We’re constantly being told by the media that, on average, we’re more obese than ever. This has led to a multi-billion-dollar industry focused on helping people lose weight. Diets, supplements, exercise programs, and superfoods are just a part of the myriad of solutions provided by those looking to make a quick buck from the most recent epidemic facing humankind. Even members of the hot tub industry are getting in on the action by promoting hydrotherapy as a method of weight loss. Can hot tubs help you lose weight? In this article, we’ll try and separate the facts from the fiction.
Unfortunately, soaking in a hot tub doesn’t burn many more calories than sitting on the couch. And while this fact doesn’t bode well for depending on a hot tub to lose weight, hot tubs can play an indirect role in providing the right environment to allow yourself to shed some pounds.
The key point when it comes to weight loss is that you need to expend more calories than you’re taking in. This means watching what you eat while making sure you’re exercising enough to burn off those calories. Your hot tub can be used as a tool to create the right conditions to allow this calorie deficit to take place.
Stress Reduction
It’s been found that stress hormones such as cortisol can cause people to crave foods that are high in fat and sodium – the ingredients found in many so-called junk foods. Stress hormones have also been found to lower testosterone levels which makes it harder for the body to create muscle tissue. Muscle tissue naturally burns more calories than fatty tissues, so lowered testosterone levels can create a negative feedback loop which discourages calorie expenditure. One result of the body’s reaction to raised cortisol levels is the accumulation of abdominal fat.
Spending time soaking in a hot tub can allow you to relax and reduce your levels of stress. Both the body and the mind are calmed down, loosened up and allowed to unwind. By reducing stress, you reduce the body’s cortisol levels and allow it to process calories more efficiently.
Sleep Promotion
Sufferers of insomnia are generally found to consume more calories than those who don’t suffer from the affliction. Insomnia has been found to alter the levels of hormones that stimulate the appetite, reduce the feeling of satiety and diminish the efficiency of calorie expenditure. Lack of sleep can also affect the body at the cellular level by reducing the ability of each cell’s powerhouse to process sugars. The fact is that getting a good night’s sleep plays an important role in allowing the body to burn calories effectively.
Soaking in warm water has long been known to help people fall asleep. The relaxing influence of a hot tub can provide relief to sufferers of insomnia and allow the body to burn energy more efficiently. It’s been found that the reduction in body temperature after leaving the warm waters signals the brain that it’s time to fall asleep.
Injury Recovery
When you’re injured you typically find it much harder to maintain your regular levels of activity. Regular exercise routines might stop, movement may become harder or impossible and pain may cause one to feel more tired more quickly. Of course, the result of this inactivity is the reduction in the amount of calories burned and the possibility of gaining weight.
Using a hot tub for hydrotherapeutic purposes can make your body heal faster and give you the ability to resume your regular exercise routines. Warm water increases the blood circulation around the injured area which hastens the healing process. The faster your body gets healthy, the faster you can resume your normal activity levels.
To find out more about hot tubs and the wellness benefits they provide, download your free hot tub buyer’s guide below today, or visit us at our hot tub store.