It burns calories as heat, and most of those calories come from fat," he said. Ferriss said you shouldn't start this plan cold turkey. Start with cold showers, work up to ice packs on your neck and then ice baths three times a week.
Tim Ferriss, in his book The 4-Hour Body, wrote about his discovery of how ice baths can burn calories and keep you trim. He went on to advise his readers who want to lose weight to take ice baths three times a week.
It takes a lot of energy to keep your body warm, so you'd think that calories would melt away. However, studies show that a ten-minute cold plunge will only burn 10-20 additional calories.
Indeed, while certainly not enough to shift mountains of fat, taking ice baths and cold showers can help you burn additional calories thanks to a process dubbed cold thermogenesis.
Dipping yourself in an ice bath for 30 days triggers considerable physiological adaptations such as reduced muscle soreness, improved circulation, and potentially heightened immune function. You may also notice an unexpected boost in mental resilience and mood regulation.
Generally speaking, most fitness experts agree that the average number of ice baths you want to expose yourself, to per week, should top out at between 2-3 plunges, after which the benefits you receive become substantially less noticeable and may place excessive strain on the body.
Boosts Metabolism and Weight Loss
Regular cold showers stimulate the production of brown fat, a type of fat that generates heat by burning calories. Over time, this can aid in weight management and potentially support weight loss efforts when combined with a balanced diet and exercise.
Ice baths can be a beneficial addition to your weight loss journey. They have the potential to increase your metabolism and potentially alter fat cells, which can optimize your body for burning calories. However, it's important to note that ice baths should not be relied upon as a standalone solution.
Lowering the temperature: Brown fat activates at colder temperatures, right before you start shivering. Some studies suggest turning down the thermostat, taking a cold shower or an ice bath could activate brown fat to help your body produce more to burn more calories.
And now, we have another reason to add some R & R to our agendas, thanks to research from Loughborough University published in the journal Temperature: Relaxing in a hot bath can burn as many calories as a 30-minute walk, about 140 calories. Wait, what?
FAT LOSS PROTOCOL
Submerge to your shoulders. Don't fight the shiver; you can even sometimes facilitate the onset by shivering voluntarily. Achieve shiver and keep shivering for 60-120 seconds. Once you have been shivering for 60-120 seconds, exit the tub and stand near it, but don't cross your arms or dry off.
How long should you ice bath for? Research shows that you get the most benefit from cold treatment if you immerse yourself for up to 20 minutes. If you're new to ice baths, it will probably be difficult to stay put for longer than a few minutes.
After a cold plunge, dry off and warm up by getting dressed in dry clothes. You can sip a warm beverage and move to a heated area. But don't head straight for a sauna or hot tub, because the extreme heat could cause too much stress on your body.
After an ice bath, your body temperature rises, and blood flow returns to your tissues. Ice baths may help improve alertness, reduce pain, and decrease inflammation. As a result, they may offer health benefits like reduced muscle soreness, pain relief, and improved mood. However, the research is very limited.
How many calories does a 30-minute cold bath burn? A 30-minute cold bath can burn approximately 150-300 calories, depending on your body's response and the temperature of the water. Remember, the exact number can vary from person to person.
The results show that drinking a single, standard cup of coffee may stimulate brown fat, which would increase the body's metabolic rate—meaning that making these fat cells work hard with the help of coffee burns more calories.
By maintaining a healthy diet and keeping up with regular exercise, you can burn calories and shed the subcutaneous fat your body is storing. If you suspect you may have too much subcutaneous fat, talk to your healthcare provider.
Is there a connection between a cold stomach and the fat burning process? Of course, there is no direct connection, since the cause of the phenomenon lies in the change in blood flow.
Regular Exercise and Fitness Routines
In addition to her dietary changes, Kelly incorporated regular exercise into her daily routine. Her workout regimen included a mix of cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises, each of which contributed to her overall fitness and weight loss success.
Taking cold showers every day for 30 days may lead to increased energy levels and alertness as well as improved overall health. Your skin and hair may feel and look better due to the reduced drying and irritating effects of a hot shower. However, remember, individual responses to cold therapy vary.
Scientific studies haven't yet shown exactly what the optimal length of time to cold plunge is to activate weight loss. This being said, those who swear by cold water immersion often stay in anywhere from 2 minutes to 10 or even 15 minutes.