Wearing a sauna suit may seem like a quick and effortless way to shrink your waistline, but the truth is that these sweat-inducing garments won't reduce belly fat. A flatter stomach comes from a healthy eating and exercise program, not an article of clothing. In addition, not every body type can achieve a completely flat stomach. Instead of focusing on perfecting one body part, strive to adopt positive lifestyle changes that lead to a healthy body weight.
How Sauna Suits Work
Sauna suits are full-body garments made from nylon, vinyl, rubber or other non-breathable fabric, and have elastic cuffs to further prevent ventilation. The idea is that you sweat profusely while wearing the suit, causing weight loss. This is nothing new, and according to military fitness trainer Stew Smith, people have been donning sweat suits or even wrapping their bodies in plastic garbage bags for decades. These suits are most common among athletes, who must shed pounds quickly in order to meet a certain weight class, such as wrestlers and boxers.
Sauna Suits and Weight
Because the sauna suit makes you sweat, you will likely lose weight from fluid loss and your stomach may become smaller as a result. This weight is temporary, however, and you will regain it as soon as you consume food or drinks. That said, wearing the sauna suit while working out may increase calorie burning -- but only very slightly. During exercise in hot conditions, your body works harder to oxygenate muscles and prevent overheating, which translates to a small increase in calorie expenditure, according to "Shape" magazine. However, the results will be too insignificant to register on your bathroom scale.
Dehydration Risk
While the sauna suit causes sweat-induced weight loss, it also greatly increases your risk of dehydration -- particularly if you wear it during workouts. Losing just 2 percent of your body weight through water loss may decrease physical performance, causing you to burn fewer calories than you would without the suit, according to Human Kinetics. Dehydration also makes you prone to heat stroke and low blood volume. Because sweat contains electrolytes such as sodium, you may upset your body's natural balance -- in severe cases this can lead to seizures and even death.
Reducing Belly Fat
Rather than relying on a sauna suit, lose fat the healthy way by reducing calories to 1,200 to 1,500 per day if you're female, or 1,800 to 2,000 per day if you're male. Choose fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole-wheat products; these are not only low in calories, but they keep your digestive system moving to prevent stomach bloating. In addition, get at least 30 minutes per day of cardio exercise, such as brisk walking or swimming, most days of the week and perform strength-training exercises such as lifting weights or doing pushups, lunges and squats at least twice weekly. See your doctor before wearing a sauna suit or starting a new fitness program.
References
- Shapefit.com: Sauna Sweat Suits - Athletes Use Suits To Lose Weight By Seating Off Calories
- Military.com: Weight Loss Myths
- Shape Magazine: Does More Sweat Mean You Burn More Calories? Surprising Sweat Myths
- Human Kinetics: Dehydration and Its Effects on Performance
- MayoClinic.com: Dehydration: Complications
- University of Minnesota Medical Center: Weight Loss Recommendations
Writer Bio
Nina K. is a Los Angeles-based journalist who has been published by USAToday.com, Fitday.com, Healthy Living Magazine, Organic Authority and numerous other print and web publications. She has a philosophy degree from the University of Colorado and a journalism certificate from UCLA.
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