Sweat Psyche!

I have already told you that I'm a sweater. Sweatee? A person who sweats. A lot. When I get done with my long run for the week, I can literally ring out my workwear.

It's sort of gross. My hair is dripping. Sweat is running down my legs. And I can't wait to jump in the shower.

But I've noticed a head-game that sweat is starting to play on me. And I did some thinking about it today while I was on the treadmill. 

See if you can follow this train of thought:
The more I work, the more I sweat.
If I'm not sweating so much, I must not be working as hard.
If I'm sweating a lot, and working a lot, my workout must be really hard.
If my workout is really hard, I must be getting tired.
If I'm getting tired, I'm not sure I can go ... that extra mile, that faster speed, that higher incline, etc.
I'm sweating a lot. I should probably just be done now.

So today I paid attention to other things ... not just to how much I was sweating. I paid attention to my heart rate. I listened for my breathing. I concentrated on my quads.

And guess what I found?

When I started to talk myself into the fact that I was really running a long distance and that I was sweating a lot and that I must be tired, my form kind of fell apart. I got hunched over. I swung my arms more. And the more uncomfortable running like that got, the more "tired" I became. It felt like more work to run that way.

So when I noticed it happening, I quickly stood up taller. Moved my hands less. Listened to my breathing to see if I was huffing more.

And guess what again? It felt less like work. Yeah, I was still sweating like a farmhand. But my body wasn't really begging me to stop at all. It was fine. It was perfectly capable of going farther.

Yet another example of how your brain is the strongest muscle of them all. And if you let it, it will tell you that you "can't" do all sorts of things. But when the other muscles in your body join together, they are strong enough to overcome your brain and start a revolution.

And, just for fun, here are some sweaty facts, courtesy of my sister and the Dean Health Systems newsletter, or something:


How Sweat Works

Sweat: Your Body’s Cooling System
Sweat is your body's natural method of cooling itself, whether it’s during a tough workout, when you're outdoors in the heat, or in response to over stimulated nerves.

Sweat Facts

• On average, a person has between 2 and 5 million eccrine and apocrine sweat glands throughout the body
• Eccrine glands are all over the body, especially on the hands, soles of the feet forehead
• These glands produce sweat that is 99% water and 1% waste products
• Eccrine sweat glands remove excess minerals as waste products, such as copper, zinc, lead mercury, nickel and cadmium, sodium, potassium, calcium, urea, ammonia, uric acid, and phosphorus
• Apocrine glands are found in the armpits and groin and are responsible for removing protein and fatty acids from the body
• Apocrine glands can also contribute to foul body odor; along with some foods, some medications, and various medical conditions

Sweating is Good for the Body
Often, the more you sweat during a workout, the more efficient your body is at cooling down. Many people associate sweating with a particular level of fitness, but in actuality, your body's cooling system just adjusts to the effort it is accustomed too. For example, an individual who is extremely active and used to keeping the core of the body cool during a bout of exercise will react to the start of exercise by releasing blood to the surface of the body quickly to release heat from the body. This will make the body sweat quicker and often in more quantity than someone who is not accustomed to these body temperature changes.

Some people sweat more than others, even during the same activities. This can be genetic or based on how efficient the body is at cooling from the repetition of various activities. The amount or frequency of sweat is not indicative of a good or bad fitness level.

During exercise or any other part of the day, it is important to avoid dehydration. Drinking too little water can contribute to a decrease in physical performance. It also makes it difficult for the body to properly cool down and remove appropriate wastes. The solution is simple; drink more water.

Hydration Facts
Losing water at a rate of 2-3% body mass can make exercise difficult and decrease performance (ACSM, 2005)

According to the American College of Sports medicine, dehydration can cause negative affects on mood, short term memory, psycho and visual motor skills, and math skills

 

To rehydrate: replace what you sweat out with water back in:

• Before a workout (1-2 hours) drink at least 16 ounces of water
• During a workout, drink a few ounces every 15-20 minutes
• After a workout, maintain fluid consumption at a regular level

You can still lose too much water even if you are drinking during the exercise. To measure water weight loss during exercise, weigh yourself right before your workout and immediately after your workout. Note the difference in weight and record. For every 0.5 pounds lost during a endurance based workout, drink 4 oz. of water to replace the lost fluid.

 

If you lost more than 2% of your body weight, drink more water throughout your workout to maintain hydration and ensure that your body can sweat efficiently. Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink because you are already moving toward dehydration. Consume water throughout the day to promote efficient cooling of the body and maintain hydration.

Remember that sweating is good for the body and that proper fluid consumption can improve performance.

Source: Monica Niska, LiveHealthier Certified Personal Trainer with information compiledMedicine.