From Start to Fitness
Hang sauna suit out to dry
By Andrea Renee Wyatt, M.S.S., C.S.C.S.

Q: My husband and I saw someone at our gym wearing a sauna suit while working out the other day. He looked like he was working really hard, and was sweating profusely and looked extremely hot. My husband seemed really interested in his workout and even went over and talked him. Before my husband gets any bright ideas, is there any benefit to wearing a sauna suit, and is it safe?

A: The quick answer to your question would be NO, not to the average person looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Sauna suits typically have been used by athletes such as wrestlers or boxers who are looking to quickly drop pounds through water weight in order to make "weight" before a contest. This technique is only used as a last resort and is not a "training style."

Sauna suits often look like large trash bags and are designed to hold heat to the body, causing the body to sweat profusely in an effort to cool itself. This sweating can result in the temporary loss of water weight; however, the key word here is "temporary," since it does not facilitate any longterm weight loss and could actually put a person at risk.

You may have seen the member at your club wear not only a sauna suit, but also a heavy warm-up suit over it. Since the sauna suit itself is not heavy but made of material designed to hold in heat, warm clothes are added on top to really cause the body to sweat. For the average person, the risks of exercising in this condition greatly outweigh any short-term result - if there is any result.

As your body sweats to cool itself, it becomes dehydrated and loses valuable minerals and nutrients in your sweat that it needs to survive. Dehydration is a serious concern and should not be taken lightly. The reason the member at your gym may have looked as if he was working so hard is because he WAS. Dehydration can cause a decrease in the body's performance, and with the lose of sodium through his sweat, he is also asking his body to perform without the support it needs to exercise safely or to recover after exercise.

The use of a sauna suit is definitely not recommended for anyone with any medical condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart conditions. Although your desire to take off pounds may be great, the use of a sauna suit could cause you to lose a whole lot more than weight.

As you know, there is no express road to living a healthy lifestyle. A smarter alternative to losing weight includes taking part in daily physical activity, completing an exercise program at least three times a

week, and making positive nutritional choices. You can make the sauna a part of your lifestyle, but leave the suit at home.

Always consult a physician before beginning an exercise program. If you have a fitness or training question, e-mail Andrea Wyatt at letters.kfws@hearstsc.com or write her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL32853-6475.

(c) 2006 King Features Synd., Inc.