Does being soaked in sweat mean you burned more calories?

The question: Does sweating a lot mean I burned a lot of calories?

The expert: Jenny Scott, MM-HR, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS, Education Advisor for the National Academy of Sports Medicine

The answer: "No! Sweat is not a gauge of how hard you are working," Scott said.

Our bodies produce sweat as a way to cool down, so if anything, it's an indicator of how hot your body is. And hotter core temperatures don't equal more calories burned.

In fact, the fitter you are, the less you probably sweat. "As your body becomes more conditioned, it takes more intense exercise to increase your core body temperature and produce sweat," she says.

More: 5 Signs Your Workout is Too Intense

Still, if you're a hot, sweaty mess 10 minutes into your workout, it doesn't necessarily mean you're not fit. Different people have different numbers of sweat glands, so even a brisk walk to the mailbox can trigger sweat production in some women.

On the flip side, if you're working hard and hardly sweating, you might be super-fit, blessed with minimal sweat glands, or dehydrated. After all, sweating depends on having water to spare.

To keep your tank full, Scott recommends downing about 24 ounces of water (that's about how much most sports bottles fit) before your warm-up, and drinking about 8 more every 30 minutes throughout your sweat sesh. Keep sipping throughout the day, and keep in mind that if you feel thirsty, you're probably already dehydrated.

More: 5 Reasons to Drink More Water