There’s something about being drenched in sweat that just simply signals that had a really good workout, really given it your all. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll hate ichy feel it has on your body an clothes.
Sweat can get in your eyes, it can make you smelly, and it can really mess up your hair. And let’s face it, some people hate sweating so much that they don’t like to workout at all. Even though heart-pumping and sweat-inducing high-intensity exercise is often touted for its health and weight-loss benefits, low-intensity workouts have their perks, too.
Oftentimes lower-intensity exercise can be more enjoyable than more intense forms of exercise because it’s more comfortable. And remember that any exercise you do regularly is good exercise!
These eight activities are perfectly stress- and sweat-free!
- Mat Pilates
Pilates exercises, which are based on dance, yoga, gymnastics and calisthenics, are designed to strength the core, lengthen the body and improve posture. This form of exercise involves little to no cardio work, but instead builds on moves that target the abs, back and overall core strength. - Water Workouts
If you hate to sweat, working out in the water is awesome because even if you are sweating, you won’t even know it! Swimming can be an incredibly relaxing workout that works your whole body with little impact on your joints, so it’s perfect for people with significant amounts of weight to lose or individuals with injuries or arthritis. - Walking You can walk outdoors, indoors or on the treadmill. It doesn’t really matter where you are as long as you get moving. It reduces heart attack risk, manages weight, controls blood pressure, lengthens life span and reduces your risk of breast cancer. The other great thing about walking is that it can be as intense as you want it to be.
- Cleaning the House Light housework such as dusting, taking out the trash, organizing and changing the sheets burns about 170 calories an hour for a 150-pound person. Heavier, more intense chores such as sweeping the floor, washing windows, scrubbing the floors and cleaning out the garage can burn more than 250 calories an hour. Working in the yard can burn serious calories, pushing a power mower for 20 minutes burns about 95 calories, and raking can burn 137 calories in 30 minutes.
- Strength Training
Lifting weights builds muscles, boosts metabolism and helps you to do everyday activities more easily. But the best part of strength training to those who don’t like to sweat? It doesn’t have to take a lot of time or a lot or perspiration to get your lift on. In fact, by doing a few push-ups, squats, lunges and triceps dips, you can get a full-body strength workout in less time than it takes you to shower which you won’t need to do if you take a quick 30-second break between moves to keep your heart rate down to a no-sweat level. - Yoga Yoga is another mind-body exercise that is perfect for those who like to move without getting sweaty or too out of breath. It can reduce stress and increase strength and flexibility.