Maryl lists: 5 ways I sweat the most

No, this is not a post on hot flashes or night sweats, a common experience of a second life. It has nothing to do with menopause at all. It has to do with exercising. Wait, come back. If you’re not, you know you should, and if you are, you need to be sure you are benefiting from the effort. And sweating tells us that we are. Our bodies are like cars; they can overheat and shut down. Sweating is the coolant that keeps us going and that lost coolant has to be replaced, which is why we take water bottles with us to our workouts. (For more detail, go to Simple Fitness Solutions.)  Sweating is a gauge I now use to insure I am exercising enough and properly.

So the ways I sweat the most and in order of wetness are:

1) Zumba
This may sounds frivolous and silly but don’t you
remember dancing to the Beatles and later the

BeeGees and be dripping wet by the end of the night?

2) Weights Class
 I replaced my trainer for a while with these classes
 ideally twice a week and I must be working harder
because I’m sweating more.

     3) Yoga 
     Enough downward facing dogs and pigeons and I can
     feel the perspiration spreading across my back.

    4) Elliptical
     Because this I do by myself, the amount of sweat 
     depends on how hard I push myself and I could
     probably push harder.  At least I can listen to a book 
                  at the same time. 

       5) Swimming
       Naturally it’s hard to know how much you are 
       sweating but you are, so I go by my heart beat. 
       Again because this is a solitary activity, I could 
                 swim more vigorously but for just half the year with 
                 only outdoor pools available to me.

Jogging was also a two-to-three water bottle, sweaty enterprise for me but I stopped last year concerned about my knees.  Although I just listened to NPR's Terry Gross interviewing NY Times' Gretchen Reynolds yesterday about her new book The First 20 Minutes.  The author dispels a lot of myths such as running being bad for your knees and heavily-supported running shoes being better for your feet.  I may be adding a number six to my list again.

No matter which physical activities you choose, sweat is your goal albeit not a pretty one.  Choosing the right workout clothes can help remedy that situation.  Everyday Health offers some suggestions for what to wear.  Look for clothes made of synthetic fibers that wick away the sweat from your skin.  Under Armour led the way in this field and now makes attractive and colorful sports attire for women.  Lululemon, famous for its yoga and running clothing, has its own unique moisture-wicking fabrics.  And if you like some style with your comfort, Stella McCartney's collection for Adidas is worth a look.

Stella McCartney for Adidas

There are many more exercise activities to consider than the ones listed here.  These work for me because of the availability of health clubs and pools.  They all make you sweat depending on the effort you put in.  But at least with swimming you don't have to worry about perspiration.  It's washed away and you walk away wet yet refreshed.  But you do have to show up in a bathing suit, enough to make any women over 35 break out in a cold sweat. But that's  a topic for another post. 

Opening photo by Svetlana Blasucci