No, You Can’t Sweat Off Extra Pounds

Jay Blahnik, personal trainer and L.A. Times fitness columnist, has a few things to say about sweat, like what it's good for and what it's not good for. First the bad news: You can't sweat off extra pounds. In fact, Blahnik says, you can't sweat off anything except the water that your body will require you to replace as soon as possible. Blahnik advises us to drink at least 3 to 4 ounces of water every 10 to 15 minutes while
exercising, and wear "breathable" clothing, which can allow more air to
flow across your skin. Also, says Blahnik, don't attempt to judge the intensity or calorie burn of a workout by how much you
sweat. Measure your intensity using other factors, such as
breathing rate. What's good about sweat? Everything. It keeps us from overheating, and like many biological events, it is fine-tuned by our bodies. If you exercise regularly, says Blahnik, you may sweat more easily and aggressively
than your sedentary friends. Congrats. Your body is working properly.

Read more about sweat in the L.A. Times.