Do Body Suits Help You Lose Weight?

Do Body Suits Help You Lose Weight?
Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images

Losing weight is a difficult goal for many people. Setbacks and discouragement may cause you to look for quick and easy ways to lose excess pounds. Weight loss is a big industry that includes a variety of supplements, medications and gadgets designed to help dieters lose fat quickly and easily. Body suits are one type of weight loss tool that may cause more harm than good.

Weight Loss

Losing body fat involves creating a calorie deficit that encourages your body to burn stored fat for fuel. One pound of stored fat equals about 3,500 calories. To lose a pound of fat, you must burn 3,500 more calories than you consume in your diet. Cutting back 500 calories from your daily intake will result in about 1 lb. of weight lost each week. Adding regular exercise to your eating restriction will help you burn more calories and lose weight faster. Aiming for a 1 to 2 lb. loss each week is a safe and effective goal.

Body Suits

Body suits designed for weight loss often contain rubber, latex or other materials that limit the evaporation of perspiration. Some companies sell these as sweat suits or exercise suits. Although the styles may vary, body suits generally cover the torso, hips, thighs and buttocks. These suits limit your body's natural ability to cool off during exercise.

Method

Worn during exercises, body suits encourage your body to sweat more than normal. Because the sweat can't evaporate on your skin and cool your body temperature, your body responds to the increase in temperature by producing more sweat. This loss of body fluid results in a reduction of fluid weight and produces a lower reading on the scale. However, this water loss is temporary and returns as you consume fluids and replace the moisture in your cells.

Precautions

Although the dehydration brought on by the use of a body suit can create a temporary loss of water weight, this practice also increases the risk of serious health problems. Excessive fluid loss through sweating causes a reduction in blood flow and restricts the amount of oxygen available to organs and muscles. It can lead to dizziness, weakness and confusion. The increase in body temperature can cause heatstroke and may even lead to coma and death.

References

Article reviewed by RandyS Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

Must see: Photo Galleries

Member Comments