If you look at weight loss media, you will see influencers dipping themselves into cold water claiming it promotes all sorts of benefits, one of which is weight loss. But can this technique really help you shed the pounds? Read on to find out.
What is Cold Plunging?
Cold plunging involves immersing yourself in cold water. It is usually done in water between 50- and 59 degrees Fahrenheit for no more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. However, some will dunk in water that’s a lot colder than that. Normally, everything is submerged except the head.
How Does Cold Plunging Work for Weight Loss?
Some experts believe that plunging in cold water increases metabolism. It causes the body to make up for the drop in temperature which burns calories. It activates brown fat which is responsible for decreasing white fat, or unhealthy fat, in the body.
Brown fat may also promote feelings of satiety, so you eat less.
Studies Concerning Cold Plunging and Weight Loss
Some studies have been conducted concerning cold plunging and weight loss. Research has revealed that regular cold exposure with baths as cool as 39 degrees Fahrenheit, combined with weight loss drugs and a healthy diet and exercise routine can help reduce obesity.
A study published in the International Journal of Circumpolar Health reveals that taking a cold dip can reduce unhealthy body fat. It can also increase “adiponectin’ levels, a hormone that prevents insulin resistance making it effective in reducing the risk and severity of diabetes.
The study also revealed other benefits of cold plunging including:
- Increasing immunity
- Improving circulation
- Boosting mood
- Increasing libido
- Burning calories
- Improving social skills
- Reducing pain and inflammation
- Increasing heart health
- Lowering stress levels
- Jump starting metabolism
Getting Started with Cold Plunging
If you feel like cold plunging may be beneficial to your needs, it’s advisable to start off gradually. Some people don’t enjoy it.
Start by taking cold showers. Decrease the water temperature of your daily showers and stay under the cold water for 15 seconds. Continue increasing your time under the water and decreasing the temperature of the water and see how you are feeling.
Dr. Chris Minson, an expert in exercise physiology, heart health, thermoregulation, and women’s health at the University of Oregon and a member of the American Physiological Society warns, “People are often in a better mood and seem to have more energy. Others may hate it and not be happy. But this is a good test to see if you may like cold exposures.
“If a person is generally healthy and somewhat active, it is safe to try this as it is to start an exercise program,” he asserts.
So what do you think of this type of weight-loss technique? Will you be taking the plunge?
