Sauna Belts - Do they work?

Continuing from the previous post about spot reduction..There are several products on the market that "guarantee" fat loss around the mid-section. Advertisers claim they can target problem areas like the back of your arms, belly, thighs, upper back etc.
How do they "work"?
Check out this ad to get an idea about how they claim the weight loss actually occurs:
http://www.industex.com/en/new-outlet-12/steam-o-belt-30.html

Advertisers claim it would make you sweat, sweat,sweat!It claims you can lose upto 1kg and 3cm in one hour! It is true! It does make you sweat! But you do not lose fat! You lose water! The product dehydrates you! You will put on that weight again as soon as you drink some water.
These belts do increase body heat and cause calorie loss, but you would be better off just going for a 30min walk instead. Also, problems like redness-scarring of the area where the belt is tightened are real.
In short, there is no substitute to good quality exercise and eating healthy.

Spot Reduction - Is there such a thing?

An increasing cause for worry for the increasingly wealthy Indian population is the ever increasing mid-section. Often people come to us saying " I just need to lose my belly. I do not have any fat in my arms and legs". Just give me exercises to lose fat around the belly.
Unfortunately, it doe not work like that.There is no such thing as spot reduction. When you lose fat, you tend to lose it from all over. Doing 400 sit ups will not help you lose the flab over them. It will build your abs muscles, but they will still be covered with flab unless you lose body fat.
How to lose body fat:
1.All body workouts - 3 days of machines + 3 days of cardio with abs workouts. You can add other components like Aerobics/Yoga/Pilates to it to keep things interesting
2.Most Indian meals are very high in carbohydrates. Watch your intake of carbs. For best results switch to a  35-45-20[protein-carb-fat] diet.
3.Do not expect miracles in a couple of months.After all you did not gain that fat in a couple of months. It will not go away in a couple of months. Stick to a good solid workout for at least 6 months to get noticeable results.

Fitness Myth - If I stop exercising I will get fatter / in a worse shape than before:

Effects of detraining[ stopping exercise] are felt quite differently by different age groups.
ACSM[American College of Sports Medicine] lists several factors that cause this variation.
People who undertake low levels of daily aerobic activity [ mild to moderate aerobic exercise] experience the effects of detraining earlier than most others.
Athletes who have high level of aerobic conditioning [ triathletes, long distance cyclists, marathon runners] experience upto 30% drop in stamina with 12 weeks of detraining. But they tend to retain a good level of fitness compared to the group doing low levels of aerobic training [ light walking, 2 - 3 aerobics classes a week]
The effects of detraining are not that marked in people who undertake strength/ resistance/weight training. They find that they keep off the weight and tend to retain good degree of muscle even after 12 weeks of detraining. These things are also influenced by diet, activity levels during detraining and genetics as well.
The points to take home:
1.A good deal of muscle will help you maintain strength over longer periods even if you stop exercising for some periods. That is the reason that strength training is absolutely essential.
2. Do not rely solely on aerobics / cardio to lose weight. If you stop doing that particular exercise you will put on that weight again.
3. A good fitness program will incorporate equal amounts of cardio and strength training. This will help you keep the weight off for longer during your detraining period.
If you have been exercising heavily for long periods and suddenly decide to stop exercising you might put on some weight. The reason for that is that your calorie uptake is higher for the first 2 months of stopping exercise. If you are looking to stop exercising , do try to taper your exercise load. i.e. gradually reduce the exercise load over a period of 4 to 6 weeks.To prevent weight gain after stopping exercise, calculate approximately how many calories you were burning with your exercise activities, then compensate for those calories by reducing the same amount from your diet.
Also, the earlier you start exercising the better it is for you. So don't let yourself get into prolonged periods of no exercise!