How To Lose Weight In Your Hot Tub

Even people who hate exercise love how they feel after exercising, with all their blood flowing and feel-good hormones releasing. But did you know that you have that post-exercise feeling waiting for you in your backyard? The warmth of your hot tub can give you the some of the same effects that you would feel just after a hard workout, including weight loss. We’re sharing the secrets of how your hot tub can actually help you lose weight and feel healthier.

Increases Circulation

When you sit in a hot tub for at least 30 minutes, it starts to raise your body temperature. When your body temperature increases, you increase your circulation and your blood vessels begin to dilate at the same time. This simulates the same process that happens when you exercise for 30 minutes. Increased circulation and body temperature are also key in keeping your body healthy, which is why raising your body temperature boosts your immune system to fight off viruses.

A study by the New England Journal of Medicine showed that a group of patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus were able to lose weight in three weeks just by using a hot tub for 30 minutes a day, six days a week. They also saw a decrease insulin doses, decreases in glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin, and improvement in sleep quality.

Improves Digestion

The increased blood circulation make it is easier for blood to flow to your organs and make them function properly. The organs in your digestive system particularly benefit from this because the heat also relaxes them and makes it easier to digest your food. This not only helps you get rid of waste in your body, but it also leaves you feeling less bloated and heavy.

Helps Burn Calories

Because your body is already in the same state as it would be during exercise while you are in a hot tub, exercise on top of that is even more beneficial. Your stimulated blood circulation helps your metabolism be more effective and burn more calories, so even simple exercises like stretches and deep breathing have an extra boost in calorie burn.

Helps Reduce Stress

Stress can often lead to weight gain, so if you take stress out of the equation by relaxing in your hot tub either alone or with friends, you help yourself decrease the risk of gaining weight and can focus more clearly on what makes you happy about your body and what you would like to work on. Without stress as an added pressure in your weight loss, your chances of losing weight are greater.

Bonus: Helps Reduce Appearance Of Cellulite

The fatty deposits that build up on the hips, thighs and buttocks as you get older, known as cellulite, often make people feel self-conscious about their bodies. Like many of the weight loss benefits listed above, improved circulation can help reduce the appearance of cellulite by stimulating the blood vessels around it. Although it won’t technically help you lose weight, diminishing cellulite can help you feel better about how your body looks, giving you more confidence and motivation to work towards your ideal body image.

Has your hot tub helped you lose weight? Know any great hot tub exercises you’d like to share? Tell us about it in a comment!