Around 36.5% of adults in the U.S. are obese , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity is a serious health concern because it increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, several kinds of cancer, and type 2 diabetes. However, reducing body weight is not that easy given the demands of work, school, and family duties. Subsequently, people are looking for ways to quickly burn calories without using a significant amount of their time. One effective way of torching fats is through the use of far-infrared (FIR) saunas. Besides diet and exercise, the addition of sauna time to your regular activities can have a positive effect on your goal of losing weight. Here’s why:
Penetrates the Skin Deeply and Helps Target Fat
Unlike traditional saunas that rely upon temperatures of 185 to 195 degrees Fahrenheit, the far-infrared sauna heats up to 120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of their extreme temperatures, traditional saunas tend to overwhelm those who are heat-sensitive, which makes an infrared sauna more comfortable for them. A study review performed by Dr. Richard Beever further indicated that heat from an infrared sauna can travel deeply into the skin, which suggests that it can target fats with greater efficiency. Beever noted that, based on the studies he reviewed, using the infrared sauna for at least 15 minutes each day, in addition to caloric restrictions, improved the weight loss outcomes for several obese participants.
Increases Heart Rate Like Cardiovascular Exercise
Infrared saunas can increase heart rate like moderately vigorous exercise. A session of 15 minutes or more boosts the heart rate as if one has completed a ten-mile run, based on the experience of Anna Maxted from Daily Mail. The effect of the infrared sauna on the heart rate simulates that of an aerobic exercise, burning fats along the way.
May Burn Up to 600 Calories
It is possible for a far-infrared sauna session to burn up to 600 calories in one sitting, literally. Depending on your body weight, a session of 30 minutes to one hour should do the trick. And, according to cardiologist Dr. Alejandro Junger, the heavier you are, the more calories you will burn. Infrared can penetrate the skin up to 3 inches, said Dr. Unger, which may help mobilize and melt fats. Another study from Dejan Reljic and co-researchers found that sauna therapy can induce rapid weight loss when combined with food and fluid restrictions. The conclusion? Daily sauna sessions of 30 minutes or more can help people lose weight.
By penetrating fats, boosting the heart rate, and burning up to 600 calories per session, infrared saunas can contribute to weight loss efforts. Thus, combining daily infrared sauna sessions with healthy eating may be an important factor in boosting your ability to burn fats and lose weight.
Sources:
Adult Obesity Facts, CDC.gov
Rapid Weight Loss and the Body Fluid Balance and Hemoglobin Mass of Elite Amateur Boxers, NCBLI.NLM.NIH.gov
The
easiest way you could lose 600 calories: Sweat it out in an infrared sauna!
DailyMail.Co.UK
