Lately, I've been doing fairly intense cardio workouts while monitoring my heart rate. Even when I am pushing myself to my physical limits, I will get a shiny forehead and a glistening chest... That's it! I do this for 40 - 45 minutes at a time. I watch everyone else sweat from everywhere and wish it were me.

I'm concerned that it's proof that my body isn't functioning at optimum levels, but at this point, I'm considering a Sauna Suit every so often just to feel like I did something. I understand that they only cut down on water weigh, but I'm a bit frustrated.

Has anyone else struggled to sweat? What did you do to overcome it?

Can't say I've ever had this problem, but it doesn't sound so bad! In all seriousness, the value of your workout is not necessarily in terms of sweat. Wearing a sauna suit will probably just make you uncomfortable and make you not want to work out. Trust your body- push it until it tells you you're where you should be- and don't be concerned about sweat.

And all the sweat is replaced when they drink something. Everyone doesn't sweat and sweat is no proof that the workout is any better. I never sweat when I do cardio but when I'm doing weights it comes out by the bucket.

nope never had that problem. Today I sweat bullets running a local 5K in super humid weather.

I run using the C25K program with a Heart Rate Monitor (HRM). I personally try to keep my HR at 160-180 while running. I would try bumping up your target range and see what happens. Your body can take alot more than you think it can. Find a range where your heart is thumping and your sweating (but can keep it up for the duration of your workout).

Good Luck

I've heard that the more physically fit you become, the more you sweat. I don't remember where I heard this, though, so take it with a grain of salt! I did notice that to be the case with me, however. I notice I sweat more now, maybe something to do with bodily efficiency?

But take heart! Your personal rate of sweat means nothing in terms of how hard you're working. Every body is different.

I've heard this too, but I'm probably biased toward believing it because it makes me feel better about how ridiculously sweaty I get when I work out! I'm a serious sweaty mess by the time I'm done. I have noticed that the fitter I get, the more I sweat and the more easily I start sweating.

Since it's nothing you can really control (since you're already doing intense cardio), I wouldn't worry about not sweating a ton right now (just like I don't worry about being a sweaty mess at the gym ). I've come to accept that our bodies know what they're doing and they'll adapt accordingly.

Keep up the good cardio work!

ETA: Another thought...you might want to try wearing a heart rate monitor to make sure you're getting your HR up enough, just to make sure. You probably want to keep it up to like 70-80% of your max HR while you're getting your cardio in.

Hi,
I am not a person who sweats; I am actually a person who is cold all the time so it takes a lot to make me sweat. I have started wearing a waist trimmer belt when I do my daily walks and it has worked. By the end of my walks I am covered in sweat. So much so it is dripping down my arms. I know gross but fantastic. I also wear two shirts when I am walking to increase my sweat production. Some people don’t think waist trimmer belts works, but I will swear by them. I have never paid more than 10 dollars from one. I got one of Amazon then Tj max. I hope this helps!

I don't sweat much unless it's really REALLY hot. That's just how I am. Sweating more or less has to do with how your body cools itself. It doesn't mean that your not working hard enough or not burning enough calories. I highly discourage the sauna suit, as they increase your risk of heat related illnesses. Sweating more will not make you lose any more fat (just water). We did not allow sauna suits at the gym I used to work at because of the health risks.

I have the complete opposite problem - I get absolutely drenched after working out. I'm talking my whole shirt is soaking wet.

My mom is a non-sweater though. We can go on a walk at the same pace and she won't even break a sweat. It's just how her body works. However, she does have to be careful about overheating. Since sweat is your body's cooling mechanism, people who don't sweat tend to feel the effects of heat faster.

Because of this, I'd stay away from the sauna suit. I'm a high school teacher, and I've heard way too many bad stories about students who wrestle and use sauna suits to make weight. The coaches completely discourage those, but students will inevitably use them, especially over Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks.

I don't sweat much either. I mean I bead up, but I don't have anything running down my head or body. And yeah, those sauna suits are not good for you. The extra weight that you are losing is water not fat.

I am jealous of all you non sweaters out there! And here I thought you would sweat less the more fit you are, Darn! I see people running on their lunch hours around here and I keep thinking how I would LOVE if I could have a life like that but 1) my work doesn't have showers like theirs and 2) I still take like 30 minutes to cool down so even if I took a shower I would still be sweating for a bit.

I say celebrate the fact that you aren't a drencher! There are a bunch of mild annoyances that come with pouring sweat so I am jealous.

How much you sweat is determined by MANY factors - genetics, gender, your fitness level, the relative humidity, on and on. It's a factor of temperature (how hot you get while exercising).

It IS true that fit people tend to sweat more than they did before, but it's not so easy as "Fit people sweat a lot, less fit people sweat less". It's only that you tend to sweat more as you get fitter, as compared to the amount you sweat when you're less fit. The reason for this - a fitter body has more practice cooling itself down with sweat, so it starts sweating more easily and efficiently to make the individual cooler.

Regardless, the amount you sweat doesn't indicate how hard you're working. Think about a pool workout. You're burning TONS of calories, but the water keeps you cool, so your body doesn't rely on sweating to do so. Also, if you're exercising in an air conditioned room, you'll sweat less than if you exercised in the sun, because again, sweating is a result of TEMPERATURE, not of effort.

I always find I don't sweat as much if I haven't been drinking enough water... atleast that's what I think it is, lol