Have you ever heard people say if you want to lose weight, you should hit the sauna? Or the reason they hit the sauna is because they want to get shredded for summer? First things first, let’s set the record straight. The sauna does not correlate to fat loss because the primary mechanism of fat loss is not significantly triggered by sitting in a hot room.

Fat loss is ideal when a caloric deficit is put into place. This means that you are expending more energy than you intake daily (less calories in, more calories burned). Saunas do not meaningfully increase caloric expenditure. If anything, the most a 30+ minute sauna session will do is burn 50-135 calories just by sitting there (& 30+ minutes in without proper refuel is not recommended & CAN be dangerous). This is in no way, shape, or form meaningful enough to rely on for your deficit. But, when managed well & fluids/electrolytes are replaced, pairing the sauna with the proper exercise routine & nutrition plan can be an amazing way for you to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The primary weight loss in a sauna is mainly water/fluids. Sweating profusely does not mean you are burning fat while sitting in a sauna. You are clearly dehydrating your body of the available water. Just because you are sweating does not mean you are burning fat. Sweating is the bodies known way of cooling itself down. Fat burning (oxidation) requires elevated physical activity or other metabolic triggers (like cold exposure or high-intensity exercise). Heat alone doesn’t stimulate lipolysis (fat breakdown) meaningfully.

What are the benefits of the sauna?

• Increase recovery by integrating post workout. 
• Enhanced circulation, enhanced cooldown/relaxation. 
• Some studies even boast the possibilities of the sauna improving heart health. 
• Great tool to integrate when maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 
• Simply not a beneficial tool to solely rely on when trying to lose fat. 

How Many Calories Can You Burn Sitting in a Sauna?

https://www.verywellhealth.com/does-a-sauna-burn-calories-11682304?utm_

Effects of Twelve Sessions of High-Temperature Sauna Baths on Body Composition in Healthy Young Men

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8122786/?utm_

The effect of sauna bathing on lipid profile in young, physically active, male subjects

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25001587/

The Truth About That Rumor That Saunas Can Help You Lose Weight

https://www.self.com/story/the-truth-about-that-rumor-that-saunas-can-help-you-lose-weight?utm_