Is that back sweat or did you sire a turtle?My body has a very efficient cooling system. At the first sign of a road race or a rack of weights my pores open right up and sweat starts shooting out. Literally. I’ve been known to soak my shirt so completely that it changes color – like one of those Hypercolor shirts that were so cool in the ’80s until girls everywhere realized we were being taken advantage of (if you are too young or were too nerdy in the 80’s to have one, click here to see what the problem was). You should see the puddles I leave when I do pushups or plank. I’m a Gatorade commercial except my sweat isn’t blue. And you can’t drink it.
All of which is fine and good. The experts say that sweating easily and profusely during exercise is actually a sign of good physical fitness. My problem is that my body can’t tell the difference between a 5K and a 5-year-old chasing his brother with a shiv he fashioned out of toothpicks. At his daddy’s grad school party. (In my defense, the invitation said children were invited! How was I to know that he is the only graduate student old enough to grow facial hair, much less procreate?)
I’ve tried all kinds of deodorants, including clinical strength – which not only did not stop my sweating but also made me smell like a dude. Nothing says high intensity intervals like Old Spice. So I gave up fighting my sweat. Don’t worry, I’m not Matthew McConnaughey, I still wear deodorant but I’m not convinced it does much for me. For it to be really effective, I’d have to apply it head to toe. And I’m just not willing to go to the gym looking like I’ve been beaten up by a pack of gymnasts fresh off their uneven bar routines.
Now my strategy is to buy my workout tops at thrift stores. I get mostly cheap cotton tank tops for a buck (two if they’re fancy!) and then pit those suckers out. Once I can’t get the smell out in the wash, I chuck them guilt-free. This worked well until I started acquiring a few high-quality tops that I really like. I have a Danskin one and a couple from Nike and a few others that are all high-tech and sweat-wicking (note: not sweat stopping) and are in colors that compliment my cardio flush. I would like to keep them. Not to mention that it has taken many shopping hours to find a couple of sports bras that both enhance what I (haven’t) got and keep the girls from heading in opposite directions. It is a conundrum.
Cue the field of fresh flowers and woman in a generic white dress. (At this point it could be almost anything! Toothpaste? Tampon? Tickle Me Elmo?) Enter ProWash Active Detergent. I never thought I’d be one of those women that washes her workout clothes separately but when you consider I probably spend more time in them than I do any of my soccer-mom-that-occasionally-frequents-Hot-Topic clothes, then it kinda makes sense. Plus, one of my kids once refused to wear a shirt that he swore smelled like “you know, that icky smell you have when you look like you’ve taken a shower but you haven’t?” Although we all know that one works both ways!
Friday’s Great Fitness Experiment Giveaway: ProWash Active Detergent
To enter to win a bottle of athletic detergent so that you too can save those pricey workout duds, leave me a comment below telling me how you sweat. Do you get all red but never actually perspire? Are you one of those girls who manages to stay cool and pale as she effortlessly dances through class? Or do you fling sweat off the end of your ponytail like a human St. Bernard?
Don’t forget: Tonight at midnight is the deadline for ALL the contests! So if you haven’t yet, go enter to win a VitaMix blender, “The Complete Beck Diet for Life“, Core Rhythms DVD Set, the Experience Life magazine subscription, and of course the ProWash detergent. Winners will be announced tomorrow. Next week I will return to our regularly scheduled programming with a wrap-up of the Karate Experiment (preview: one of the best ones I’ve done yet!) and January’s Great Fitness Experiment.
Your children’s antics crack me up….
I never sweated until boot camp, I swear. It wasn’t just because I was lazy either, I did work in a barn for almost 2 years. I dont know. But, I would consider myself a dry-sweater. Like a really humid day, you don’t see the moisture, but it’s definitly there. Plus, I stink!
Have a good day!
It’s hot and humid in the south – I sweat a lot – hormones make it even worse. I can “glisten” even in the dead of winter.
I’m the same way—probably because I work out so often, I sweat like a pig. I’m drenched by the end!
-JenP
I am in between. I sweat a lot. But i’m not sure I sweat as much as you. It’s a good goal to have though.
I sweat, and I’m not ashamed. I love a good workout when the beads of sweat are dripping down my wrists – whoo hoo. Love it!
Anyway, I’ve seen the ProWash Active stuff but never bought it. Both my husband and I workout regularly, and it would probably be a wise addition to our laundry closet.
Thanks for another good giveaway Charlotte! So generous this week 🙂
Oh my gosh. I sweat so much! More than anyone on my team, even the guys. even in the winter. even though I live in frik’n Chicago and it’s -20 windchill (yes we still run outside, but Charlotte, you get that) and I’m freezing and my teeth are chattering, I am sweating! The grossest thing is coming in from a cold run and peeling off the last layer of under armor and it’s soaked.
Don’t get my started about the summer, within 2 or 3 miles, I look like I just jumped out of lake michigan. Fortunately I smell better than that, actually my sweat doesn’t smell a whole lot, I’ve even asked others. Which is good, I guess I’d rather sweat a lot and not smell than not sweat much and reek.
This doesn’t have much to do with fitness I guess, but it’s a pretty funny story so thought I would share it everyone for maybe a good laugh at my expense.
My old roommate and I used to go clubbing quite a bit, several times a week, and would pretty much be on the dance floor the whole night. Everyone that’s been to a dance club knows that with all those bodies plus the physical activity it gets pretty hot out on the dance floor, so needless to say we would sweat like pigs pretty much from the start of the night. It wasn’t really an issue because our main goal was just to dance, but occasionally some girl would be drunk enough to actually want to dance with us, so the fact that we were drenched could be problematic.
We tried everything we could think of to combat the issue, but nothing really worked that well. One night, however, we came up with a brilliant and foolproof plan that was sure to work. The thought process was if antiperspirant can keep your armpits from sweating, why not use it all over your body? So we literally drenched ourselves with the stuff and headed out to the club.
Needless to say it didn’t work. Not only were we still sweaty, now we were also very sticky and just generally gross. Let that be a lesson to all of you. 🙂
-Wayne
I don’t sweat! I glitter! Profusely. As in, 5 minutes into class have swear rings and by the end of class looks like I was in a wet t-shirt competition. Yea…. GLITTER!
Just_Kelly
I sweat the most from the neck up. My face drips and it looks like I just washed my hair, but it’s much smellier.
I wouldn’t use the pro-wash on my face and hair, mind you, but I still sweat plenty in the pits. When shirt shopping, I actually visualize how they’re going to look with huge pit stains.
I sweat in the normal places – pits, hairline, lower back, chest, etc. I am super pale, so usually my sweating is accompanied by a bright red face.
Charlotte we could be sweat puddle buddies….EW! LOL
Since I cut my hair I can now shake my head like a dog and saturate everything around me. Before, my braid would soak up everything (from my head). And as for my clothes…let’s just say I could really use that detergent! 🙂
LOL!! Like you, I’m an “efficient” machine!
Besides, you are impressively glistening, I’m sure!
I’ll bite!
My sweat cannot differentiate between a work out shirt and a silk shirt. I have humiliating memories of sweat stained pits that span years, from those cheap cotton Catholic school uniform blouses to ring around the armpit when meeting a prospective client.
And they try to tell us this is good? 🙂
So I am not alone?
oh, haven’t seen this one. I’ve been using win detergent for my stinky workout gear 🙂 oh wait, i smell like ROSES!!
Ah, those color change clothes. What were we thinking?
My body decides what it wants to do day-by-day. Some days the sweat is under control, others, not so much. The worst is that I get very hot if I get nervous – and sweat.
My workouts generally end with sweaty job bra, pits, and shorts/bottoms during workouts – I usually have another pair of shorts or pants to change into.
I sweat profusely, but my skin stays pale. I have no idea why, but it doesn’t seems to be bad (I’ve never gotten red from exertion).
And have you tried baby powder?
Hello, my name is Loey and I sweat gross amounts. Like rivers. In the summer when I play football, my ponytail which hangs out my helmet is dripping with sweat run-off.
Oh, and I also turn deep red.
I took a hot yoga class with my friend and almost died (or at least fell) when my mat became so saturated with sweat that it stopped providing any traction.
i dont sweat very much and it bothers me. Makes me feel like im not working hard enough even thought i know that i am.
Kelly Turner
http://www.everygymsnightmare.com
Good morning, Char! Good to see you and the kiddos at the gym yesterday. I usually only see you and never get to play with your kids! That was fun and made my morning fly by!
As you know, I sweat. My face loves to turn this embarassing shade of red, so much that Wilson brought it to my attention once. (He apoligized, but I took no offense since its totally true!) I sweat when I'm hot, I even sweat when I'm cold! I bought the deodorant that you are talking about, but they want you to apply before bed. Then maybe reapply if you need in the morning. Seems like I'd be using alot of product and its a habit I haven't picked up on.
I had never even thought about washing my workout clothes seperately. I guess I seperate my business clothes from my regular clothes and wash in different detergent. I would love to get my name in for this drawing, at least to try it out.
I'm cheap like you. I don't like to spend much on workout clothes. I'll wear it til it falls off me or I am so embarassed by the pit stains, I throw it out. For Christmas, I bought myself some tanktops in the mens section at Wal-Mart. I haven't the heart to open them yet, cause I could return them and get a store credit. Do I really need them, is my thought process. Maybe by Saturday morning, I will have the strength to open that pack & will have a new one on!!
I am a red-sweater. Not a warm and cozy, albeit hideous, sweater like the one Gramma makes…I mean, I turn BRIGHT red within minutes of physical activity. When I pick up my daughter from Kid Stuff on Wednesday nights, she always asks me, “Mommy, why are you pink?” I saw a friend of mine in the locker room after Turbo Kick a couple of weeks ago and told her that she just HAS to come to class with me sometime…the next day, she told another friend of ours that she doesn’t want to try the class because it looks too HARD–because I was all red!
I’m not mopping up the floor after my workouts, but I definitely work up a sweat…and I stay red for HOURS!
OMG, I feel your sweaty betty-ness. Sweat dripping off your earlobes usually keeps the personal trainers asking if you need help because your trying to do reverse push ups and can’t seem to get a grip on the bar away, which, at my gym is a good thing.
How do I sweat Let me count the ways… well, really there’s just one way. First, because I’m pale, I get really red. And then I get really sweaty all over the place. Not pouring off of me, but you can DEFINITELY tell I’ve been working, and I absolutely get visible wet spots on my shirts. This is the reason I only wear black pants.
Whee!
Hi!
I was just talking to a friend about the recent inside of the elbow sweating?!? I’m not talking about a little. I was shopping in the esteemed hall of enterprise that is WalMart and realized that my long sleeves were only at the inside of my elbows.
Thanks again for the opportunity!
Happy new year! Thanks for the excellent blogs!
Finally a topic that I can comfortably comment on…
Results of profuse sweating while working out:
-My friend flying off the pullup bar after trying to do kipping pullups after me (yup, that’s hand sweat)
-Me knocking over my friend on the yoga mat next to me because I lost my balance because of the sweat puddles on my mat (I’d say this was belly/chest sweat)
-The kettlebell flying out of my hands after I tried swinging it after another friend had just gotten done with it (when it’s kettlebell against concrete, the kettlebell wins…watch your feet)
-Me slipping and falling on my butt during a belt test while showcasing my excellent vertical roundhouse kicks, because I slipped on my own sweat (I’m pretty sure this was face sweat….)
Yup, sweat rules.
Very little to no sweat in the usual places like pits–even when it’s really hot. But oh how my belly can drip! I understand that you’re supposed to put a little moisture under the chest strap for the heart rate monitor to increase conductivity. No need with this chick!
I sweat A LOT. When I come home from the gym, my sports bra is soaked through pretty much the entire way, I have the lovely back sweat like the guy in the picture (except way bigger), and sweat in various places all over the front. I like sweating though, it makes me feel good, cleansed, and keep the people at the gym out of my way :). I wear deodorant, but pretty much it just makes my sweat smell good, I guess.
Strangely enough, I don’t sweat much at all outside the gym though since my fitness level has improved. That is a compromise I will absolutely take!
I don’t sweat much, something to do with being hypothyroid apparently. But I liked your review anyway.
Your title reminded me of the old cartoon, where the man picks up the telephone and says “Operator, I’d like to call Santa Barbara.”
“Okay,” said the operator. “But I don’t think he’d appreciate that.”
(Santa Barbara? Santa? Barbara? Oh all right, so I’m easily amused.)
I’d say I’m a decent sweat-er. (I was gonna write “sweater” but, well, I’m not a warm fuzzy garment). I work up a decent sweat. But my face gets RED!!!!! I look like Rudolph, but with my entire face. To the point where people have asked me if I’m experiencing heart palpitations.
(And, yeah, I stink, too!)
I must say, I enjoy working up a good sweat. But when it’s really hot and I’m just sitting around and sweating? UGH!!!
*whew* so glad I’m not alone in the ‘red sweater’ arena. I am a pasty white girl and my face turns blotchy red with any exertion, then the sweat starts. I gave up on trying to look ‘cool’ when working out with the trainer after having to mop up my sweat trail on the floor. Now I opt for the Loverboy-esque red bandana, and a sweaty shirt
okay -so you hit on the reason for my love of black workout clothes – it seems the best way to hide how much you sweat. When I first worked out in class settings, I’d wear my usual gym fare – white or grey or whatever – but after working out and being drenched, I didn’t like the see-thru aspects – modesty is a virtue ! So i went to all black and it seems to work pretty well – along with black baselayers for really intense workouts. I figure nobody wants to see anything they weren’t expecting to see! 🙂
I would say that I sweat a fair amount but am so relieved to see that I am not alone in getting red the face and staying that way. I also continue to sweat after working out for what seems like too long – I really need to hang a while before I can shower or I just sweat after the shower and then, what is the point? I have two puma workout outfits that I have had for years and would buy a dozen of if they weren’t discontinued – they have that residual workout smell but since I workout at home, I just deal with it. I will try the detergent to see if that helps.
I sweat in stages… at first, just a little, then drip-drip-drip! I too wear a lot of black workout clothing.
When I workout, it isn’t so much the sweat as the red, red face. Like people look at me and I’m sure they want to say something but they don’t.
Good idea about the thrifting tanks and feeling less guilty. And try a cup a vinegar in the wash…that can help, too.
I sweat a pretty average amount, I think… it doesn’t usually go flinging but I definitely need to wipe myself down with a towel! And I get very red-faced.
This stuff sounds like it would be really interesting to try! This has been a great week of giveaways:D
I sweat a bit when I run intervals. But nothing like drenched…
I always wonder if I am not giving it my all. But, I hardly drink water either.. I know.. bad habits to be corrected.
Suganthi
I don’t glow. I don’t glisten. I don’t have a healthy sheen. I sweat like a race horse. I sweat walking the half-mile from the metro stop to work. During the summer I sweat all the make-up off my face in under 15 minutes. I actually had to give up working in any cotton clothes because I would sweat so much that my pants didn’t even want to stay up. Ugh. 🙂
Borax &/or vinegar work well in the laundry for both sweat and cat pee. FWIW.
Borax &/or vinegar work well in the laundry for both sweat and cat pee. FWIW.
Borax &/or vinegar work well in the laundry for both sweat and cat pee. FWIW.
How do I sweat? Let me count the ways…OK, corny I know especially because I’m not a big sweater. I absolutely never pit out. I never really have and I also wonder if that means I’m not working hard enough. I do, however, sweat on my face, neck, back and unmentionables. I really have to work hard though to get it to soak through. I can come home and forgo the shower, but definitely need to change the unmentionables! I know, TMI!
Oh yeah, may face also looks like a tomato at the end.
I’m glow-in-the-dark pale skinned. I turn bright red when I work out. I am fortunate enough to have a gym at work, complete with full shower facilities.
Oddly, I don’t sweat during my workout, but rather AFTER my shower when I’m back at my desk working. Suddenly my body decides “oh, wait, cooldown time,” and commences pouring out sweat. It’s attractive as all hell. Fortunately I’m not terribly stinky. Except for the crotch/groin (legpits???) sweat. Seriously, I have to bring fresh cotton undies in my gym bag, just for my workout, so my “work panties” don’t get stinky.
My husband, on the other hand, “runs hot.” He’s often warm, and ALWAYS warmer than me. He can permanently pit out a shirt (or boxers, or socks) in ONE wearing. I’d love to be able to salvage some of them.
I sweat just walking to the gym! Rings of sweat circle my neck, my armpits, my stomach (yes, my stomach- the gym hasn’t done much for that area!). I find it an accomplishment- at least I look like I worked hard!tt
I’m a disgrace. Avoid certain colours because it becomes obvious to anyone who pays attention that my t-shirt darkens by 4 shades during any workout. If the fabric is thin, everybody gets a great view of my bra and HRM strap as I get wetter. Have been totally converted to Dri Fit shorts…the cheap ones just clung to me and let droplets run down my legs. Eeuw!
It’s so un-ladylike and I definitely used sweat less before I started regular workouts. Was delighted when an exercise physiologist friend said it was an adaptation. But I’m stuck with doing the same-buying the cheapest tops I can so that I can toss them when I can’t deodorise them anymore. Tried Penguin Sport Wash but not sold on it. Using Ariel (UK/Irish brand) at the moment which promises a “Febreze effect”. Still keep my nice tops for “good” wear!
I sweat when I’m too hot, or too cold, or nervous, or going for a walk.
Most deoderants I’ve tried have had some nasty reaction, and end up making me stink even worse. I’m currently using my Mister’s old spice. (If I have to smell “manly” at least it’s a clean manly.
🙂
i either get “dewy” (for lack of a better word) or sweaty depending on what it is i’m doing.
the only things that make me noticeably sweaty (that is, clothes color discoloration sweaty) are running, hockey and, in some instances, the stepmill. cycling? elliptical? classes? lifting? i sweat, but not so much that it’s ridiculously noticeable.
hockey makes me sweat the most, but that’s probably also due to the fact that i’m wearing 25 pounds of gear.
This is not relevant to your current post, but I’m feeling a bit blue and so am wanting to call on your trademark wit, wisdom, and wonder to indulge me a musing on another topic: your self-admitted over-exercising compulsion. You once wrote that exercising was your permission to eat and that you’re not hungry while exercising, and I read that with fear that you had hooked a node to my brain and were channeling my thoughts. I am former ED, could care less about HOW MUCH I eat, I just care EXTREMELY about WHAT it is that I’m eating, and then eating can only happen if I’ve been very active or else I feel *lazy* or *undeserving*. Rest days don’t happen just so I can avoid that feeling because I know the feeling is completely irrational. Recognizing certain feelings as irrational though doesn’t make them any less real for me, rather it just makes me more pissed for entertaining them in the first place when I know perfectly well how ridiculous it is.
Have you been hanging out in my husband’s work clothing hamper? I wash mine with our regular clothes, but we don’t like his funking up the rest of the clean laundry. I don’t know why we bother washing them at all: 30 seconds into a work out and all the old locked-in smells come back for a visit like a bad mother in law. The only time I noticeably sweat is outdoors in Austin summer. Or when I wear light gray pants and get too much view in the mirror when lying on a weight bench. Should I claim I’ve had 5 kids and it’s just a personal problem? What’s more embarrassing? Maybe I’ll just wear dark pants from now on and not publicly post this.
I train Brazilian jiu-jitsu at a gym down here in Georgia, and lots of grappling with other dudes can definitely lock funk into clothes. However, one method the head instructor recommended is soaking the clothes in a solution of Pine-sol and water before rinsing. Works like a charm on my clothes, even synthetics.
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