30-Day Cold Shower Challenge

Options
Virgiree21
Virgiree21 Posts: 71 Member
edited March 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
So I've came across different benefits of a cold shower when looking for different ways to ease muscles pain. I came to find out that cold showers have a lot more benefits than I thought. One including stimulating weight lose. "Cold showers can aid weight loss in an unexpected way. The human body contains two types of fat tissue, white fat and brown fat. White fat is accumulated when we consume more calories than our body needs to function, and we don’t burn these calories for energy. This body fat piles up at our waist, lower back, neck, and thighs, and is the one we all struggle to eliminate. Brown fat is the good fat, which generates heat to keep our bodies warm, and is activated when exposed to extreme cold, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center, a Harvard Medical School affiliate. Thus, cold showers can promote brown fat activity.

A 2009 study found that exposure to extreme cold temperatures activated brown fat in 23 and 24 participants by a 15-fold increase, meaning someone could lose up to nine pounds in a year if they kept this practice up. "

Other benefits: Strengthens the immune system
Flushes toxins from the skin

Increases blood circulation which helps flush out toxins everywhere in the body
Promotes growth and repair of the circulatory system by stimulating capillary beds often left to "stagnate" with blood

Actually keep you warm for the rest of the day
Increases fertility in men
Has an anti-depressant effect on your mood
Balances the autonomic nervous system (This makes you feel relaxed and peaceful, yet still alert, when you get out of the shower.
Wakes you up in the morning!

More info in the links below or just Google it yourself. :]

I started today. After i worked out I started with a hot shower and washed up. Then I slowly adjusted the temp letting the water hit my face hair and so on then again gradually making it colder. About half way between pretty cold and ice cold (my shower gets pretty darn close to ice cold) I turned it to the coldest temp and stayed for about 20 seconds. (I was freezing!) But an hour later I feel fantastic! Better than I ever had after a shower. I'm rather warm too. Strange. So, do I have anyone who's up for the challenge?
You should not take this challenge if you have High blood pressure Heart disease or are overheated or feverish

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/01/18/the-james-bond-shower-a-shot-of-cold-water-for-health-and-vitality/

http://www.medicaldaily.com/benefits-cold-showers-7-reasons-why-taking-cool-showers-good-your-health-289524


http://www.thefeelgoodlifestyle.com/how-i-crushed-the-30-day-cold-shower-challenge-the-great-life-secret-i-discovered.html
http://www.rodalenews.com/are-cold-showers-good-you
«1345

Replies

  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    Options
    I.....no.

    No no no.

    Even if it works, which I doubt.

    Still no.
  • chubby_checkers
    chubby_checkers Posts: 2,354 Member
    Options
    I did this challenge when my water heater broke.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    Options
    chubby_checkers wrote: »
    I did this challenge when my water heater broke.

    I didn't even do it then. Not gonna lie, I went a few days without a shower until it got fixed.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    edited March 2015
    Options
    Ummm no!! Just. No!!!

    ETA: This reads like commercial, even has warnings, lol.
  • Virgiree21
    Virgiree21 Posts: 71 Member
    Options
    Haha! It wasn't that bad. I normally slash ice cold water on my face after ever shower. It use to be horrible but I'm use to it now. I actually boiled water and poured it in the tub when the same happened to me haha.
  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,668 Member
    Options
    In.
    For this thread, not for the challenge
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
    Options
    If it makes you feel good to do it, go for it. I turn it cold a few times occasionally just because it is very refreshing.

    But my understanding is that to activate brown fat you would have to be in much colder conditions for much longer. A few seconds of a cold shower won't do it. I could be wrong though...I haven't really researched this. I just watched some random show on Discovery or something. LOL!
  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
    Options
    I would have been super skinny during last summer if that was the case (No AC at all!! :tired_face: ). Yet, that's when I began MFP cuz I was overweight.
  • guinevere96
    guinevere96 Posts: 1,445 Member
    Options
    Ive actually done this and its honestly not bad, and I really did feel pretty great all day. Its just the adrenaline rush though, im not sure about any actual health benefits. But my hair never looked better tbh.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Options
    Has an anti-depressant effect on your mood

    No! A cold shower would not put me in a good mood.
  • ErikThaRed
    ErikThaRed Posts: 139 Member
    Options
    Virgiree21 wrote: »
    But an hour later I feel fantastic! Better than I ever had after a shower.

    Sounds like mind over matter to me. See how you do after a few days... i would wager this is all nonsense.
  • Aemely
    Aemely Posts: 694 Member
    Options
    At least do it for charity!

    http://www.polarplunge.com/
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    Options
    guinevere96 wrote: »
    Ive actually done this and its honestly not bad, and I really did feel pretty great all day. Its just the adrenaline rush though, im not sure about any actual health benefits. But my hair never looked better tbh.

    Yeah, cold rinses are supposed to get rid of waxy buildup from conditioners, etc. The few times I've tried it (practically doing a backbend so the cold water would hit my head and nothing else) I did notice my hair was shinier.
  • verymissk
    verymissk Posts: 262 Member
    edited March 2015
    Options
    Seems legit.
  • RaeBeeBaby
    RaeBeeBaby Posts: 4,245 Member
    Options
    I usually try to turn the water to cool for the hair wash and rinse because it's easier on the follicles. I've been re-grouting and re-caulking my shower for the past couple weeks (big job) and just finishing up today. Since I've been without a shower for a long time I can't wait to take nice long HOT shower tomorrow! Lest ye think I'm stinky, I do have an old-fashioned claw foot bathtub so I can stay clean, but I miss my shower greatly!

    I'll check back in a week or so if this challenge is still going on, I might reconsider. :p
  • Virgiree21
    Virgiree21 Posts: 71 Member
    Options
    guinevere96 wrote: »
    Ive actually done this and its honestly not bad, and I really did feel pretty great all day. Its just the adrenaline rush though, im not sure about any actual health benefits. But my hair never looked better tbh.

    T
    ErikThaRed wrote: »
    Virgiree21 wrote: »
    But an hour later I feel fantastic! Better than I ever had after a shower.

    Sounds like mind over matter to me. See how you do after a few days... i would wager this is all nonsense.

    I'm definitely going to continue it just to see.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    Options
    Omg. In.

    For [pseudo]science.
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    Options
    verymissk wrote: »
    Seems legit.

    Well, duh, this is why everyone in the cold midwest are so super skinny, whereas all the people in milder climates are obese. That's just science, folks.


    Don't even get me started on how crazy thin all the Canadians are, it's so cold that they just eat butter all day and never exercise. They certainly never run in the snow and count calories.
  • Virgiree21
    Virgiree21 Posts: 71 Member
    Options
    Otterluv wrote: »
    verymissk wrote: »
    Seems legit.

    Well, duh, this is why everyone in the cold midwest are so super skinny, whereas all the people in milder climates are obese. That's just science, folks.


    Don't even get me started on how crazy thin all the Canadians are, it's so cold that they just eat butter all day and never exercise. They certainly never run in the snow and count calories.

    Totally. Don't get me started with the Eskimo's.
  • Virgiree21
    Virgiree21 Posts: 71 Member
    Options
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »
    Omg. In.

    For [pseudo]science.

    Awesome! Yay for science

Categories