Sauna suits and other similar get-ups have become popular in recent years. While they tout quick results with minimal effort, weight-loss methods such as these pose serious health risks. Weight loss experienced while wearing a trash bag or sauna suit can be attributed to losses in body water rather than fat. There is no secret to successful weight loss; it requires a balanced diet, daily cardiovascular and resistance training.
Tip
Wearing a trash bag while working out can cause increased loss of water weight, but can also lead to dehydration and impaired physical performance.
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Understand the Role of Water
Your body is approximately 60 percent water. Each organ system requires adequate hydration to function properly. Without an ample supply of water you are vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, losses in coordination, mental confusion, and fluctuations in heart rate and blood pressure.
To avoid putting your body through unnecessary stress, strive to consume eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. During exercise you may need to consume more.
Trash Bags Cause Water Loss
Your body uses some of its water stores to regulate body temperature. This is achieved through sweat production. When temperature receptors located within your skin send signals to your brain that your temperature has hit a certain threshold, sweat glands begin producing sweat. To cool your body, the sweat evaporates off the surface of your skin.
Wearing a trash bag short circuits part of your body's cooling process. The trash bag prevents the sweat from evaporating, signaling the body to keep producing sweat in the hopes of lowering your body temperature. In this manner, the trash bag causes weight loss from water loss.
Weight loss attributed to water weight is only temporary and is also dangerous to your health. Gains can be expected once you rehydrate or eat. Because water is vital to many different body systems and functions, it's not recommended to attempt to lose weight in this manner.
Read more: Can You Lost 10 Pounds with a Sauna Suit?
Consistency Brings Long-Term Change
There are approximately 3,500 calories in 1 pound of fat. To lose 1 pound per week, you should strive to create a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day. Manageable weight loss occurs in steady increments of 1 to 2 pounds per week and is achieved through a healthy diet and exercise.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that healthy adults engage in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiovascular activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardiovascular activity weekly paired with two to three days of resistance training.
Consider Your Performance
Dehydration can develop from working out in a trash bag suit. Not only can dehydration lead to physical issues, it can have a negative effect on physical performance. Water is important for carrying fuel sources to your hard-working muscles. Because a trash bag suit can increase water loss, your plan might actually backfire, causing you to be unable to sustain your activity level.