Saunas for weight loss
It is all too easy to get stuck in a rot when trying to lose weight. It feels impossible to know which diet works the best, whether to work out in the gym or at home, which workouts are the most effective…
However, weight loss can be much easier than you think. In fact, you can burn calories, rid yourself of toxins, and reduce stress levels all while sweating in a sauna. The heat from a sauna can bring multiple health benefits, ranging from shedding water weight to increasing your capacity for exercise.
To find out more about how you can start to work towards your target weight all from the comfort and luxury of a sauna, keep reading through this guide. Whether you want to know more about the science behind saunas and weight loss or are looking for a specific health benefit, we’ve got all the information you need!
How does sauna weight loss work?
There are a couple of ways that you can use a sauna to lose weight, but it is recommended that you try these methods after you have engaged in some type of exercise, whether this be a full-body workout or a brisk walk.
As part of a healthy lifestyle, saunas can contribute to weight loss results through the processes that take place through heavy sweating at a high temperature. Sauna weight loss works in various ways: by speeding up your metabolism, increasing your general physical health, and helping you to lose excess weight through detoxification.
How to use a sauna for weight loss
Using a sauna for weight loss purposes couldn’t be easier!
The number of times a week that you should use a sauna to lose weight will depend on your weight, and the target weight you want to get to. The average number of times is between 2-3, as this has been proven to shed calories, in addition to providing other amazing health benefits.
You should use a sauna or steam room after any form of exercise has been done, for between 20-30 minutes, or until you are content that you have been sweating long enough. If you are not a particularly active person then light exercise will suffice until you have built up enough strength to complete a full workout.
The difference between an infrared sauna and a steam room
With infrared saunas, light waves are used as the main way to heat up your body. The heat in an infrared sauna is dry, whereas in a steam room it is very moist. Whilst steam rooms may feel hotter to sit in, this is only because the light waves in an infrared sauna are able to penetrate the body more efficiently, meaning it doesn’t need to be as hot.
A steam room is usually a small space with a steam generator which is very humid and can reach high temperatures. Both infrared saunas and steam rooms are incredibly effective at helping you achieve your desired weight loss: it is entirely personal preference which method you choose to use.
How can a sauna help you lose weight?
A sauna can help you lose weight in a multitude of ways – we’ve listed the big three below;
Detox
Being in a sauna makes you sweat a lot more than you usually would, which helps your body get rid of unwanted toxins and heavy metals that become absorbed by certain foods that we eat.
If you tend to not work up a sweat often, then using a sauna is a great way to help you burn fat effectively and safely. As well as helping you to lose weight, detoxing is a good thing to practice regularly anyway for maintaining general wellbeing.
Reduce stress
Worrying about your weight and feeling like there is nothing you can do about it is definitely not helpful to achieving your weight loss goals. That is why indulging in a de-stressing sauna session can help a lot.
Stress reduction lowers the cortisol levels in the body, which in turn lowers inflammation. This can decrease the chances of inflammation-caused weight gain, meaning that not only will you feel relaxed but you’ll look slimmer!
Lose water weight
You may not know this, but excess water weight can make up a significant amount of a person’s total weight, meaning that you could be up to 5 pounds lighter than you think you are!
It is possible to lose water weight through exercise and dieting, but for a faster solution just hop in a sauna! Because you sweat a lot in a sauna, your body gets rid of excess water which could help you lose some of that excess weight in just a couple of days.
What are the weight loss benefits of using a sauna?
The weight loss and overall health benefits of sauna use are endless!
When you use a sauna regularly alongside exercise and a balanced diet, you will find it contributes to your calorie burn and helps you to shed water weight much faster. What’s more, the heat of a sauna will have you burning calories after your workout and sauna bathing is over, and makes your heart pump faster, which also burns extra calories.
This is probably the most direct way of losing weight that you will see from using saunas, but there are many other ways that they can help with achieving your weight goals. For example, regular sauna use can aid in muscle recovery post-workout, which means you will be ready to exercise again much sooner because you won’t have to wait for your body to stop aching.
More general health benefits include increasing blood flow by dilating blood vessels, which in turn increases your capacity for fitness, and helping to lower high blood pressure or hypertension.
