Does Sweating Burn Calories

Does Sweating Burn Calories? Here’s What Science Says

Sweating is a natural response when your body heats up, whether from exercise, stress, or heat. But does sweating burn calories? While sweat itself isn’t a direct calorie-burner, the process of sweating is tied to how your body expends energy to regulate temperature. Here’s how it works.

When you exercise or exert yourself, your body burns calories to fuel your muscles and keep you energized. As a result, your core temperature rises, prompting your sweat glands to activate and release moisture to cool you down. So, while sweating is a byproduct of these calorie-burning processes, the sweat itself doesn’t burn calories.

That said, activities that cause you to sweat—like running, cycling, or high-intensity workouts—do torch calories. However, don’t be fooled by quick fixes like saunas or sweat suits. These may make you sweat more, but they primarily lead to water loss, not fat burning. You’ll regain the lost water weight as soon as you hydrate.

Ultimately, burning calories comes down to the intensity and duration of your activity, not how much you sweat. To keep your calorie-burning efforts on track, focus on consistent physical activity and proper nutrition tailored to your fitness goals.

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