Insecurity about sweat
 

I'm one of those extra sweaty people at the gym. I'm usually always sweatier than the other women (and some of the guys). It's been that way since I started working out regularly. I'd never really cared, however, the last couple of weeks or so, I've been really self-conscious about it. Usually my shirt is drenched in the front and back. I know I should be proud of myself and wear my sweat with pride :) but I feel gross and think everyone is looking at me. Any tips on how to disguise sweat?

FYI: The only time I have the sweaty issue is when I'm exercising.

My friend had the same issue. She would lift weights before doing cardio in order to minimize the "ewie" factor of being on the machines that sweaty. After cardio, she would just head to the locker room quickly. I've also seen her switch shirts half-way through a work-out but it made for a lot more laundry.

I will say this. 95% of people will be seriously too busy on their own work-out to give you a second thought. 4% of remaining people will be thinking about this own sweat. The remaining 1% are most likely not working out to break out in a sweat, so who cares about them? ***

** statistics made up by me, but you get the point ;)

Honestly when I see someone sweating like crazy at the gym I think "WOW that person is working hard!" and nothing more - the only thing that would gross me out is AFTER you get off the machine if you didn't wipe it down. I've seen people leave a machine soaking wet with their sweat all over the machine and I'm like DUDE come on! Get a papertowel and wipe it!

LOL. Thanks. yellowduckyfeet, I also do weights before cardio. My thing is I don't shower at the gym (I live right down the street from it). And the gym is like a huge open space. So after I'm done with my workout, I have to do my "walk of shame" and feel like everyone is staring at the extra sweaty girl. :(

beerab, I've seen people do that too. One guy was sweating tons and whipping his head from side to side throwing sweat all over the lady on the treadmill next to him :yikes:. I don't sweat all over the machines (it's usually just my shirt that's drenched - I wear dark pants) but I do clean the machine after I'm done. I hate getting on a machine and seeing that it's streaked with sweat. Ugh.

I also sweat a lot - and my face turns beet red :lol:.
Really, just try not to care :hug:. It really IS just a sign that you are working hard and you can't control how much your body sweats.
If the sweat patches on the shirt are really bothering you, try wearing something with a lot of pattern - it kind of hides the wet bits. A friend of mine hates the sweat on her back so she tried putting deodorant (antiperspirant) there. It seemed to help a bit, but I'm guessing your body will find a way to get rid of the water elsewhere :lol:.
Also, I don't know much about this, but aren't there shirt (like Under Armor) you wear under your work-out clothes that soak up the sweat? That might be worth an investigation.

Trust me....no one is looking at you and saying ewww. They are looking at you in envy at how hard you must have worked out. I sweat a lot too and I walk out of the gym with my head held high knowing that I put in a lot of work and the sweat is just a part of the evidence of that. I see people staring at me too ...maybe I am just cocky but I think they grudge me. :-)

I sweat too - bad! And I'm another with a red face. I just wear black workout clothing and rock it if it does show.

I sweat like crazy. Its dripping down my face within about 10 minutes. My one skinny friend who doesn't sweat at all just says she is amazed when people walk out of the gym sweating because it shows how hard they worked out. I don't think anyone cares as long as you clean your machine off afterwords. I also wear a tank top under my tshirt and it seems to soak up most of it before it can make its way to the outer shirt. I know most people would hate that many layers but it also helps hold things in.
Don't sweat it. Hahaha. :D

I sweat a lot. By the time I'm done working out on the elliptical I'm drenched in sweat. Seriously, it sometimes looks like someone just took a bucket of water and threw it on me, well maybe not that bad..:) I was a little self conscious about it at first but I'm over it now. If someone doesn't like the fact that I'm sweating at a gym, that's their problem.

I am drenched in sweat from head to my toes after working out. I rarely worry about becuase I figure that just means I've been kicking my own butt while I'm working out.

One time a guy even walked up to me when I was finishing up my work out and said he sees me here all the time and thought I was one of the hardest working girls at the gym.

Also I wear dark shirts that seems to hide the sweat better then light colored pastel shirts.



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No tips but I definitely feel your pain! Even back in the day when I was 140lbs and running miles on end I sweat like a pig. :o I've always hated it but you can get shirts that help (a lot of those tight running shirts are much better about absorbing sweat and it doesn't look nearly as obvious!). Also it's going to be way worse if you wear something like a gray shirt.

I know they have some sort of pads you can buy to wear under your armpits but that always seemed like way more trouble than it was worth!

Look - people sweat in the gym just like people poop in bathrooms, hehe. I can see why it would be embarrassing, but people really just dont care.

It is better for your skin though, if you can use materials that breathe and that are designed to wick sweat away. They get the sweat off your skin and then it evaporates pretty quickly. Try those instead of a normal cotton tee and it should help!

I know those 100% polyester tops work wonders

I sweat horribly. Just today I was working out at home and someone knocked on my door and when they saw me they looked concerned and asked if i was feeling alright. I said I was fine so they asked if I just got out of the shower because my hair and neck were soaked. I said no I was exercising and they said wow you look like you must have been working out hard and gave me a high five which I happily accepted. I get self conscious about my sweat sometimes but I've gotten a lot better than I was before. I use to worry that people would think I'm out of shape because I sweat so much but a few months into my exercise plan I realize most people in this country are out of shape anyways and the ones that aren't are probably impressed that I'm willing to put in so much effort in the first place. XD

I used to not sweat at all until I went through menopause, and now I sweat like crazy. Even taking a walk at lunch, I come back with damp legs. It's weird. Although now that I think about it, I'm wearing nice office-y polyester pants, maybe that's why.

anyway, if I saw you sweating in the gym, I'd be all impressed and inspired that you were working so hard.

you go girl