Over the years it was believed that excessive sweating caused weight loss as it was believed to cause weight loss. body fat , In fact, until now, social networks circulate publications that offer body, girdle, among other products for “losing weight”. They’re sure that these items will make us sweat more, which will help “burn” body fat. However, this is a myth. In this article we explain why this act is not indicated for losing excess weight in a healthy way.
Before beginning, it’s important to specify that, according to the United States National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus portal, overweight means “being overweight than is healthy for a certain height.” “A person can be overweight from excess muscle, bone, or water, as well as from too much fat,” he notes. Meanwhile, for the World Health Organization (WHO), this condition occurs when “there is an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that may cause harm to health.” According to the World Health Organization, this occurs when there is an over-consumption of “energy-dense foods” and increased physical inactivity.
Why do we gain weight?
In a conversation with Verificador, clinical nutritionist Edinson Sánchez said that a person gains weight when “he consumes more calories than his body needs.” He explained that this stems mainly from two factors: 1) a diet high in calories from foods rich in fat or sugar” and 2) these calories are not expended because they lead a sedentary life or do not practice physical activity.
“Again, it is the case that there is an excess of energy, which is stored in our body in the form of fat stores. For this reason, our body fat percentage also increases with the amount of fat in our body”, the expert specified, who is an educator in obesity and diabetes. In this regard he indicated When you want to lose weight, what you want is to reduce stored fat.
According to the Mayo Clinic article, calories are the energy found in food and the body needs them constantly “to keep functioning.” “Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are nutrients that contain calories and are the main sources of energy for the body. It doesn’t matter where they come from, the calories you consume are converted into physical energy or stored as body fat.
sweating more doesn’t “burn” body fat
According to the MedlinePlus page, perspiration, or also called “sweat,” is a “salty fluid released from sweat glands” and is an “essential function” of the body to keep cool.
At-home nutritionist Nathalie Aguilar argues that sweating leads to weight loss, because it releases water and it is “a component of body weight.” Although, Denied that this is an indicated way for a person to lose weight: “When looking to lose weight in a healthy way, it should be clear that the aim is to reduce body fat and not water” ,
“Indeed, girdle or body harnesses shape the figure or help with posture, but they should not be considered in the context of ‘losing weight. Not a healthy option, nor a long term option “, he pointed out.
He indicated that exercise is used to reduce fat because it is an activity that involves a “caloric expenditure”. ,Our obesity does not reduce by sweating. Some people do not sweat much. Sweating is the body’s response to rising temperature.”
Jessica Humann, dean of the College of Nutritionists of Lima, He also denied that sweating leads to weight loss because it “burns fat.” “what sweat does is cause the person to lose fluid, it may be that, having lost fluid, the effect seems to be that the person is quoting less or measuring less, etc., but It does not mean that you have lost fat , unfortunately it’s a myth Related to what has allegedly been promised, that the girdle, the reducing cream, will, among other things, reduce it in quotes, but it is not so,” he stressed.
He said that these products basically increase sweating. “We all have a total energy requirement, which is the number of calories that we all require to meet our needs for the functioning of the body, organs, etc. If we do physical activity, the number of calories goes up. What does this mean? If we do physical activity we are going to spend more energy (…) which makes a person lose weight “, she elaborated
He comments that there are also exercises that are specifically designed to lose fat, such as “aerobic exercises” that allow for a greater “energy expenditure” and anaerobics that “strengthen the muscles to tone them”. Want to
However, he pointed out Any physical activity should be accompanied by a healthy diet that includes the main nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. ,
“It needs to be complemented with food because if the person exercises but consumes excessive trans fat, saturated fat or ultra-processed products etc., chances are they will not lose weight,” he stresses. He pointed out that there are positive fats (in avocados, fish, etc.) that can be consumed.
“When you sweat you don’t burn fat” , also assured Edinson Sanchez. He insisted that sweating is a “physiological process to regulate body temperature”.
He affirmed that, when these girdle or products are used, it only causes the body to “sweat more”. “It only heats up your body and to control this heat you sweat. But it is not that by sweating you are burning calories or burning fat, it is not. “, said. He also pointed out that when you sweat, the body enters a dehydration process that can be rehydrated.
Experts agree that for healthy weight loss mainly requires a healthy and balanced diet and physical activity , Nathalie Aguilar said hydration and a good mental state are also important. For her part, Jessica Humann specified that the plan should also consider reducing some people’s habits, such as drinking alcohol, which provide calories; smoking tobacco, which can cause concern for consuming anything in excess; among others.
Edinson Sanchez argued that Losing weight in a healthy way is when you lose more or less “1 pound to 1 pound per week” or “2 to 3 pounds per month.” , so he insisted on A low-calorie diet and physical activity will “little by little” reduce that body fat.
Experts also agree that it should be taken as prescribed and directed by a nutritionist in order to lose weight. Nathalie Aguilar explained that the plan is intended to be “gradual and sustainable over time” and, in addition, for professionals to evaluate the individual’s nutritional status in order to “maintain or improve muscle mass and lose fat.” Is. “It is important to know when to stop losing weight to avoid reaching malnutrition”, Specific.
On the other hand, we found no scientific evidence to support that sweating reduces body fat or that it is a factor in weight loss in overweight cases. On the contrary, there are articles from other medical portals Health Line and Men’s Health which also clarify that this act only releases water and does not contribute in reducing the fat stored in the body. It is also argued that eliminating body fluids is only a “temporary loss”, as drinking water or eating will reverse the weight loss.
Finally, we specify that this article focuses more on cases of overweight, because according to nutritionists Huaman and Sánchez, obesity contemplates a similar but more specific and multidisciplinary treatment. In another validation we explore what is involved in an intervention in obese patients.
