Cold Showers for Weight Loss

124

Replies

  • smaugish
    smaugish Posts: 244 Member
    Well, I've always preferred a cold shower to a hot one and I'm still fat sooo....

    Yeah.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,252 Member
    cold showers are only good for one think and that is not weight loss
    Myth, it actually does the opposite.:smile:
  • silken555
    silken555 Posts: 478 Member
    Looks at temps outside that have been in the -22F to -40F range since October and wonders how she isn't a twig yet seeing as she's consistently stuck in them daily for at least 20-40min at a time depending on when the bus decides to get its butt to her....
  • besee_2000
    besee_2000 Posts: 365 Member
    Cold showers won't drop 2 lbs instantly. Its an added thing to help. A workout itself won't make you drop 2 lbs in a day unless extreme measures either. However, 365 days later you might see a small scale difference.

    I tried the 20 second option at rinse-off in the shower after a workout. I more or less did not stay under the water so doubt it really did any good. It did shorten my lingering showers and the transition to stepping out was not that bad. Its even better on the skin to shrink pores. If it takes only 20 sec of my shower I'd say its not that bad.
  • mekkzy888
    mekkzy888 Posts: 100 Member
    Apparently your body does have to work harder to keep a regular core temperature in cold environments and if you're shivering too that also burns calories but I highly doubt it'd make a huge difference unless you were cold like all year round and I'd much rather just cut a few more calories or do a half-hour workout than be freezing all the time :/
  • rhii_xx
    rhii_xx Posts: 5
    Fact: There are zero calories in a cold shower

    Also Fact: There are a lot of calories in the hot chocolate with marshmallows I would need to recover from said shower.

    Omg :laugh: ^
  • angie007az
    angie007az Posts: 406 Member
    Nope, I only take hot showers.
  • DamianaKitten
    DamianaKitten Posts: 479 Member
    I take cold swims in our pool when the outside temp is above 70. I don't do it for weight loss, though. I do it because 1) I feel freaking AWESOME after (just 10 minutes is enough) and 2) Well, I'm a bit insane. Seriously, though. My joints feel so much better after a cold swim, especially after a long exercise session. There has been some evidence that it improves your sex drive, and white blood cell count, but I didn't do enough research to get to the peer reviewed research, 'cause I felt awesome and didn't care. :laugh: I hate cold showers, though. Just standing around being cold? :huh: No thanks. Cold swims are fun for me, though. I get to splash about in the water, usually doing laps, sometimes doing some resistance training, and get out feeling awesome.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    derpity doo da, derpity day, my oh my what a derpity day...
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    I take cold swims in our pool when the outside temp is above 70. I don't do it for weight loss, though. I do it because 1) I feel freaking AWESOME after (just 10 minutes is enough) and 2) Well, I'm a bit insane. Seriously, though. My joints feel so much better after a cold swim, especially after a long exercise session. There has been some evidence that it improves your sex drive, and white blood cell count, but I didn't do enough research to get to the peer reviewed research, 'cause I felt awesome and didn't care. :laugh: I hate cold showers, though. Just standing around being cold? :huh: No thanks. Cold swims are fun for me, though. I get to splash about in the water, usually doing laps, sometimes doing some resistance training, and get out feeling awesome.

    Ahhh! Another cold swim aficionado! Even though the water isn't THAT cold, it is cold enough to be invigorating--and, as you have observed, awesome for arthritis (even though it is counter-intuitive for those with arthritis).
  • DamianaKitten
    DamianaKitten Posts: 479 Member
    I take cold swims in our pool when the outside temp is above 70. I don't do it for weight loss, though. I do it because 1) I feel freaking AWESOME after (just 10 minutes is enough) and 2) Well, I'm a bit insane. Seriously, though. My joints feel so much better after a cold swim, especially after a long exercise session. There has been some evidence that it improves your sex drive, and white blood cell count, but I didn't do enough research to get to the peer reviewed research, 'cause I felt awesome and didn't care. :laugh: I hate cold showers, though. Just standing around being cold? :huh: No thanks. Cold swims are fun for me, though. I get to splash about in the water, usually doing laps, sometimes doing some resistance training, and get out feeling awesome.

    Ahhh! Another cold swim aficionado! Even though the water isn't THAT cold, it is cold enough to be invigorating--and, as you have observed, awesome for arthritis (even though it is counter-intuitive for those with arthritis).

    Some days are worse than others. It's been "cold" here the last few weeks (50's for the most part) so the water isn't warming up very quickly. :laugh: My rules is that if I put my ankle in, and it's excruciating, I don't get it. If it's just unpleasant, in I go! I refuse to swim under intense pain, but just being unhappy with the temp means I'll adjust pretty quickly and be fine. It's fun.
  • ayalowich
    ayalowich Posts: 242 Member
    I just took my first one and OMG the cold shower was terrifying!!! But as you near the end your body starts to get used to the temperature. Doctors have said it increases weight loss and helps build muscle because the temperature increases your glucose intake. Pretty neat but not too bad. I think I'll take them for a month and see what happens.

    I would have to see the science on that. Sounds like BS to me.
  • rm7161
    rm7161 Posts: 505
    I just took my first one and OMG the cold shower was terrifying!!! But as you near the end your body starts to get used to the temperature. Doctors have said it increases weight loss and helps build muscle because the temperature increases your glucose intake. Pretty neat but not too bad. I think I'll take them for a month and see what happens.

    I would have to see the science on that. Sounds like BS to me.

    Cold showers are BS... but as I explained, there's a grain of truth in there with cold temperatures and brown fat. It's also easy to out-eat the benefit, so if the person is not following a sensible eating and exercise plan, it's not going to be of much help.

    There is no need to do anything extreme, either. Take precautions with cold weather by dressing appropriately, and small changes like setting the thermostat to 68 indoors can have some benefit.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    i prefer luke warm showers..they burn body fat and build muscle at the same time...
  • cschiff
    cschiff Posts: 209 Member
    Cold showers for weight loss totally work.

    As long as they are taken after a full on work out and before a calorie controlled breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

    That's what I was thinking lol. There is no magic way to lose weight. Burn more calories, eat well, move your body.
  • chelseascounter
    chelseascounter Posts: 1,283 Member
    I made it to my goal weight without any cold water showers so I'm good. Warm baths on the other hand... mmm.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I heard a cold cup of ice with water before bed helps burn calories more while u sleep but I usually don't so it since I hate waking up in the middle of the night for bathroom break

    you heard wrong..
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    OP - is there a rainbow in your shower and do unicorns bring you towels?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Actually, there's something to the theory as all those other linked articles explained. I get the best burns at the pool--I work hard but I think the cold water (not really cold--about 79-82 degrees) has been shown to burn extra calories. :smile:

    idiocy breeds more idiocy
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    Actually, there's something to the theory as all those other linked articles explained. I get the best burns at the pool--I work hard but I think the cold water (not really cold--about 79-82 degrees) has been shown to burn extra calories. :smile:

    idiocy breeds more idiocy

    You're being so mean!

    It's much more supportive (and a hell of a lot more entertaining) to encourage all these cold showers . . .

    OP - take those cold showers, you'll be looking all ripped in no time. :flowerforyou:
  • susieoj
    susieoj Posts: 181
    http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/2012/09/burning-more-fat-with-cold/

    There are many sites which explain the theory behind cold thermogenesis, it's not bull, also not for everyone... But just because you don't like it...that doesn't mean it's bull lol
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    :huh:
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/2012/09/burning-more-fat-with-cold/

    There are many sites which explain the theory behind cold thermogenesis, it's not bull, also not for everyone... But just because you don't like it...that doesn't mean it's bull lol

    LMFAO! Definitely subscribe to that site. Please. :flowerforyou:
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    i prefer luke warm showers..they burn body fat and build muscle at the same time...
    That works but it's a slow process. By changing the temp every 30 seconds you can do cut and bulk cycles. Much better.
  • sisterlilbunny
    sisterlilbunny Posts: 686 Member
    I read on the interwebs that if you take an icicle and place it up your nether regions that you'll reduce your core temp and burn more calories. It might have been a story on a fetish site though. *shrugs*


    /end idiot phase
  • _xsomedayx_
    _xsomedayx_ Posts: 7
    One time, the hot water wasn't working right and I really needed a shower, so I took one cold. I ended up huddling under the blankets for a good while afterward.
  • pseudomuffin
    pseudomuffin Posts: 1,058 Member
    One time, the hot water wasn't working right and I really needed a shower, so I took one cold. I ended up huddling under the blankets for a good while afterward.

    Been there!! Couldn't make me do it willingly, I look forward to my hot showers!
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,252 Member
    I read on the interwebs that if you take an icicle and place it up your nether regions that you'll reduce your core temp and burn more calories. It might have been a story on a fetish site though. *shrugs*


    /end idiot phase
    lol.
  • angie007az
    angie007az Posts: 406 Member
    I'm losing weight great and I take nice hot showers.

    Amen!
  • mrdexter1
    mrdexter1 Posts: 356 Member
    cold shower for weight loss !

    you should listen to your mother... its for stifling a stiffy !!!

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