If you're anything like me, finding time to squeeze in a workout amidst the chaos of daily life can feel like a Herculean task. For this reason, I’ve found a way to maximize my workouts but not just that: when it’s time to cut weight, I’ve found that sauna suits do an excellent job.
In this article, I will explain how to use a sauna suit to cut weight safely and effectively. But first, let me explain why sauna suits are extremely effective with effective weight loss:
Sauna suits are made of waterproof material and designed to trap heat and moisture against the skin. This causes your body to sweat more than it normally would during exercise, which leads to increased weight loss. These are the basics of why sauna suits are so awesome at this particular task and why athletes like boxers use them to drop weight quickly.
Let’s dig a bit deeper.
Clothing Material and Design
Sauna suits are typically made from materials that trap heat and promote sweating. The most common materials used are neoprene, nylon, PVC, and rubber.
Neoprene is a popular choice because it is durable, flexible, and water-resistant. Meanwhile, nylon and PVC are also commonly used because they are lightweight and breathable. Rubber is a less common choice due to its weight and potential for allergies.
Sauna suits come in various designs, but they all aim to cover the entire body to promote sweating. Some suits have a hood to cover the head and neck, while others have a zippered front for easy removal. Some suits also have elastic cuffs and ankles to prevent air from entering and cooling the body.
Mechanism of Action
As I explained earlier, sauna suits work by trapping your body heat and increasing your body’s temperature, which promotes sweating.
Sweating is the body's natural way of cooling down, and it also helps to flush out toxins and excess water weight. When wearing a sauna suit, the body's internal temperature rises, and the body begins to sweat profusely.
This sweating can lead to significant weight loss, but unless you’re combining this with a proper, long-term fat loss strategy from a professional trainer, the weight loss is due to water loss and not fat loss.
With all this said, it's essential to stay hydrated when using a sauna suit to prevent dehydration.
Drinking water before, during, and after exercise is crucial to maintaining proper hydration levels.
If you’re a beginner, you should start slowly when using a sauna suit, gradually increasing the amount of time spent wearing it.
If you’re not careful, the overuse of sauna suits can lead to heat exhaustion, so it's important to listen to your body and take breaks as needed.
Preparations Before Using a Sauna Suit
Before using a sauna suit to drop weight, make some preparations to ensure that you are doing it safely and effectively. In this section, I discuss two important aspects of preparation: hydration and nutrition, and consulting a doctor.
#1. Hydration and Nutrition
One of the most important things to keep in mind when using a sauna suit is to stay hydrated. This cannot be emphasized enough.
Sauna suits can cause excessive sweating which can lead to dehydration; for this reason, drink plenty of water and electrolyte-rich drinks before, during, and after using a sauna suit.
In addition to staying hydrated, it is also important to maintain a healthy diet. A balanced diet with sufficient protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats will provide the necessary nutrients to fuel your body during exercise.
Avoid consuming foods high in sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats as they can lead to bloating and water retention.
#2. Consulting a Doctor
Before using a sauna suit, make sure to consult with a doctor, especially if you have any medical conditions.
Sauna suits increase heart rate and body temperature, which can be dangerous for people with certain medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes.
Executing an Effective Workout
When using a sauna suit to cut weight, you should execute an effective workout routine. Here are some tips on how to maximize your workout while wearing a sauna suit.
Cardio and Strength Training
Cardio and strength training are both great options when it comes to working out in a sauna suit.
Cardio exercises such as running, cycling, or using an elliptical machine can help you burn calories and sweat more. Meanwhile, strength training exercises such as lifting weights or doing bodyweight exercises can help you build muscle and increase your metabolism.
I recommend incorporating both cardio and strength training into your workout routine. Aim for at least 30-45 minutes of cardio exercise while wearing the sauna suit, and include strength training exercises 2-3 times a week.
Monitoring Intensity and Duration
When using one of these suits, make sure to monitor the intensity and duration of your workout. I recommend starting with shorter workout sessions (10-15 minutes) and gradually increasing the duration as you become more comfortable.
Pay attention to your body and adjust the intensity of your workout accordingly. If you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded, take a break and remove the sauna suit. Like anything new that you incorporate in your fitness routine, sauna suits take getting used to. Stay patient.
Maximizing Weight Loss Benefits
To maximize the weight loss benefits of wearing sauna suits, you should incorporate certain lifestyle changes and understand how the body fat reduction process works.
Incorporating Diet and Lifestyle
To get the most out of using a sauna suit, you should follow a healthy diet and lifestyle.
This means avoiding processed foods and focusing on eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Just by cutting out processed foods, a lot of people will experience energized and start losing belly fat.
Lastly, make sure to stay active and exercise regularly.
You can use the sauna suit during low- to moderate-intensity workouts to help increase calorie burn and metabolism. Such exercises include walking, yoga, and hiking but if you want to increase the intensity of your workouts, you can incorporate jogging, more challenging hikes, and HIIT workouts.
Understanding Body Fat Reduction
When you exercise while wearing a sauna suit, you increase our resting metabolic rate and post-exercise consumption of oxygen, which in turn, burns more calories and fat.
By consistently incorporating the use of a sauna suit into your exercise routine, you should see significant improvements in our body composition and overall health especially over the long term.
Cleaning and Suit Care
To maintain the effectiveness and longevity of our sauna suit, you should clean it after each use.
I recommend you hand wash it with mild detergent and hang it to dry. Avoid using bleach or fabric softener, as they can damage the suit.
You should inspect the suit regularly for any signs of wear and tear, such as holes or loose seams.
How long is it safe to wear a sweatsuit for cutting weight?
You can typically wear a sauna suit for 30-60 minutes per workout session.
With that said though, you should always listen to your body and take breaks as needed.
If you feel lightheaded, dizzy, or experience any other adverse symptoms, remove the suit immediately and seek medical attention if necessary.
What amount of weight loss is typical when using one of these suits?
Studies have shown that wearing a sauna suit during exercise can lead to an average weight loss of 3-5 pounds of water weight in a week.
But there’s more to the health benefits than just weight loss. A study that compared the fitness results between two groups, one that wore sauna suits and one that did not, the group that wore the sauna suits showed an improvement of 11.7% improvement over the amount of oxygen their body used when exercises as hard as possible as well as an average of 2.6% reducted in body weight and 13.8% reduction in body fat. (Source: https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/what-is-sauna-suit)
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