Throwing a Memorable Hot Tub Party Part 1: What Food To Serve

Hot tubs are perfect places to entertain. This three part series explores their use in parties and get-togethers.

Hot Tubs and The Menu for The Party

 Hot Tub Parties are a Fun Touch | (480) 656-7267

First off it is never a good idea to actually eat in your hot tub.  There are a lot of good reasons why you never see people munching on a hoagie or a slice of pizza in their pool or spa.  It makes perfect sense if you think about it.

Why?  Well, a few bits of food along with hot water ends up creating a rather nasty type of soup.  So, keep the food available, but away from the hot tub.  Appetizers such as finger foods and snacks such as pretzels, nuts, and chips, are always a safe bet.  You don't hear many people complaining about endless supplies of those.  The next question you have to ask is more philosophical:  To crock or not to crock, and by 'crock," we're referring to slow cookers or as they are more commonly known: crock-pots.  Throw in some barbecue sauce, some miniature frankfurters, smoked sausage, or meatballs, and you have a tasty and filling appetizer.  When you're dealing with meats, cheeses, and fresh veggies, use a bit of common sense as well as caution.

Make sure that they're covered and either refrigerated or kept in an ice chest.  If you want to make an entree or even entrees, keep it simple.  Go for hamburgers, hot dogs, and other barbecue foods, or if you're going to have a  dish and some sides, you might want to get it catered for even less effort.  Whatever type of food, know about how much food you're going to need for a hot tub party, both in terms of food and how much it will cost.

How Much Food Will You Need for Hot Tub Party?

A lot of people either get too little food for a hot tub party to save money, or too much food and end up wasting it.  If you have to pick, however, it's best to have too much food rather than not enough.  If you are a sharp hostess, you will even insist on your guests taking food home.  That reduces the amount of leftover food you have left, gives you the reputation of being someone who throws great parties, and doesn't make you responsible for wasting food.

Great parties are a combination of things, but the main things are: great food, great drink, and great ambiance.  Part two of this series will explore libations that are appropriate for an outdoor party, and part three will explore how to create ambiance.   The weather's getting nice.  It's time to throw a hot tub party.

Sunset Spas of Arizona is a Glendale hot tub dealer.

Sunset Spas of Arizona
7410 W. Bell Rd. Suite 300
Glendale AZ 85308
623-776-7727
http://www.sunsetspasaz.com

Hot Tubs and Exercise Part 3: Stretch it Out

Be sure to read part one and part two of this series on hot tubs and exercise. This article will explore the importance of incorporating stretching into your workouts.

Stretching and Hot Tub Use

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Hot tubs are a good way to round out a workout, but what about stretching?  Stretching is very important type of exercise.   Not only does it improve your flexibility, it also  helps you to develop great muscle tone, as well as helping to minimize or eliminate cramps.  Most people stretch all the time and don't even know it.

When you wake up in the morning, like most people, you probably stretch instinctively and yawn. What do you do when you're on a long road trip and you get out of the car? You stretch your legs while you're getting gas.   Yoga isn't just a form of meditation, it's also stretching.  Stretching is part of any fitness regimen. To reduce the risks of injury, athletes stretch before and after exercise.  Like using a hot tub, stretching can be dangerous if you're not doing it right.   You run the risk of spraining a muscle or even tearing a ligament if you don't stretch right. However, the health benefits from stretching far outweigh it's potential dangers.

Hot Tubs and Stretching: Perfect Partners

As if flexibility weren't enough, did you know that stretching also improves your  balanceand improves stamina?  It does. Also, like using a hot tub, it helps with blood circulation.  In addition,  lot of people don't know that stretching also helps to improve overall well-being.  There are four different types of stretching: static, ballistic, propioceptive  neuromuscular facilitation, and dynamic stretching. Ballistic stretching is a rapid stretch that involves bouncing. Static stretching is a type of stretch involved holding the stretch for thirty seconds without any movement. Propioceptive  neuromuscular facilitation is a stretching method that targets specific muscle groups. As to when to stretch, that' s also important.

First off, it's never good to stretch without warming up first.  Without a properly warmed up muscle, stretching can cause more harm than good.  A good rule of thumb is to do some sort of brisk exercise for about 3-4 minutes, stretch out, and then exercise.  At the end of your workout, stretch again.  And how do you wrap it all up?  Soak in a hot tub for about 30 minutes.

Sunset Spas of Arizona
7410 W. Bell Rd. Suite 300
Glendale AZ 85308
623-776-7727
http://www.sunsetspasaz.com

Hot Tubs and Exercise Part 2

Part two of a two part series on hot tubs and exercise explores the effect that exercise has on your metabolism and explores some helpful weight loss secrets without dieting.

Using a Phoenix Hot Tub:  Exercise and Its Effects on the Body

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Most people are aware that using a hot tub is a good way of relaxing, however, after a workout it is also very beneficial in keeping your metabolism operating at peak efficiency.  Why does keeping your metabolism high matter?  Well, for one thing, your metabolic rate determines how your body processes calories.  As we age, our metabolism naturally slows down.  As a result, we can eat less and less and still gain wait or find it harder to shed excess pounds.  Every couple of years a new diet by some expert comes out.  There will be several endorsements, and a book deal, but to save you a lot of money and heartache, a lot of diets are either A) potentially harmful B) useless  and C) all of the above.  You can lose a bit of weight at first, however, it will plateau quickly, and then you won't be losing any more weight, that is until the follow up diet comes out.  Most doctors agree that a healthy lifestyle including exercise, good eating habits and getting enough rest are surefire ways of losing weight.

Using a hot tub helps your body maintain it's higher metabolic rate by allowing blood flow from your inner core to go outward, and be circulated.  Also, using a hot tub helps you to relax, which in turn helps you to sleep better.  If you get enough sleep every night, you will also find that losing weight is a lot easier.

Hot Tubs in Phoenix: Lifestyle Changes

Using a hot tub is part of a healthy lifestyle.  One of the most proven and deadliest factors in hypertension, heart disease and other serious health issues is a high level of stress.  Exercise of any sort is good for fighting stress as well as helping to combat some more serious health problems.  Hot tubs and exercise are only part of it.

Getting enough rest, as we discussed above, is important.  Another thing to be aware of is that you want to watch what you eat.  You don't want to diet, just make a few healthy substitutions here and there and control your portions.  You will find that the combination of getting enough rest as well as enough exercise are great first steps to take.  The best step of all however, is to install and use a hot tub.

Sunset Spas of Arizona
2225 West Pecos Road #8
Chandler, AZ 85224
(480) 656-7267
(866) 601-7267
http://www.sunsetspasaz.com

Hot Tubs and Exercise Part 1

Part one of a three part series on hot tubs and exercise explores the importance of good nutrition before, during and after a workout.

Nutrition and Hot Tub Use

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 (480) 656-7267

Before a morning workout, it may sound counter-intuitive, but you want to load up a bit on your carbs. No, that doesn't mean pigging out on doughnuts, or eating an enormous pancake breakfast. Sounds odd, but a great way to much before you head to the gym is to eat some protein rich peanut butter and banana slices as a snack. Another cool tip is to add a few chia seeds to your water or protein drink. Chia seeds absorb huge amounts of water, which allow you to stay hydrated. They're also great for weight loss as you don't eat as much. Whatever you eat, however, you do not want to use your hot tub before you workout. While the hot water can warm up your muscles, it can do it too quickly, and make your workout potentially dangerous. You can use your hot tub after you workout, but be aware of the two T's: Timing and Temperature.

As they say in show business, timing is everything. The same holds true for your hot tub in Phoenix. It is a good idea to cool down for at least an hour after a workout before you slip into a tub. It is very important to cool down as your body temperature will be a lot higher, particularly after a strenuous workout. Cooling down also helps to lower both your heart rate and respiration. If you enter a hot tub too soon, you can get hyperthermia, literally where your body temperature is way too high. Another thing you want to do before you get into the hot tub is to refuel.

Hot Tubs and Chocolate Milk

A lot of people shell out big bucks for a protein shake at their gym without realizing that they have a perfect protein drink that is easily made at home. Chocolate milk has made several personal trainers' must have lists. If you drink it within 30 minutes of a workout's end, you can bounce back a lot quicker from a strenuous workout. So before you jump in a hot tub, drink a glass of chocolate milk. Another thing to remember after a weight training sessions is to remember the protein.

Chocolate milk has protein, as does peanut butter mentioned earlier in this article, however, right after a workout, your muscles are going to need a lot of protein and quickly. Eggs are good for protein as are high omega-3 content fish like salmon and tuna. Eat a lot of protein within an hour of your workout's end. After you get your protein in, you want to soak in a hot tub to help the circulation of blood to your muscles.

Sunset Spas of Arizona
2225 West Pecos Road #8
Chandler, AZ 85224
(480) 656-7267
(866) 601-7267
http://www.sunsetspasaz.com