Is It True Massage Can Help You Lose Weight?

Losing weight can be challenging, so it's no surprise people look for any tool that can help them take off the pounds. Case in point, there is a misconception that you can trim down simply by getting regular massages. Like most rumors, there is a modicum of truth to this myth. Massage can help you lose weight, but only in the following indirect ways.

Enhances Recovery

Exercise can be hard on the body, resulting in aches and pains that may make it challenging to continue. Getting a massage can help you recover faster, because it stimulates your circulation. The primary benefit of this is more oxygen and nutrients will be delivered to your muscles, helping them grow and boosting your metabolism as a consequence. Better circulation can also help you get rid of waste and toxins, improving your body's overall function.

Additionally, massage can ease some of the pain you may be feeling after working out, and even correct minor injuries that may otherwise have stopped you from returning to the gym. This ensures you stick to your workout schedule, so you can continue burning calories and fat.

Reduces Stress

Another way massage assists with weight loss is it reduces stress. Many people don't know, but chronic stress can impede your efforts to take off the pounds in a few ways. First, it reduces the number of calories you burn and leads to increased insulin levels. Insulin encourages fast storage. This is likely because you generate a number of chemicals (e.g. cortisol and adrenaline) when you're stressed out that disrupt normal hormone functioning.

On top of that, these hormones can trigger you to overeat. In fact, stress itself can provoke you to eat more than you should as a way to cope with the negative emotions and mental wear and tear it causes, which can derail your diet.

Massage can go a long way toward reducing stress. In one study, people who received massages on a regular basis reported less chronic pain and had less cortisol in their saliva. Massage can also improve your body image, something that may help you feel better about yourself and avoid unhealthy habits that could sabotage your efforts.

Although massage doesn't directly lead to weight loss, it can help in many beneficial ways. For more information about incorporating massage into your weight loss efforts or to begin a treatment program that addresses your needs, contact a local masseuse. Visit a site like http://dccrocksprings.com/ for more help.