In an effort to be more disciplined about working out, I’ve started doing most of my exercising in the morning, before I have a chance to get to tired, or distracted, or something comes up at work, or a friend calls and wants to go to happy hour, etc. (Although that last one never happens. What’s up with that, friends? Why no happy hours? Are you all off secretly drinking margaritas somewhere without me? WHAT’S THE DEAL?)
So working out in the morning is not my most favoritest thing ever, but I don’t really mind it. I’m a morning person, I get my exercise out of the way first thing so I can feel smug and virtuous all day, and I have been much more consistent about it since I started this latest kick.
There’s only one problem: I am not a delicate flower. When I exercise, I don’t glow, I sweat. Like, a lot. I get all red faced and panty and it often takes my body several hours to fully calm back down to regular temperature. This makes getting ready and looking presentable for work kind of a challenge. Sure, I can take a cold shower, but the subsequent getting dressed and (god, I’m sweating even typing this) blow drying my hair (or at least the cowlick in front) causes me to become all, um, damp with sweat all over again. The red-sweaty-damp face combo makes makeup impossible because it just melts and leaves me looking like the Sunday morning after an all night Saturday dance party.
So, do women who work out in the morning and manage to look perfectly polished and lovely at work just sweat less than I do? Or is there some secret for calming my skin and internal body temperature the fuck down so I can get to work looking like a normal person instead of a victim of some horrible broken-air-conditioning-during-a-heatwave incident?
Dear Delicate Flower,
If I lived in the same town as you, I would totally be calling you up to go to happy hour ALL THE TIME. When are you coming to DC?
Love,
Another Sweaty Worker-Outer
P.S. I read that mixing half a cup of milk with a bit of cold water and putting it on your face post-workout makes that flush go away instantaneously. I haven’t tried it, though. You should try it! And tell us if it works!
I echo your sentiments to a T! I have trouble calming / controlling the internal thermostat after workouts, too. Only, unlike you, I don’t do morning workouts. And lately, that’s meant no workouts at all. Not good for the wannabe wedding physique!
I am with you, dude. BEET RED while running – SEXAY.
I use Every Minerals for my foundation (just a light cover of it) and it hides the flushedness really well.
I also read about the 1/2 cup of milk with a dash of cold water trick. Jess, do you also read Glamour? Should we both be ashamed? HAHAHA.
We should like, pray to milk and build a shrine to it. I didn’t read this in Glamour but applying milk to sunburns DID work for me, and sunburns are red, so the idea of milk calming down redness does sound logical to me.
Are you drinking cold water throughout your workout?
This happens to me all the time.
I finish getting ready for work (school) and want to jump into the shower again.
If you figure out the trick to curbing this problem, I’d love to know
Also, drying hair in the summer? Sucks. Haven’t done so in about a week, and while the curls are a bit out of control, it feels so good.
no help here, have the same problem. i used to work out during lunch, and then until 3p i was REAL PURDY at work.
I have a little clip-on fan that I blast in my face while I’m putting on makeup because the bathroom is really humid after a shower.
You can have happy hour with me very soon! I love happy hour!
ps. i’m very sorry about the not so good work stuff:(
Yep. Can’t help you there. Because I can barely get myself on the bus to work in the a.m. Running down the sidewalk with receipts flying out of my purse is the closest to morning workout I get. Hey, it’s cardio.
I think the only solution is to build into your workout a half-hour, or 20 minute at least, stretching session following the exertion part. Or maybe you already do this?