Sauna/Steamroom

Jacked Daniels · 08-03-2005, 09:28 AM

I'm a 21 yr old, 5'9'', 200 lb male with 21% BF trying to lost fat, while keeping/gaining muscle.

I was wondering what you all thought about saunas and steamrooms... my gym has one, and my routine is usually to go lift after work, do some cardio, then sit in the steam room or sauna for 5-10 minutes.

The steam room or sauna obviously makes you sweat, so I would think this is beneficial for me to lose fat and burn calories. I was just wondering what you guys thought of it. Would I be losing muscle? Does sweating from the sauna actually make me lose calories and fat??? let me know what you guys think.

DJohnson · 08-03-2005, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacked Daniels

Does sweating from the sauna actually make me lose calories and fat???

No, your muscles aren't using energy, water is just coming from your pores. It's great for your skin though. If you enjoy it keep doing it.

Jacked Daniels · 08-03-2005, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJohnson

No, your muscles aren't using energy, water is just coming from your pores. It's great for your skin though. If you enjoy it keep doing it.

so theres no benefits as far as fat loss goes from sitting in the sauna/steamroom and sweating?????

Leo090 · 08-03-2005, 10:32 AM

You will lose weight, but it will only be water weight, so you wont notice much.

DJohnson · 08-03-2005, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacked Daniels

so theres no benefits as far as fat loss goes from sitting in the sauna/steamroom and sweating?????

No fat loss. If you could lose fat by sweating I wouldn't bother doing cardio, I'd just sleep in a sauna and be ripped overnight.

collegelifter85 · 08-03-2005, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacked Daniels

so theres no benefits as far as fat loss goes from sitting in the sauna/steamroom and sweating?????

it's like running in the heat, you sweat a lot but realistically you burn more calories running in the cold.

like he said it's good for your skin cause it cleans out your pores.

gymratluke · 08-03-2005, 08:10 PM

Are you guys kidding me. Your body burns calories just trying to cool its self off. Yes it will help you burn calories. So will sitting out in the cold cause your body burns calories trying to warm its self up. Drink a $hit load of water and sit in there as long as you can, get out, cool off a bit and do it again. I do it every day.

Schrinediggity · 08-04-2005, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gymratluke

Are you guys kidding me. Your body burns calories just trying to cool its self off. Yes it will help you burn calories. So will sitting out in the cold cause your body burns calories trying to warm its self up. Drink a $hit load of water and sit in there as long as you can, get out, cool off a bit and do it again. I do it every day.

i can understand how the body burns calories when its cold. YOU SHIVER. Thus working the muscles, causing you to burn calories. I would suspect that any calorie's burnt trying to cool down would be negligable, all that occurs during cool down is sweating. Humans are much better suited to warm themselves up then to cool down. For instance, the human body can sustain itself all the way down to some 76* F. While you can only go up to about 106*F befroe major problems occur. If you enjoy sitting in the sauna/steam room go for it, but i wouldn't do it as any kind of a replacement for cardio/weights/diet. Consider it to be similar to a diet pill. It won't do much, but over a long period of time, it could start to help slightly.

2pounds · 08-04-2005, 09:35 AM

It reduces sodium therefore allowing you to hold less water

gymratluke · 08-04-2005, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schrinediggity

i can understand how the body burns calories when its cold. YOU SHIVER. Thus working the muscles, causing you to burn calories. I would suspect that any calorie's burnt trying to cool down would be negligable, all that occurs during cool down is sweating. Humans are much better suited to warm themselves up then to cool down. For instance, the human body can sustain itself all the way down to some 76* F. While you can only go up to about 106*F befroe major problems occur. If you enjoy sitting in the sauna/steam room go for it, but i wouldn't do it as any kind of a replacement for cardio/weights/diet. Consider it to be similar to a diet pill. It won't do much, but over a long period of time, it could start to help slightly.

It for sure doenst replace anything, but a few calories a day adds up over years. Look at BBer doing there cardio in sweats and sweat shirts, it cause a few extra cals is worth it to be burning up during that 1 hour session. And most do that all the time not just trying to lose water at contest time.

TheSlash · 08-04-2005, 09:49 AM

When your body is hot like that and trying to cool, it will SLOW your metabolism. So while yes technically it does burn a few calories, your body is using less, resulting in almost no difference at all.

When your body is cold, it will work to increase tempature. Which does burn some calories, but again not enough to care. The coldness just enables you to workout longer with more energy. This normally leads to over eating afterwards though and defeats the purpose.

So, do it for the skin, and that's IT.

Buckeye(OH) · 08-04-2005, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2pounds

It reduces sodium therefore allowing you to hold less water

This is precisely the reason I use it.

2pounds · 08-04-2005, 09:50 AM

Heat = energy

tfg · 08-04-2005, 09:51 AM

We went over this around 2 weeks ago. There's a thread somewhere on here. No, you can't burn calories or fat sitting in the sauna. Your not even moving.

gymratluke · 08-04-2005, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSlash

When your body is hot like that and trying to cool, it will SLOW your metabolism. So while yes technically it does burn a few calories, your body is using less, resulting in almost no difference at all.

When your body is cold, it will work to increase tempature. Which does burn some calories, but again not enough to care. The coldness just enables you to workout longer with more energy. This normally leads to over eating afterwards though and defeats the purpose.

So, do it for the skin, and that's IT.

While you are in the thing your heart beats so fast that it feel like its gonna come out your chest, that seems to me like you're metabolism is kickin like no other in that case, maybe not.

Buckeye(OH) · 08-04-2005, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tfg

We went over this around 2 weeks ago. There's a thread somewhere on here. No, you can't burn calories or fat sitting in the sauna. Your not even moving.

False. Increased heart rate = increased calorie burn.

tfg · 08-04-2005, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye(OH)

False. Increased heart rate = increased calorie burn.

True, but how is your heartrate increased in the sauna? Anytime I'm in the sauna I'm completely stationary and I feel like I want to fall asleep. I can't think of a time where your heartreate is any slower.

New_Muscles · 08-04-2005, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tfg

We went over this around 2 weeks ago. There's a thread somewhere on here. No, you can't burn calories or fat sitting in the sauna. Your not even moving.

If this were true wouldn't Fat Burners be pointless. I would be doing the same workouts and daily routine if I wasn't taking the fat burner, but the fat burner is supposed to increase my heartrate and increase calorie burn without more effort from the muscles.

TheSlash · 08-04-2005, 10:41 AM

Heat does increase heart rate. You shouldn't be able to notice it that much though. Are you jumping into the sauna right after your workout, when your heart is already thumping? Maybe you notice it more since its a quiet atmosphere?

I also wouldn't use the sauna if your contest prepping. It can mess up your water control.

nithos · 08-04-2005, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeye(OH)

Increased heart rate = increased calorie burn.

Not if oxygen consumption doesn't increase...

TheSlash · 08-05-2005, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nithos

Not if oxygen consumption doesn't increase...

oh yea, great point. Completely forgot about that. Thanks.

Sendy · 08-05-2005, 09:48 AM

My gym has both and I use them as a reward after working out. Its quiet in there and I enjoy it.

DJohnson · 08-05-2005, 09:54 AM

Saunas are enjoyable but they're not burning fat for you.

I mean really, in which case does your body have to do more work. The one where it's room temperature? Sauna's are usually 104 and your body is kept at 98.6. Room temperature is around 70. Now in which case does your body need to do more work?

I think this is the reason sauna's are so relaxing, your body doesn't have to do as much work to keep your body heated.

Once again, if burning calories was as easy as raising your heart rate I'd just watch scary movies and play high stakes poker instead of do my cardio.

psinide · 08-05-2005, 05:55 PM

I would say I'm not sure about any exercise benefits, but it sure is relaxing. And 20 minutes of sauna usually gives me a more solid night of sleep.

StevenW · 08-05-2005, 07:45 PM

You will burn more calories as your body trys to cool itself down. Heart rate increases as it pumps more blood through your veins to cool the body down. Which in turn is great for vascularity because of the blood being pumped through the veins close to the skin in an attempt to cool the blood. It's great for getting rid of water under the skin also which will make you look more cut up and help get rid of a puffy look if used daily. I'm in the sauna 5 days a week for 20 to 30 minutes and swear by it's benificial effects on the body.