Does Sweating Burn Fat?

When you workout, what is the one thing that you do? You sweat in most cases, especially if you are doing HIIT types of exercises. Many people wonder is it the sweat that is helping you to burn fat? This is a logical conclusion since you are sweating each time that you are working out, so it would be logical to assume that sweat is the physical proof that you are burning fat.

The Truth about Sweat Burning Fat

While it may be a logical thought when it comes to burning fat and sweating, the truth is that there is no correlation between the two. When you sweat, this does not mean that fat is being burnt. Yes, you are sweating when you workout. However, sweat is the bodies way of regulating your body temperature. Therefore, the idea that if you sweat more such as if you were to wear more layers to sweat more that you would burn more fat...that is not how this is going to work. So, how do you burn fat?

Burning Fat

Fat is not getting burnt or melted from your body. The body breaks down the fat in the body into fatty acids and glycerol, which are then metabolized. However, the more energy that you burn, the more the body pulls from the fat that you have. Thus, when you are working out, you are burning fat since you are using more energy. While you may sweat more with a highly intense workout, this does not mean that the amount of sweat that is being produced should indicate just how much fat is being worked off.

What About Weight Loss After Sweating?

For those who weigh themselves after a workout and notice that the numbers on the scales have dropped, this does not mean that you have burned fat. When you weigh less after an intense workout in which you did sweat, then you will find that this is due to water loss in the body. That is why hydration is so important when you are sweating profusely. Not hydrating could cause major issues for you. If you are working out and not sweating, then this could signal that you are dehydrated to begin with.

Sweating is a huge part of the workout process, as it shows that you are working hard and that you are hydrated. While it does not pertain to fat loss, sweating is the way that your body cools down.