As we leave one year behind and enter into a new one, have you discovered a few unwelcome pounds from enjoying the holiday season? If the past year has left you with feelings of stress and a lack of exercise due to the pandemic, consider treating yourself to a hot tub. You can boost your metabolism and shed those holiday pounds — all in the comfort of a beautiful, soothing oasis.
Double Dip Your Way Towards Weight Loss
We have certainly heard it said many times that in order to lose unwanted pounds the magic formula is to eat less and exercise more. A hot tub will help you accomplish both of those things at the same time. Carve out time before dinner to take a 20-minute soak. It’s important to hydrate when using a hot tub, so during your soak, you should drink a nice, tall, 8 oz. glass of water. As you soak in the hot tub, your circulation will increase and your metabolism will speed up, which both mimic the effects of exercise. Once you exit the tub, you’ll find that the soak along with drinking water will have decreased your appetite and you will eat less. Over time you may discover some of those pounds will have melted away.
Stress Reduction Can Equal Weight Reduction
Stress and weight gain are certainly not strangers to one another. Oh, the stress of a difficult day. Who hasn’t grabbed a bag of chips or a pint of ice cream? If you’ve wondered why we tend to gravitate towards food to ease stress, it can be summed up in one word: cortisol. Cortisol, known as the “stress hormone,” can be detrimental to anyone trying to either lose weight or maintain their weight. It can trigger cravings for high-fat, high-sodium foods which easily cause weight gain. If high levels of cortisol are maintained, it will trigger the body’s fat storage response. This will cause you to find that many of your unwanted pounds land right around the waistline. A hot tub can be a powerful weapon in reducing cortisol and defeating its fat storing effects. As you soak in a hot tub, your body’s muscles relax and your breathing slows down. The effect of this deep relaxation is a decrease in cortisol levels. This, in turn, leads to less fat storage within the body.
Hot Tub Use, Sleeping Like a Baby, & Weight Loss
Chronic insomnia and nightly sleep disturbances can make weight loss a challenge because of the impact they have on hormone levels. Insomnia and sleep disturbances can elevate cortisol levels and ghrelin levels. Both of these hormones increase hunger levels. While these hormones increase, the hormone leptin decreases. Leptin is the hormone that makes you feel satisfied after eating so that you don’t overeat. As your body slips into a survival mode due to the lack of sleep, your metabolism then decreases as well in an attempt to conserve the body’s resources.
So where does a hot tub come in? Hot water promotes relaxation, which in turn prepares the body for a good night’s sleep. Hot water is also well known to temporarily relieve musculoskeletal pain that can keep you awake. The heat of your water also raises your body temperature. When you step out of your spa, your body temperature decreases — a natural sign that signals to your body that it is time to sleep.
This year as you put together your weight-loss arsenal, come visit us at Juniper Pools. We have an impressive inventory of hot tubs to choose from so that you can increase your metabolism and live your best life. Owning a hot tub yields many positive long-term health benefits that you will enjoy for years to come.
