Does an outdoor hot tub burn calories?

In this article, I will enrich your knowledge about outdoor hot tubs, "Lovia Spa" is a famous outdoor spa and swimming spa manufacturer, they provide professional outdoor wellness to customers in different industries with leading performance and precedent-setting innovation solutions.

How many calories does sitting in a hot tub burn? Before answering this question, let’s first understand how an outdoor hot tub works.

How outdoor hot tub works

The working principle of an outdoor hot tub is based on the synergy of several key components. First of all, the heating system is crucial, using electric heaters or gas heaters, usually installed at the bottom or sides of the hot water bathtub. These heaters generate heat by resistive heating or by burning gas, quickly raising the water temperature. To ensure that the water temperature is always within the ideal range set by the user, the outdoor hot tub is equipped with a temperature control system. This system can be a simple manual controller or an intelligent control system that can intelligently adjust the working status of the heater to maintain a stable water temperature.

Another key component is the water pump system, which ensures water circulation and even heating. The water pump sucks water from the hot water bathtub, heats it, and then sprays it back into the bathtub to ensure that the water temperature is evenly distributed throughout the hot water bathtub. To keep the water clean, outdoor hot tubs are also equipped with a filtration system that removes impurities, sediment, and bacteria through screens, filters, or other technologies. Finally, due to the large temperature changes in outdoor environments, hot water bathtubs are usually designed with good insulation and heat preservation properties to reduce energy consumption and maintain water temperature. The synergy of these components allows the outdoor hot tub to provide a comfortable, clean hot water-soaking environment.

Who should use a hot tub? Is using a hot tub daily good for you?

First of all, the outdoor hot tub is suitable for those who have physical fatigue and muscle soreness problems. As the pressure of life increases, many people will feel tired and have muscle soreness at work and in life. In this case, the unique design of the outdoor hot tub can help relax muscles through warm water flow, promote blood circulation, accelerate metabolism, help relieve physical fatigue, and improve sleep quality. Secondly, an outdoor hot tub is also an ideal therapy for those suffering from rheumatic diseases such as arthritis and rheumatism. Hot water can warm the joints, slow down inflammation around the joints, and relieve pain, thereby improving the patient's quality of life.

In addition, the outdoor hot bathtub is also suitable for patients with prostatic hyperplasia. It can provide local physical therapy and improve microcirculation. In addition, for patients with perianal diseases, especially mixed hemorrhoids or anal fissures, these patients can also insist on using the hot tub. Take a hot water sitz bath. However, the hot tub is not suitable for patients in the acute infection stage of perianal abscess or failure, or patients who are bedridden for a long time, or in a cachexia state. Of course, before using an outdoor hot tub, patients should seek medical advice to ensure that it will not have any adverse effects on the disease.

At the same time, pregnant women are also one of the potential beneficiaries of outdoor hot tubs. During pregnancy, pregnant women often feel tired and uncomfortable due to changes in their bodies and weight gain. A moderate hot bath can relieve the physical discomfort of pregnant women, relax tight muscles, improve sleep quality, and reduce back and waist pain. However, pregnant women also need to consult a doctor before using a hot water bathtub to ensure safety. In addition, white-collar workers who work long hours and live a stressful life may also consider using an outdoor hot bathtub. In the fast-paced life, many people often neglect to take care of themselves physically and mentally. By using a hot water bathtub regularly, you can effectively relieve the stress caused by work and life, soothe the nervous system, help improve work efficiency, and maintain a good mental state.

Who should not use a hot tub?

Despite the many benefits of an outdoor hot tub, not everyone is suited to frequent or prolonged soaking in a hot tub. For those suffering from cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and high blood pressure, using an outdoor hot tub may increase the burden on the heart. In addition, some patients who are not accustomed to hot water, have skin diseases, as well as children and the elderly need to use hot water bathtubs with caution to avoid causing other health problems.

Does sitting in a hot tub count as exercise?

No, when we talk about exercise, we usually refer to physical activity, which involves muscle movement, cardiovascular system activity, and overall body energy expenditure. Although sitting in an outdoor hot tub can bring some physical comfort and health benefits, it does not challenge the body as comprehensively as aerobics or other physical activities. In an outdoor hot bathtub, the buoyancy of the water eases stress on your joints, while the warm water temperature helps relax tense muscles. This can help relieve muscle pain, improve joint mobility, and improve overall body comfort. In addition, taking a bath can promote blood circulation and help relieve fatigue and stress from the day.

While these benefits of an outdoor hot bathtub are beneficial to the body, they are not a substitute for other, more intense forms of exercise. Real exercise involves a higher heart rate, greater energy expenditure, and engagement of a wider range of body systems. Regular aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, running, or swimming, as well as strength training, can promote better overall health and fitness. So while taking a bath can be a pleasant way to relax, for overall health and wellness it's recommended that it be viewed as a complement rather than a replacement for other, more challenging exercises. According to personal health status and goals, it is ideal to combine various forms of exercise to ensure that the body receives comprehensive care and exercise.

Does a hot tub burn calories?

Research shows that using an outdoor hot tub can boost your metabolism, but it burns a limited number of calories. Taking a bath in an outdoor hot bathtub is not a calorie-burning activity because the body is not exercising a lot in the hot water. However, bathing may cause some subtle metabolic changes, but these are not enough to significantly increase calorie consumption. Generally speaking, taking a bath does not burn as many calories as aerobic exercise. Calorie consumption depends primarily on the body's activity level and metabolic rate. During the bath, the body's energy consumption is mainly used to maintain body temperature and maintain basic physiological functions.

Therefore, the main benefits of taking a bath are to relax muscles, improve blood circulation, and relieve stress, rather than as an obvious calorie-burning activity. If your goal is to burn calories, a more effective approach may be to engage in aerobic exercise such as running, swimming, or biking.

How many calories do you burn in a hot tub?

According to the Daily Mail, soaking in a hot water bathtub burns an average of 126 calories per hour, which is equivalent to walking for 25 to 30 minutes. Taking a hot bath can increase the rate at which the body consumes calories. This is the surprising discovery made by Dr. Faulkner and his research team at Loughborough and Leicester Universities while investigating alternative ways to control type 2 diabetes.

When the research team compared the effects of spending the same amount of time in a hot tub versus riding a bike, they found that the less strenuous activity had some unexpected benefits. They found that taking a hot tub bath for an hour was more effective than riding a bike in lowering blood sugar levels. Ten men with type 2 diabetes who participated in the trial took a hot bath at 40 degrees Celsius and wore a blood glucose meter for the next 24 hours to record their blood sugar changes at any time. On another day, the same participants cycled intensively until their body temperatures rose by 1 degree Celsius, consistent with a hot bath.

Dr. Faulkner said: "We found that peak blood sugar levels were on average 10% lower during hot tub bathing compared with exercise, which was completely unexpected. Significantly higher blood sugar levels after meals are one of the risk markers for type 2 diabetes. One, so lowering blood sugar is good for our health. Using a hot tub increases energy expenditure by 80%, which means they burn more than 100 calories just lying around doing nothing."

This study shows that temperature can increase the rate at which people burn calories and may also help reduce blood sugar spikes after meals. They hope the findings will help with weight management and improve blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes. Dr. Faulkner said: "We think the reason is that hot baths promote the release of heat shock proteins, which control glucose uptake and lower blood sugar levels by improving insulin."

Do different groups burn the same amount of calories in hot tubs?

No the same! Consider the impact of outdoor hot bathtubs on different groups of people. We will conduct detailed analysis and statistics on the differences in calorie burning in hot tubs between the elderly and children, obese people, and thin people. Finally, some cases are discussed and their experiences and their impact on weight loss and health are analyzed.

1. Age factor: The body metabolism rate of the elderly and children is usually relatively low. The metabolic rate of older people gradually decreases with age, while the metabolic rate of children is usually slightly higher than that of adults, but still relatively low. Therefore, they may consume relatively few calories while soaking in an outdoor hot tub.

2. Body size factor: Heavier people usually consume more calories when using an outdoor hot bathtub. This is because their bodies require more energy to maintain basal metabolism and support greater body weight. In contrast, a person who weighs less is likely to expend relatively less energy.

3. Activity level: Even within the same outdoor hot bathtub, different people will have different activity levels. Some people may move their bodies more dynamically, such as kicking slightly or doing some stretches, while others may just sit there quietly. Differences in activity levels may result in differences in calorie consumption.

Since there is no standard calorie consumption formula that applies to different groups of people in a hot water bathtub, it's difficult to provide precise numbers. But it can be easily estimated that the calories consumed by using a hot tub for an hour are relatively low, usually between dozens and a hundred calories. For the elderly and young children, this number may be on the lower end as their metabolic rates may be lower. For fat and thin people, the heavier person may use slightly more energy, but the difference may not be huge.

Case Analysis

Case 1: Elderly people

Background: Mary, 65 years old, is in good health but has mild joint pain.

Sharing experience: Mary uses the outdoor hot tub every night for about 30 minutes each time. She found it helped relieve her joint pain and helped her relax. She's not particularly focused on how many calories she's burning, but more on comfort and physical and mental health.

Evaluation of effectiveness: Although using an outdoor hot tub consumes relatively few calories on Mary's body, it helps improve her quality of life. By reducing joint pain and relaxing her body and mind, she feels more comfortable and relaxed, helping her maintain a positive mindset and healthy lifestyle.

Case 2: Young people

Background: Jack, 30 years old, is in good health but wants to lose weight and get in shape.

Experience sharing: Jack uses the outdoor hot tub 2-3 times a week, for about 1 hour each time. He does some simple water exercises while taking a bath, such as kicking and stretching. He finds that not only does it help him relax and unwind, but it also allows him to recover more quickly after feeling tired, and he generally feels more relaxed and comfortable after a hot tub session.

Evaluation of effectiveness: For Jack, soaking in a hot tub is part of his fitness plan. Although the hot tub is not his main way of consuming calories, it helps him recover faster after exercise. By combining a healthy diet with other exercises, using an outdoor hot tub becomes part of his overall healthy lifestyle, helping him achieve his weight loss and body-shaping goals.

Article Conclusion

Taking a soak in an outdoor hot bathtub may burn some calories, but it's generally not a high-intensity activity and the calorie burn is relatively low. For older people and young children, their energy expenditure may be less, while heavier people may use more energy. Different activity levels can also lead to differences in energy expenditure.

If you want to effectively lose weight or increase your metabolic rate, soaking in an outdoor hot tub can usually only be used as part of an overall healthy lifestyle. Long-term health and weight loss goals can be achieved by combining a healthy diet, moderate exercise, and good lifestyle habits. Although the calorie consumption of a hot water bathtub may be limited, it can have a positive impact on relaxing the body and mind, improving joint pain, and promoting recovery. For some people, these effects may be more important than pure calorie consumption.