What you wear to the gym is about more than just fashion; your gym clothing can have a big impact on your workout. In fact, some believe that working out in a hoodie can help shed extra pounds.
You might be wondering: Should I wear a hoodie to the gym? Do you lose more weight by working out in a hoodie? Are there really benefits to wearing a sweatshirt while working out? The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think.
Here’s the low-down on the best workout clothing, sweat, and weight loss.
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Working out in a hoodie: Weight loss vs. fat loss
While it’s possible to see a lower number on the scale after wearing a hoodie during an extra sweaty gym session, it may only be temporary, and it doesn’t always equate to fat loss.
Generally, when people set weight loss goals, the actual goal is fat loss. But there is an overwhelming amount of information out there when it comes to weight loss — and one of the most common misconceptions in fitness is that weight loss is synonymous with fat loss.
The truth is that your total weight can fluctuate daily, but fat loss is a slower process. The scale is only one indicator of your overall health, but it doesn’t give you a complete picture — that’s why relying solely on the scale to track your fat loss can sometimes be misleading.
The number on the scale is your total mass weight, which is made up of everything in your body: your bones, muscles, water levels, and fat. So, your body weight may fluctuate from day to day depending on those factors (plus, weight loss works differently between men and women). Fat loss occurs when you expend more calories than you’re consuming.
How to measure fat loss
To get a better idea of your progress in the gym, you need to take a deeper look. Body composition scanners like the Evolt 360 (which are available in many Anytime Fitness gyms, by the way) can give you a holistic view of your body composition with detailed measurements, including:
- Fat mass
- Muscle mass
- Body fat percentage
- Visceral fat
- Biological age
Get a body composition scan at your gym
During a free fitness consultation, your Coach may use a body composition scanner to display your real results and show you what’s working — and what’s not — so you can tailor your workout plan to your specific goals.
Does working out in a hoodie burn more calories?
You may have heard of people wearing hoodies to the gym to burn a few extra calories. But does your workout clothing actually impact your results? Or is this another weight loss myth?
If you’ve ever tried working out in a hoodie, you know how quickly you can work up a sweat. But sweating more doesn’t necessarily mean you’re burning extra calories. Let us explain.
RELATED: 5 Reasons You’re Gaining Weight While Working Out
Does sweating burn fat?
You may burn fat while you’re sweating, but sweating isn’t the cause of fat burn. The primary function of sweating is to regulate your body’s temperature.
When you’re working out in a sweatshirt, the fabric acts as insulation to your body, bringing your body temperature up. As a result, you break a sweat.
But sweating isn’t always an indicator of how intense or effective a workout is. (Ever try running 10 miles in a blizzard? You probably wouldn’t sweat much, but you sure are putting in the effort)
While we wish burning more calories was as simple as adding extra layers to your gym fit, sweat rate during exercise has little to no effect on the number of calories you burn during a workout — or the amount of fat you lose as a result. Calories are only burned through the output of energy. So, although your body may sweat more in hoodies, it doesn’t always mean you’re doing more work.
Who sweats more: men or women?
Several factors determine how much you sweat during a workout, including sex. Men tend to sweat more than women, but changes in women’s bodies (hello, menopause) can also change how much women sweat. Other factors include:
- Weight
- Fitness level
- Genetics
- Age
- Environmental factors
- Preexisting conditions
While sweat is sometimes an indicator of the intensity of your workout, it’s just one measure. Listen to your body — if you’re feeling intense exhaustion, nausea, lightheadedness, or dizziness during your workout, take a moment to assess how you’re feeling, hydrate, and stop if necessary.
Do you lose more weight by working out in a hoodie?
The answer is actually yes. But not always — and not in the way you think.
Picture this: You just hit the gym for a serious cardio session. After running a few miles and sweating through your gym clothing (like a champ), you step onto the scale and notice the number is lower than before your workout.
Does working out in hoodies amp up weight loss? Not necessarily.
That lower number you’re seeing on the scale is likely a drop in water weight, a natural result of a sweaty cardio session at the gym. Your body’s water weight fluctuates throughout the day depending on your electrolyte levels and how hydrated you are.
Losing water weight isn’t “good” or “bad,” but you’ll likely regain the weight you lost while running when you rehydrate after your workout — and you should rehydrate. You can drop water weight deceptively fast, but fat loss takes time.
3 benefits of wearing a hoodie while working out
Okay, so they don’t help with actual fat burning, but don’t take your hoodies out of your gym clothing rotation just yet! There are still some real benefits to working out in a sweatshirt:
- Hoodies help you warm up (both literally and figuratively). If the gym is cold, or if you’re outside in cooler temperatures, throw on a sweatshirt — especially at the beginning of a workout when you are stretching out and warming up.
- Keeping muscles and joints warm throughout your workout can help lower your risk of injury.
- Wearing hoodies while working out increases blood flow, which can improve insulin sensitivity, a key factor in preventing many metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Is working out in a hoodie safe?
Working out in a hoodie is generally safe. As with any type of exercise, make sure to hydrate, fuel your body, and exercise with proper form to avoid exhaustion or injury.
Tips for working out in a sweatshirt
If you choose to exercise in hoodies, keep these safety tips in mind:
- Always listen to your body. Feeling hot or dizzy? Take off your sweatshirt and rest for a moment.
- Dress in layers. Wear a t-shirt or tank top under your hoodies so you can remove them when you’re done warming up or become too warm during your workout.
- Pick hoodies made of sweat-wicking material. Cotton sweatshirts will do, but like cotton t-shirts, the fabric makes it difficult for sweat to evaporate and can end up feeling wet and heavy.
- Make sure your hoodies fit properly. If hoodies are too big or too small, it can affect your mobility and range of motion — especially during upper body workouts.
- Hydrate! Excessive sweating should be paired with adequate water intake to avoid exhaustion. If you choose to wear hoodies while exercising, you need to drink more water than you would if you weren’t wearing one.
Related: Gym Etiquette — The Do’s and Don’ts of Working Out
How to pick the right hoodie for working out
Not sure which sweatshirt to pack in your gym bag? Use this guide to narrow down your choices.
1. Fabric choices
The material of workout clothing impacts breathability, moisture control, and comfort. Most gym hoodies are made of cotton or knit sweatshirt fabrics because cotton naturally absorbs the moisture that builds up as you sweat, keeping you dry. The con: The hoodie might start to feel a little soggy if you really
If sweat is a concern, opt for a synthetic fabric, which wicks away moisture instead of absorbing it. Look for words like “performance,” “sport,” and “tech” when you’re shopping.
If you’re working out in cold outdoor conditions, fleece will keep you warmest. Look for words like “thermal” and “polar.”
2. The right fit
Generally, you should wear hoodies that fit your true size to avoid catching extra fabric on the equipment or prevent cold air from sneaking into your sweatshirt.
Layering up? You may want to size up to fit your layers underneath your sweatshirt.
3. Full-zip, half-zip, or drawstring?
The choice is yours. Many people prefer working out in a sweatshirt without drawstrings to avoid getting hit in the face with strings — and avoid an embarrassing gym fail. (Hey, it happens to all of us…)
Our tip: If you want to easily remove your sweatshirt after a warm-up, pack a full-zip hoodie.
Final word: Should I wear a hoodie to the gym?
So, is it better to layer up or down while working out? The bottom line: What you wear in the gym is completely up to you. With new fabric and clothing technology on the market for both men and women, working out in hoodies is safer than ever before.
Whether it’s to help you sweat more, prevent injury, or just because it makes you feel like Rocky Balboa in a training montage, there are plenty of good reasons to wear hoodies over your workout clothing.
Workouts to sweat it out
Now that you’ve got the low-down on working out in a sweatshirt, throw on one of your favorite hoodies and try these workouts:
- The Full-Body Conditioning Workout Everyone Should Try
- Burn Calories in a Flash: HIIT Cardio Treadmill Workout
- Ultimate Flex: Pull Day Workout Routine for Max Muscle Gains
- New to the Gym? Here’s a Beginner Gym Workout for Strength Training
Get answers to more questions like this — plus, workouts, nutrition tips, and recovery advice from expert Coaches — in the Anytime Fitness App. Download it now.
