Sauna Suits, Garbage Bags, etc

stefanie18810

My trainer (former boxer) swears by wearing a garbage bag during workouts. He says it increases your core temp, and helps increase metabolism, etc, etc. I am super skeptical about it, because I think it is just water weight that you'll put back on, but I have seen a number of people say that they've noticed a reduction in inches when wearing one consistently. So...I bought a pair of sauna suit type pants. My problem areas are definitely lower stomach, butt and thighs and these are high waisted and very fitted, so I'll give it a shot. I'm 5'3, 140 and have 15lbs to lose.

Just curious though...anyone else try something similar? Likes, dislikes?

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

I prefer to stay hydrated

earlnabby

I makes you sweat out more water weight, which comes right back on as soon as you eat and drink. Wrestlers and boxers have been doing this since forever in order to make their weight class.

RaeLB

You are correct, it just makes you sweat more water out. You might want to find a new trainer.

ManiacalLaugh

It does actually cause a reduction in inches - because it reduces bloating and water weight. Unfortunately, as you already suspect, the inches and the weight come back pretty shortly. The temporary results are probably enough of a reason for some people to buy into the idea.

Personally, I see that as an invitation to become dangerously dehydrated.

alisfitgoal

This is a weight cutting strategy not a weight loss strategy. There is something to be said for "staying warm" while you workout, but that goes to comfort and performance, not calories burned or 'metabolism'.

TeaBea

RaeLB wrote: »

You are correct, it just makes you sweat more water out. You might want to find a new trainer.

This^

Boxers sometimes need a little help making weigh-ins. But it's just water weight.

By his reasoning suanas and hot tubs would be weight loss devices also.

socalkay

I think wearing a trash bag while exercising is a waste.

Seriously, it probably is just water weight you would lose with this approach and you are impeding the evaporation of sweat, which is the body's way of cooling itself during exertion -- a process vital to your well-being.

Sued0nim

Are you comfortable with a trainer who peddles this kind of "advice"?

BrianSharpe

stefanie18810 wrote: »

My trainer (former boxer) swears by wearing a garbage bag during workouts. He says it increases your core temp, and helps increase metabolism, etc, etc. I am super skeptical about it, because I think it is just water weight that you'll put back on, but I have seen a number of people say that they've noticed a reduction in inches when wearing one consistently. So...I bought a pair of sauna suit type pants. My problem areas are definitely lower stomach, butt and thighs and these are high waisted and very fitted, so I'll give it a shot. I'm 5'3, 140 and have 15lbs to lose.

Just curious though...anyone else try something similar? Likes, dislikes?

Time to find a new trainer.....he probably took too many blows to the head.

That's the kind of tactic that wrestlers and boxers do prior to a weigh in. You lose (temporarily) water weight because you become dehydrated. Sweating more does noting to increase your metabolism, in reality the only way to increase you metabolism is to gain lean muscle mass as it's more metabolically active than fat and even then the changes are far from staggering.

Ready2Rock206

Sounds like he'd be a decent trainer for a boxer who needs to make weight to box, but for someone interested in fitness and weight loss not so much. If you're not just training to box I'd research a different trainer.

tryin2die2self

There is another reason why people wear these suits, you train like you fight. If you are use to preforming in conditions that test your body, when the conditions come around you are more ready for the "shock". Not to say you are going to stave off a heat injury one second longer, but you will learn to push yourself past what you would have thought possible.

Prime example, wearing NBC suits in the Army. They weight to darn much, reduce your mobility and you have no real way of cooling off. Couple that with a protective mask which limits breathing, evaporation from the head ceases and makes taking in water a chore. Wear them over in Kuwait at 110 in the shade and you would think you would not last 10 minutes. You would be right. Carry on with training and a month later we could survive for hours in them. Not saying in was pleasant. It was terrible, but you could function.

You plan on getting into the ring? If so, being able to deliver punishment to your opponent and keep your endurance up while taking blows... all the while sweat is pouring out of you and keeping your breathing in check. Again, you train like you fight.

Another way to look at it, you sweat in peace time to keep from bleeding during war time. The War & Peace, that is up to you.

MadeOfMagic

Get a new trainer...any trainer giving that advice is an idiot and not someone I would trust with my training/health. The only thing it will do is dehydrate you, sure inches and lbs will be smaller but it is because water has been leached from your body, it's all temporary and not a permanent fix. It's not advisable to dehydrate yourself, water helps your muscles recover from exercise and it's crucial to your health, you could possibly injure yourself if you fainted from dehydration. Plus it will probably limit your exercise because you will overheat and it will make you more tired faster vs exercising without it you will have better energy and burn the calories/fat that actually matters in weight loss. I strongly advise against using it, toss it!

stefanie18810

Thanks everyone! Sometimes you look for the articles that you want to believe or that agree with you, and sometimes you need to come back to reality. I needed to read these!

drachfit

yes it just makes you sweat out more water.

boxers and other fighting competitors sometimes wear them during workouts for the last few days leading up to their fight, because they have to meet a certain weight class. they dehydrate themselves to just squeeze under the weight limit and then immediately rehydrate and eat as much as possible to be in top condition for their fight.

it does not raise your metabolism or help you lose actual fat mass any faster. in fact, higher temperatures often make you perform worse at things like endurance activities.

boxers are not known for being the sharpest tools in the shed. i mean they get knocked out repeatedly for a living. fantastic, amazing athletes. but this guy is pushing made up stuff on you.

cwolfman13

I used to wrestle and I wore a trash bag while jogging, etc before matches to make weight...I was just dehydrating myself to make weight...I personally see little point if you don't have to make weight for something.

Codefox

Fire your trainer

DavPul

Step 1. Don't.
Step 2. Find a new trainer

WinoGelato

DavPul wrote: »

Step 1. Don't.
Step 2. Find a new trainer

Almost exactly what I was going to post.

883xlsportster

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I used to wrestle and I wore a trash bag while jogging, etc before matches to make weight...I was just dehydrating myself to make weight...I personally see little point if you don't have to make weight for something.

We must have had the same coach ;-) Back in the day our HS wresting coach made us do that to cut weight for tournaments. BRUTAL!! It worked for the scales but always felt drained and even worse with the carb load pre match.

piperdown44

Yep, and after the garbage sacks, gulping down honey and water to rehydrate.
Oh, those carefree wrestling days…...