To lose or not to lose..weight that is
If you are a gym rat like me, then you’d probably heard or have some of your gym buddies’ trying the sauna is good for losing weight sales pitch. I’ve came across a few of those deluded weight watcher community in my lifetime. I personally tried it myself to see whether is a myth or not..And with a heavy heart to all those sauna lovers or fat lazy arses the myth is busted….Sure sitting inside of a hot sauna for any period of time will make you sweat and we all know that sweating releases fluid from your body. So the longer you sweat the more fluid you’ll lose. But this fluid lose is really the only weight loss that you see from sauna use. Once you are done with the sauna for the day, it is highly recommended that you drink lots of water after you've cooled off. This basically puts the lost fluid right back inside of your body. Back to square one!!!!
Many sauna companies boldly state that just twenty or thirty minutes inside of their sauna will burn anywhere from three hundred to one thousand calories. This is simply not possible. How can you burn off one thousand calories by just sitting in a hot environment??Tried and sit under the blazing hot sun for an hour or so then tell me besides sunburn did you shed off one thousand calories!!!People are always looking for an easier way to burn calories than exercise, but exercise is the only efficient way to really get rid of calories. Sitting in a sauna for thirty minutes may burn up to three hundred calories, but this type of calorie burn will not have the same effect on your body as the calories burned during exercise. Calories burnt off while sitting in a sauna are just calories burnt. There is no muscle building, no fat shedding, no after burn (VERY important!) and no muscle strengthening or toning. When you choose to burn calories through exercise, you not only burn more calories, but you also build and tone your muscle, and you get rid of the excess fat on your body. If you choose the right kinds of aerobics exercises, you will also get the added benefit of after burn. After burn is what the body does after you have finished exercising. After burn can burn calories up to fourteen hours after you have stopped exercising.
So questions such as: Can saunas or steam rooms detoxify?
First of all, neither saunas nor steam rooms are capable of detoxifying or removing toxins from the body. Although the high heat from both may cause you to sweat, there's no evidence that actual toxins are being lost through the surface of the skin. Although toxins aren't being lost, you will certainly lose water in this high heat environment which can cause you to become dehydrated particularly if you don't drink water before and after a session.
Question: Do saunas and steam rooms promote weight loss?
Although spending time in a hot environment can cause temporary weight loss due to dehydration, once you start drinking liquids again your weight will return to its previous value. No actual fat loss will have taken place. Unfortunately, the kind of sweating you do in a sauna won't have the same weight loss effect as regular sessions on the treadmill or exercise bike.
Question: But the company that sells the sauna or steam room swears by it as it is the best weight loss option.
You can drive your car like Fred Flintstone did but it does not make it a freaking good idea!!! A lot of the sauna manufacturing companies will tell you that saunas definitely help you lose weight and calories, but this information is not as believable coming from someone who wants to sell you their sauna! Some of these companies' websites even have so called "doctors" who will answer any questions you may have about their saunas, but these people are employed by the company, and are still just trying to sell you their sauna.
So what benefits does saunas and steam rooms have actually and why is it install in so many gyms if it serves no purpose in losing weight? Both the sauna and the steam room can provide a way to relax and unwind and may also be beneficial if you suffer from sore muscles or muscle strain related to exercise. Both should be avoided if you're pregnant or have a history of heart disease or high blood pressure. In fact, it's best to check with your doctor before exposing yourself to the hightemperatures of a sauna or steam room.
If the only reason you are using a sauna or steam room to lose weight, then my friend there are much better things you can be doing to achieve your goal by simply get off the lazy arses and move around.
Many sauna companies boldly state that just twenty or thirty minutes inside of their sauna will burn anywhere from three hundred to one thousand calories. This is simply not possible. How can you burn off one thousand calories by just sitting in a hot environment??Tried and sit under the blazing hot sun for an hour or so then tell me besides sunburn did you shed off one thousand calories!!!People are always looking for an easier way to burn calories than exercise, but exercise is the only efficient way to really get rid of calories. Sitting in a sauna for thirty minutes may burn up to three hundred calories, but this type of calorie burn will not have the same effect on your body as the calories burned during exercise. Calories burnt off while sitting in a sauna are just calories burnt. There is no muscle building, no fat shedding, no after burn (VERY important!) and no muscle strengthening or toning. When you choose to burn calories through exercise, you not only burn more calories, but you also build and tone your muscle, and you get rid of the excess fat on your body. If you choose the right kinds of aerobics exercises, you will also get the added benefit of after burn. After burn is what the body does after you have finished exercising. After burn can burn calories up to fourteen hours after you have stopped exercising.
So questions such as: Can saunas or steam rooms detoxify?
First of all, neither saunas nor steam rooms are capable of detoxifying or removing toxins from the body. Although the high heat from both may cause you to sweat, there's no evidence that actual toxins are being lost through the surface of the skin. Although toxins aren't being lost, you will certainly lose water in this high heat environment which can cause you to become dehydrated particularly if you don't drink water before and after a session.
Question: Do saunas and steam rooms promote weight loss?
Although spending time in a hot environment can cause temporary weight loss due to dehydration, once you start drinking liquids again your weight will return to its previous value. No actual fat loss will have taken place. Unfortunately, the kind of sweating you do in a sauna won't have the same weight loss effect as regular sessions on the treadmill or exercise bike.
Question: But the company that sells the sauna or steam room swears by it as it is the best weight loss option.
You can drive your car like Fred Flintstone did but it does not make it a freaking good idea!!! A lot of the sauna manufacturing companies will tell you that saunas definitely help you lose weight and calories, but this information is not as believable coming from someone who wants to sell you their sauna! Some of these companies' websites even have so called "doctors" who will answer any questions you may have about their saunas, but these people are employed by the company, and are still just trying to sell you their sauna.
So what benefits does saunas and steam rooms have actually and why is it install in so many gyms if it serves no purpose in losing weight? Both the sauna and the steam room can provide a way to relax and unwind and may also be beneficial if you suffer from sore muscles or muscle strain related to exercise. Both should be avoided if you're pregnant or have a history of heart disease or high blood pressure. In fact, it's best to check with your doctor before exposing yourself to the hightemperatures of a sauna or steam room.
If the only reason you are using a sauna or steam room to lose weight, then my friend there are much better things you can be doing to achieve your goal by simply get off the lazy arses and move around.
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