magnesium (minerals) but the largest lost component is water.

Myth or reality?

When we do sports, sweating more doesn’t mean getting better results or lower those extra kilos, in fact, probably you may have lower results compared to a well-hydrated person.

By losing water, your heart will have to beat faster, to carry nutrients and oxygen to your muscles need, raising your heart rate will raise your blood pressure, coupled with the rise in temperature, the risk that is very high.

If your goal is to lose weight, the least recommendable is wearing too many clothes, because you couldn’t have adequate perspiration. By increasing the temperature, your body will stop burning fat (which is what you want), as it will take glycogen as the nearest power source.

A lower body temperature during exercise burns fat, so you can sweat, but do it naturally and with appropriate clothing.

Note that raising the temperature to some degree inhibits the receptor sites that control the sensation of thirst. That is why in intense exercise you must drink small amounts of water during the activity (several times) and avoid feeling thirsty.

Thirst is a symptom in the course of the first degree of dehydration. If you continue the exercise and do not drink water, dizziness, cramps, loss of concentration and possible fainting may come.

So you should have water in handy. It must be cold, to enhance absorption, which we recommend be ingested in small sips every 10 minutes of work-out.

Now, if after performing exercise, the scale marks less weight, this does not mean you've lost weight, but you have removed water. So do not relate sweat with weight loss, unless it is caused by the exercise you do.

Tips

• Do not forget to drink enough water during exercise.
• A low-calorie will also help you lose weight.
• If you sweat excessively during exercise is important that you hydrate before starting to have a more effective absorption.

Rehydration

This is necessary to the athlete during training or competition drinking from 50 to 100cc of liquid at a time and if possible every 15 to 20 minutes. It is important to remember that we must be guided by the feeling of thirst, as this is when the muscle cells have lost a great percentage of water.

We know with reasonable certainty, the importance of proper rehydration during exercise to enhance athletic performance and the effectiveness of training, so much that has been said that water is the best help there.

The best nutritional strategy and rehydration during exercise must meet the following requirements:

• To provide enough carbohydrates to keep the right amount of glucose in the blood.
• Supply water and electrolytes to prevent fluid imbalance.
• Avoid gastrointestinal distress.
• Be desirable.

Recipes to make at home

Hypotonic: ideal for use before, during and two hours after

• 1 liter of water
• 1 / 2 cup of orange juice
• A pinch of salt

Just mix well and stir these ingredients in a covered container and refrigerate.

Isotonic: suitable for drinking before, during and after exercise

• 1 liter of water
• 50 g. of powdered sugar or glucose
• A pinch of salt

Heat four tablespoons of water, dissolve the salt and sugar, incorporate the remaining water, stir and preserve in cold.

Hypertonic: suitable for energy recovery after exercise

• 1 / 2 liter of apple juice or sugar-free orange juice
• A pinch of salt

Mix the ingredients in a jar or bottle with a lid and refrigerate.

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