Sweat It Out in the Sauna?
Q and A with Trainer Chris Powell
Member Alanna from Surprise is curious about the value of using an infrared sauna.
"Hi Chris,
A friend and I are members of an all women's fitness gym/spa. Recently they purchased an infrared sauna, which claims to burn up to 600 calories in 30 minutes. We have tried to research it to see if it is a beneficial part of our exercise program, or if it has no other purpose other than relaxation. Thank you for helping to clear this up!"
Hi Alanna,
Okay, I’ve got a bone to pick with all of these spas and ‘fitness facilities’ that hype up the saunas and body wraps that claim to burn some outrageous amount of calories and promise incredible weight loss in a matter of minutes. Call me old fashioned, but to break down the scientific aspect of it, calories are ‘burned’.
It is very important to understand that they are playing on words here. Weight loss and fat loss are two different things. We have a tendency to associate them together, but say I’m standing on a scale that reads 190 lbs. Then I remove my arms and head – I just lost weight!! But did I lose fat? Well, only between my ears. J Notice that they will always talk about how much weight you can lose. Remember, weight is not fat.
Here’s what they're doing:
What happens when you get into a sauna? It gets really hot and you start to sweat.
What is sweat mostly made of? Water.
How much does water weigh? 8lbs per gallon
How much can you sweat in 30 minutes? Just under 1 quart – up to 2 lbs!!
Are saunas good for you? Yes. They help your body detoxify and cleanse.
But… while it's true that it requires energy (calories) to actually try to cool your body, it's nowhere near the amount burned in 30 minutes of good ol’ fashioned cardio.
So I’m not saying that you shouldn’t do it. Saunas and body wraps can be a great part of a total wellness program and very useful in detoxification of the body. But shame on the people who are trying to advertise a ‘magic pill’ to those who are looking for the quick weight loss fix. It isn’t here. The most effective safe method of weight loss is still proper nutrition and exercise!
So you want to lose 5-7 pounds in 30 minutes? I can spit for 30 minutes straight and lose the same amount of weight.
Hey, maybe I’m on to something!
~ Chris
Don’t forget, you can get in shape in the cool comfort of home with Chris' Home workout
Learn more about Chris
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