The fitness industry is constantly evolving, with new methods and technologies emerging to help individuals achieve their weight loss and wellness goals. HOTWORX has rapidly gained popularity as one of the fastest-growing franchise organizations in the fitness industry. This article delves into the science behind infrared technology and its potential to aid in weight loss, with a focus on HOTWORX and its unique approach to fitness.
The Rise of HOTWORX: A Fusion of Heat, Infrared, and Exercise
The HOTWORX franchise, after only five and a half years in development, has rapidly become one of the fastest growing franchise organizations in the history of the fitness industry. One of the reasons for the growth is the results that members get from the 3D Training Method combining heat, infrared energy, and exercise. The results speak for themselves through the thousands of unsolicited 5-star customer reviews online.
One of the key differentiators of HOTWORX is its 3D Training Method, which combines heat, infrared energy, and exercise. This innovative approach aims to maximize the benefits of each element, leading to enhanced results for members. The effectiveness of this method is reflected in the numerous positive customer reviews online.
It’s interesting to note that there are now 19 HOTWORX franchise owners who are doctors. One of those, a medical power couple in Houston, Dr. Jeffrey Liang and and his wife Lisa who is a nurse. Dr. Jeffrey Liang has a sports and family medicine practice. Lisa came to him with the HOTWORX idea originally and at first he was a skeptic. With his “exercise is medicine” philosophy, though, he decided to give it a try. Now he is a believer in infrared fitness programs, and is an advocate, especially for the recovery aspect of HOTWORX. He refers patients to HOTWORX now as a part of their recovery and ongoing wellness programs.
Understanding Infrared Absorption
Infrared light is a type of electromagnetic radiation that is invisible to the naked eye but felt as heat. Imagine walking into the sunlight from the shade. The warmth that you feel as you walk into the sun is infrared light. It has longer wavelengths than visible light, and it can penetrate deep into the skin and tissues. This deep penetration is key to understanding how infrared therapy may influence fat burning.
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Infrared therapy comes in various forms, including infrared saunas, infrared lamps, and infrared wraps. The concept behind these therapies is that the deep heat generated by infrared light can stimulate the body in ways that lead to increased calorie burning and fat loss.
How Infrared Absorption Works in the Body: Unlocking the Potential for Fat Burning
When infrared light is absorbed into the body, it creates heat in the deep tissues. This warming effect triggers several physiological responses including:
Increased Circulation and Metabolism
Infrared absorption increases blood flow to tissues and raises the body's core temperature. As the body works to cool itself down, the metabolism gets a boost. A higher metabolism means more calories are burned throughout the day, which may aid in fat loss immediately and over time. Smith, 2020, HOT EXERCISE, p. 1: heatRaises your core body temperature and speeds up metabolismWhen your core body temperature rises, there is an anabolic effect that speeds up your metabolism. Another heated workout advantage is that less time is required for warm ups in a heated studio.
Stimulation of Fat Cells
Research suggests that infrared light can stimulate fat cells to release fatty acids. When this happens, the fat is broken down and used as fuel by the body, a process called lipolysis. By encouraging fat cells to shrink by releasing their contents including stored fat, infrared therapy may support fat burning.
Some studies suggest that infrared radiation can stimulate, and thereby improve the function of mitochondria, which are the cell structures that produce energy. This can lead to more efficient fat oxidation during physical activity. Through oxidation fat is literally burned up and excreted out of the lungs through breathing.
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As reported by The National Center for Biotechnology Information, water filtered infrared can impact the breakdown of fat. The report stated that, “The results of the study indicate, that wIRA irradiation during moderate ergometer endurance exercise can be used - in combination with an appropriate nutrition - to improve body composition, especially local fat distribution, and the reduction of fat and body weight in obese persons.” (1)
Detoxification Through Sweating
One of the well-known benefits of infrared saunas is the intense sweating they produce. Infrared induced sweating helps the body eliminate toxins, which can reduce the burden on fat cells that store these toxins. Infrared saunas are more effective for detox than traditional saunas. It has been shown that infrared induced sweat contains more toxins than traditional sauna sweating. As a result, infrared therapy is often marketed as a detoxifying method that supports healthy fat loss by enabling the body to function more efficiently.
It is well known that sweating assists in the detox process. Here is one notable quote from Dr. Liang, “infrared exponentially multiplies the sweating.” And, we know that the sweat from an infrared sauna produces up to 7X more detox when compared to sweating from a traditional sauna.
Consider this excerpt from HOT EXERCISE:What is more, far-infrared sweating is superior to traditional sauna sweating because FIR saunas generate more sweat at lower temperatures (for HOTWORX®, the ideal workout temperature is 125°F). In contrast, conventional saunas require 180°F to more than 200°F to get similar sweating volume results. It is worth mentioning again that sweat from an infrared sauna has been proven to contain five to seven times more toxic waste than that of a traditional sauna. (2)
Infrared Therapy and Caloric Burn
Studies show that infrared saunas can help you burn a significant number of calories, similar to the effect of moderate exercise. Imagine what can happen when you combine infrared sauna therapy with exercise! During an infrared sauna session, your heart rate increases, and the body expends energy to cool itself down and to provide muscle recovery, burning calories in the process. Although the exact number of calories burned varies based on individual factors, it is estimated that a 30-minute infrared sauna session can burn up to 600 calories which can greatly enhance the fat burning process.
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HOTWORX provides its customers with the Burn Off App. This app tracks the actual workout calorie burn and one hour after-burn data to give users immediate feedback for tracking fitness results. You can’t know where you are going unless you know where you’ve been. Knowing your workout calorie burn gives you a standard to improve upon during each workout.
Infrared Absorption for Fat Reduction
Some infrared treatments, like low-level laser therapy (LLLT), are specifically designed to target fat reduction. These treatments use specific wavelengths of infrared light to penetrate deep into the body, heating fat cells and encouraging them to break down more quickly. Although LLLT is often marketed for spot fat reduction, it’s important to remember that the most fat loss occurs when the body is in a caloric deficit. Therefore, while infrared can aid in breaking down fat, it’s still crucial to pair IR with lifestyle changes for long-term results.
The Role of Infrared in Reducing Inflammation and Stress
Chronic inflammation and stress can contribute to weight gain and fat storage, particularly around the abdomen. Infrared therapy is known for its ability to reduce inflammation by promoting blood circulation and the delivery of oxygen to tissues. By reducing inflammation, infrared absorption may help improve the body’s ability to lose fat.
In addition, infrared light therapy is often associated with a reduction in cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can lead to fat storage, particularly in the belly area. By lowering stress, infrared therapy may support a healthier hormonal balance, which in turn may make fat loss easier. Dr. Liang expressed how effective infrared training is for mood and referenced Dr. Rhonda Patrick who spoke at the HOTWORX convention this year in Scottsdale, AZ.
Maximizing Weight Loss with HOTWORX: A Holistic Approach
While infrared absorption offers several potential benefits, it's important to view it as a complementary tool in a broader fat-burning strategy. Here’s how you can maximize its impact:
Combine with Exercise
It is well known that infrared therapy can enhance recovery after workouts by reducing muscle soreness and improving circulation, making it easier to stay active. But, why not workout in an infrared sauna, thus providing an active recovery from the workout while doing the workout. There’s no need to waste time when you can do both. Recover and workout simultaneously with a program like HOTWORX. Exercise also boosts metabolism, so combining infrared with exercise can compound fat-burning results. Smith, 2020, HOT EXERCISE, p. 2: infrared EnergyActivates and strengthens the regenerative process in the human bodyInfrared energy has the effect of strengthening and activating the regenerative processes in the human body. This is why workouts in an infrared energy environment can help to accelerate workout recovery. Smith, 2020, HOT EXERCISE, p. 3: ExerciseIncreases your heart rate and maximizes calorie burnTwo forms of exercise work very well inside of the HOTWORX infrared sauna- Isometrics and HIIT. With isometrics, a variety of methods can be used, such as yoga and pilates.
Dr. Liang also pointed out how important it was that the HOTWORX training program, with the semi-private workout environment, is adaptable to all fitness levels from the beginner to the pro athlete. He also noted that with HOTWORX, for members, “there are no intimidation barriers.”
As an RN, Lisa has been in and around medicine as well for over 20 years in primary/family care, labor and delivery, OBGYN, critical care, fertility, surgery, oncology, and general care. She is well-rounded to advise clients for what is needed to launch a healthy lifestyle for longevity. She has a personal fitness journey that is inspiring as well. Her history with obesity, weight loss surgery, 6 pregnancies, 8 babies (2 sets of twins), helping other families complete their family by being their surrogate, extensive skin removal plastic surgery, and chronic back issues, in her words…“HOTWORX is and has been a miracle intervention to me! It has allowed me to become more flexible. My back pain is all but gone. My surgical incisions are healing at a ridiculously rapid pace, and my cardiovascular system functions like that of a marathon runner…”Lisa talked for a while about the surgery recovery benefits and the increased blood flow for wound healing acceleration. In her words, “it jump starts the healing process,” and it is “great for diminishing scars and is a recovery therapy.”
Proper Dieting
Always remember, no fat loss strategy is complete without a nutritious diet. A balanced intake of whole foods, plenty of water, and a caloric deficit will help ensure that infrared absorption techniques contribute to lasting fat loss.
That said…Have you ever needed to begin a weight loss program but struggled with the vast abyss of nutritional options out there? Fitness dieting doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it works much better when it remains simple. The math of weight loss is easy. You lose weight when you take in fewer calories than you burn off. All you need is consistency and a reasonable path to follow, and one that is sustainable over time. Over the years of fitness that I have experienced, I have discovered that the most effective long term approach to dieting is to follow the 10% calorie deficit rule. What is that? Simply put, if you consume 10% less calories than you burn off each day on average, you will lose weight and shed fat in a sustainable way, and it will become a part of your fitness lifestyle. You can turn into a lean, fitness warrior machine if you take this approach. I am a believer in this because I do it myself and I have watched countless others achieve fitness success with this method.
What you need is a great app that keeps you on a 90 day challenge, is tied to your workouts, and helps you to track your daily calorie burn and calorie intake with a succinct and readable dashboard. The dashboard needs one main calorie progress bar and three supplemental progress bars for macros. The macros bars should let you see how well balanced your nutrition is in real time. We designed a great dashboard for Diet Trax! Diet Trax is your 90 Day Diet Challenge that is in sync with your 90 Day Workout Challenge. By the way, did you know it takes 90 days to form a good (or a bad) habit? Diet Trax will help you to form a good diet habit!
Diet Trax is a simple diet tool to compliment your training sessions, and one with technology that auto-syncs with your workout data too! For those studio goers who want to up their game to the ultimate level, HOTWORX will release this fitness tool to the market next week on January 1, 2022. Now ready and on schedule for launch, this BURN OFF APP upgrade is the latest addition to the HOTWORX premium membership plan, Sweat Everywhere. Diet Trax and the ultimate fitness Level 7 will take your fitness where it has not gone before. Level 7 is for all of you fitness warriors who are chompin’ at the bit to jump start the new year.
Proper dieting depends on the fitness goal of the individual. However, there are some basic truths that cannot be denied when it comes to your nutritional intake. Most people struggle to maintain their most ideal fitness weight. For the vast majority, ideal weight requires weight loss and maintenance once the goal has been achieved. In a world where people seem to change diets as often as they change socks, success can be found in consistency and simplification. I’m reminded of a scene in one of my favorite movies, Contact with Jodie Foster. Foster’s character, Ellie, was called to testify before congress, and in that scene one Senator used the term Occam's razor to make an argument that the most simple explanation tends to be the correct one. Dieting advice has been “multiplied unnecessarily” for sure. Let’s stop the madness.
Diet Trax makes it simple again. The key to losing weight is easy math. When you consume less calories than you burn you will lose weight. There is no need to complicate this. You just need a tool for consistency and simplicity. Diet Trax integrates the data from HOTWORX workout calories burned with an advanced daily diet tracking log to allow users to view progress towards the goal of a 10% deficit of calories consumed to calories burned throughout the day and pursuant to a 90 day diet challenge that is in sync with a 90 day workout challenge. You get what you measure in life! There you have it, the keys to fitness success…simplicity, consistency and measurability. You get all three with the HOTWORX BURN OFF APP and the all new Diet Trax.
Consistency is Key
And, never forget, the key to seeing results with infrared therapy is consistency. Regular use, with exercise in an infrared sauna, can help you reap the long-term benefits of improved circulation, detoxification, and metabolic stimulation.
The Future of Fitness: Embracing the Infrared Frontier
In the quest for effective weight loss and fat burning, new and innovative methods are constantly being explored. One of the latest trends gaining traction in health and wellness circles is the use of infrared technology.
Infrared absorption presents an exciting new frontier in the world of fat burning and weight loss. The tagline of my book, HOT EXERCISE, reads “HOTWORX and the Bold New Infrared Fitness Frontier”. Infrared energy and heat combined with the right exercise constitutes a new 3 dimensional way to do a workout.
I sent out a questionairre prior to our online chat and one of the questions was, what are your thoughts on the importance of exercise as it relates to health? Here is his answer.‘It’s extremely important. Nothing replaces exercise, but infrared heat in combination with exercise is a game changer for health and wellness.” I also asked, what are your thoughts on the combination of heat, infrared energy and exercise, otherwise known as 3D Training? He answered…“It’s phenomenal, and speaking from a clinical standpoint recovery specifically, your blood and oxygen increases, helps healing in any injury, in any recovery from intense sports, and any surgical recovery. It, overall, is honestly the best supplement to any person's regime of health and wellness.”
According to Lisa, “Jeff practices what he preaches.” Most of his career has been in a multi-specialty orthopedic practice but has since moved on to working in a supervisory and teaching role with a rapidly growing urgent care business. Dr. Liang also sees the development of a fracture clinic in his future.
This duo’s health and fitness philosophy is, as Lisa puts it is, “kick aging in the ass!!