Does the Sauna really burn calories?

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LifestyleChange33
LifestyleChange33 Posts: 169 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have heard that sitting in a sauna burns up to 600 calories per hour (not that it would be healthy to stay in that long). I don't know if I believe that. I do it anyway, and yeah, my heart is beating harder when I come out... Thoughts?

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  • lovetheinsanity
    lovetheinsanity Posts: 5
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    It doesnt rlly burn cals as u put it. It just dehydrates u (thats why u get a bit dizzy when u get out) so what ur really "burning" is water cause u sweat it out
  • LifestyleChange33
    LifestyleChange33 Posts: 169 Member
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    I know you lose water weight- but does it burn calories?
  • GregPapas
    GregPapas Posts: 4
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    Your resting heartrate will be higher when you sit in the sauna. So i assume you will burn more calories sitting in a sauna, rather than sitting somewhere else. It wont be a significant calorie burn, and it will help you get rid of excess water weight.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,311 Member
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    No
  • LifestyleChange33
    LifestyleChange33 Posts: 169 Member
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    .
  • crazygracee
    crazygracee Posts: 34 Member
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    Sauna is not a Calorie burner. You will burn more calories exercising that using the Sauna.

    However, Sauna can be a helpful tool for weight loss mostly in 2 ways:

    1. Water Weight - Sitting in the sauna for 30 minutes will make you lose weight. But it is weight loss that comes from water loss. When you sit in a sauna, you sweat. That sweat is water mixed with salt, and that's your weight loss. As soon as you rehydrate, you’ll gain some or all of this weight back.

    2. Detox - Another method of increased weight loss that a sauna can help with is by detoxifying your body. Sitting in a sauna increases circulation in your body. In addition, by sweating you remove excess salt from your body. Detox can sometimes help to jump start the body to shed pounds when you’ve reached a plateau in your weight loss goals.

    So although a sauna is a good weight loss tool, it can’t help you lose weight all by itself in this manner. You need to add this to a healthy diet and exercise program.

    Hope this helps! (I'm off to the Sauna tonight as I consumed more salt this week that I normally do without realising it by eating ready made meals and Chinese takeaway which are apparently verrrrry high in salt. Argh!)

    G
  • Stuz359
    Stuz359 Posts: 81
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    Sitting in a sauna will increase your calorie burn, but probably not by much. In the increased heat, your body needs to work harder to maintain thermostasis, to maintain your internal body temperature. You go for an hours run though, you are guaranteed to burn calories.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,540 Member
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    About 20 more than sitting in a room at 72 degrees to be precise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    According to my BodyMedia Fit I've never shown an increased calorie burn when sitting in a sauna vs. sitting on my couch at home. And for a few weeks I was sitting in a sauna and/or steam room in 20 minute increments about three nights a week while nursing an injury. Other than that I usually do it once every couple of weeks.

    Sometimes, my calorie burn per minute is actually lower in the sauna or steam room than while sitting on my couch since I fidget more on the couch and in the sauna I tend to just sit still.
  • EllieMo
    EllieMo Posts: 131 Member
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    Who comes up with these tales?

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