It is impossible to overstate the benefits of regular exercise. From heightened self-confidence to enhanced physical health, a commitment to fitness can serve you well in a variety of areas. However, as any long-time athlete can attest, rigorous workouts are oftentimes synonymous with such hygiene issues as bad body odor, athlete’s foot and staph infections – to name a few. So, if you’re looking to enjoy the benefits of physical fitness while staying on top of proper personal hygiene, put the following pointers to good use.
Don’t Hesitate to Bathe After Workouts
There are numerous reasons to give yourself a good scrub after a vigorous workout. To start with, all the exercise you just engaged in has likely had an effect on your body odor. Frankly, there’s little wonder as to why so many of us smell awful after strenuous fitness sessions. Secondly, you’re probably drenched in sweat. Not only is this an unpleasant feeling, it can also be conducive to the formation of various fungal infections.
Fortunately, a nice post-workout shower can help clear up the body odor situation and rinse away excess sweat. So, after completing a workout, make a point of bathing at your earliest possible convenience. Luckily, many gyms and fitness clubs provide members with shower facilities, ensuring that they don’t have to wait until they get home to get clean.
Upon the completion of your shower, towel off as thoroughly as possible. The more residual moisture you wipe away, the less likely you are to develop jock itch, ringworm or athlete’s foot. Additionally, to keep yourself smelling fresh, follow up by applying a good deodorant.
Promptly Change Out of Your Workout Clothes
Unfortunately, not everyone is in a position to shower immediately after working out. For example, if you’re at a gym that doesn’t have shower facilities or are simply on a tight schedule, a prompt post-workout shower may not be in the cards. However, even if you aren’t able to shower in a timely manner, this doesn’t mean you should walk around in sweat-soaked activewear until bathing becomes feasible.
In situations like these, you should still wipe away any sweat with a clean towel, apply deodorant and put on clean clothes. While these steps shouldn’t be regarded as a substitute for a shower, they can help keep you looking – and smelling – good until you’re able to properly bathe and reduce your chances of developing fungal infections.
Never Wear Unwashed Workout Clothes
After a good workout, your exercise clothes are likely to be drenched in sweat. This is among the reasons promptly shedding activewear and showering in the wake of a workout is so important. However, even if you’re able to grab an immediate post-workout shower, you should never wear unwashed exercise clothes. In addition to being considered uncouth, donning workout attire that hasn’t been properly washed can pave the way for staph infections, fungal infections and other health issues.
So, regardless of how little sweat one of your typical exercise sessions produces, make a point of washing your activewear after each workout. Furthermore, if you’re ever faced with a choice between wearing unwashed activewear and skipping a workout, make sure to choose the latter. For extra protection against assorted bacteria, look for workout clothes that qualify as antimicrobial athleisure.
Never Share Personal Items with Other Athletes
Not only is sharing personal items with other athletes downright unsanitary, it can facilitate staph infections, spread bacteria and cause a host of other serious problems. With this in mind, avoid sharing sweat towels, bath towels, workout clothes and footwear, regardless of how well you know the other party.
You should also properly disinfect any gym equipment that your sweat drips onto and abstain from using equipment that other people’s sweat has dripped onto until such time as it’s been disinfected. Fortunately, many gyms provide members with disinfectant wipes and cleaning solutions for this very purpose.
Regular exercise can do you a world of good. Engaging in fitness activities on a consistent basis can help you build stamina, shed some extra pounds and increase your self-confidence. While there’s no denying that exercise is important, so too is personal hygiene – and paying attention to one while neglecting the other can have a host of undesirable consequences. Any athlete who’s fallen behind in the hygiene department will be well-served by pointers outlined above.