Will Sauna Burn Calories & Help You Lose Weight?

Do saunas burn calories or is sauna weight loss a myth? Saunas boost your metabolism as much as 20% which indirectly burns calories. How many calories are burned in the sauna?

Dr. Oz caused a stir by claiming you can burn 700 calories, without lifting a finger, using a sauna. But do saunas and steam baths burn calories or is sauna weight loss just a myth?

He stated that “It gets your heart to beat faster, and it burns calories.” “It raises your metabolism a little bit, and also when you sweat, you sweat out toxins through the skin.” With the popularity of saunas along with information and even controversy surrounding the benefits of sauna, the question is still . . .

Do Saunas Burn Calories?

Some people swear that saunas burn weight. Sauna manufacturers also claim their units will help burn calories. But is that the truth? It’s believed that sauna can boost your metabolism as much as 20% which indirectly burns calories. How much increase depends on how much time you spend in the sauna.

Sauna Calories Calculator

A 160 pound person can burn 200 – 400 calories in about 30 minutes. Infrared sauna claims even higher calorie burning, up to 1000 calories in 30 minutes. This is where Dr. Oz gets the 700 sauna calories burned rate. Besides weight loss, saunas offer other health benefits – how to sauna at home shows what you need to know.

Sauna Calories And Weight Loss

Sauna weight loss is typically caused by sweating and fluid loss from the body rather than from burning calories. After you finish in the sauna, you should drink fluids to compensate for the fluid loss.

Sauna calories are not burned as effectively as other means. Many other aerobic activities can help you burn 300-1000 calories in an hour and lose weight. Sauna will not help to change body composition, won’t burn fat, and won’t increase muscle mass.

Will sauna and steam help you lose weight?

Besides boosting metabolism, saunas can deliver other health benefits:

Saunas help increase sweating, which opens up the pores of the skin. This aids in removal of toxins and impurities that maybe in the blood.
Time spent in a sauna room relaxes you. The steam also helps release tension in the body. This relaxation can improve sleep.
Moderate sauna time can increase your body’s immunity to illness. Several doctors even recommend steam treatments to help conditions like sinus problems, laryngitis and bronchitis.
Steam can help your skin, adding a natural glow to your complexion.

Saunas can help improve complexion, they can detoxify, and they can add to your sense of well-being. But as a means of burning calories and weight loss, sauna is not the first choice.

See Planning A Home Sauna for guides on how to plan and build a sauna in your home.

Other Weight Loss and Fitness Resources

See Fitness Over 50 for other healthy weight control tips for people over 50. You can optimize your hormone production naturally with the Renegade style of eating too.