How many calories will use lose in a cold (not ice) bath?

bexominglex · November 2011

I have been sick with a cold for the last week or so and have no energy for exercising. However, I know that being cold will burn calories. I don't want to get an ice bath, but in theory how many calories would a person burn in a cold (not ice) bath for every minute, 10 minutes, whatever? I can't find any info online. By cold, I mean cool enough to make you feel chilled after about 10 minutes, but not a shock to the system.

Also, does anyone know if you naturally burn more calories when you are sick? Thanks.

Jorra · November 2011

Sitting in an ice bath will not burn any significant amount of calories to be worth the pain endured by doing such a thing. Same for a cold, but not icy, bath.

If you want to eat more when you're sick to fuel your immune system, go right ahead. Focus on getting well first before weight loss.

Misiaxcore · November 2011

I'm no expert, but I would assume it would be an insignificant amount compared to what you would burn without being in a cold bath.

ChristinaMcKeever · November 2011

In: Calorie Count [Edit categories]
Answers.com > Wiki Answers > Categories > Health > Nutrition > Calorie Count > Do cold baths and showers help you burn a lot of calories?
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Your body generates heat when it is cold by shivering. This muscle fasiculation produces heat, just like jogging or walking does. It is one of the bodies mechanisms for survival in extreme situations, in addition to dilating the blood vessles in the skin, however it is not a good way to lose weight. (Note non extreme alternatives in next paragraph below) The risks of hyothermia, frostbite, shock, etc. are not worth it. Losing weight is very simple, you must burn more calories than you take in, so either eat less or be more active or both to lose weight.

YET, you do not have to do extreme temperature changes to cause the body to work harder to maintain your core body temperature, and burn more calories doing it. A cold shower hitting your neck and upper back for 10 minutes at a temperature of 72 degrees is enough to make your body burn lots of calories to maintain warmth. OR sitting back and watching TV with a large ice pack hitting your neck and back (with a T-Shirt in between) for 20 minutes will do just a good a job. Though extremes in this area could be simply a 20 min ice bath as well (but the ice pack or cold shower are 60% as effective as an ice bath).

Swimmers are thin and muscular due to the cold water drawing off the heat from their bodies and the body compensating for it.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Do_cold_baths_and_showers_help_you_burn_a_lot_of_calories#ixzz1eyf7ijAi

taso42 · November 2011

Swimmers are thin and muscular due to the cold water drawing off the heat from their bodies and the body compensating for it.

:laugh:

Jorra · November 2011

A cold shower hitting your neck and upper back for 10 minutes at a temperature of 72 degrees is enough to make your body burn lots of calories to maintain warmth.

Can you define "lots of calories"? I have a feeling that may be calories and not kilocalories (the unit which is typically referred to as a calorie, but in reality is 1000 calories).

jenilla1 · November 2011

Why would you want to stress your body when it's already sick? That can't help you heal any faster. :noway:

As far as swimmers being thin and muscular from cold water exposure...um, it's probably more likely due to moving their muscles a lot against the resistance of the water. :laugh:

Good luck!

rolliepollie087 · November 2011

A cold bath sounds really miserable XD
Good luck!

servilia · November 2011

Swimmers are thin and muscular due to the cold water drawing off the heat from their bodies and the body compensating for it.

:laugh:

OMG :laugh:

To the OP: please do NOT do this, especially when you're sick! You want to get better don't you?

cheeksv · November 2011

I know if I was sick the last thing I would be thinking about is taking a cold shower /bath to burn calories lol. Eat healthy , get better and maybe walk if you are feeling up to it. Other than that just, focus on your health.

havalinaaa · November 2011

No where near enough calories for it to be worth it would be burned from a cold bath. You do burn slightly more calories when you are running a fever, but only very slightly more. When you're sick you should focus on getting well, eat at maintenance if you feel like you need to.

ChristinaMcKeever · November 2011

she asked a simple question whether or not if you can burn calories from cold temperatures i found my answers from the site i posted if you don't like the answer then take it up with the website, btw i have seen on doctor oz that you can burn calories from a cold ice pack for 20 mins. on the lower neck and shoulders no it obviously isn't as much as if you exercise but it does help kick your metabolism in gear, think about it your body is cold so your body has to work extra hard to warm you up which will get the blood pumping and then result in burning "some" calories. and no i dont think you should do this if you are still sick it will only make you worse... good luck and hope you are better

ChristinaMcKeever · November 2011

Why would you want to stress your body when it's already sick? That can't help you heal any faster. :noway:

As far as swimmers being thin and muscular from cold water exposure...um, it's probably more likely due to moving their muscles a lot against the resistance of the water. :laugh:

Good luck!

that is very true i only copied and paste what i read i know its not enough to lose weight and burn calories just from swimming in cool water i agree with you on the resistance of the water that is the easiest way to burn calories and build muscle.

bexominglex · November 2011

I have been sleeping about 18-20 hours a day for the last few days. Been sick for over a week (I naturally get sick a lot and have other health conditions so I know I don't have to see a doc). Also have asthma so... going for a walk right now is out. I walked down the stairs, looked around, and thought... nope. Not happened today.

I am trying to eat less than 1200 calories (not counting the amount extra I am allowed by exercise) because my BMR is about 1400 so 200 calories a day lost will help me. I went over by about 15 calories a day. i think simply typing will help.

I actually have heard from homeopath friends about health benefits of cool and cold baths, but I never thought of it seriously as a means to lose weight.

http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/treatment/coldbaths.html

I have noticed in the past that cool (not ice cold- shocking the system is rarely good!) baths made me feel better later but I used them for different reasons, never for weight los. Sort of like how when you're sick, you often feel better after throwing up? My acne also got better when I was younger and my hair was less oily when I got tepid and cool baths. I also oil pull (although this week I have been slacking off) and drink raw garlic, ginger, cayenne, lemon and some other stuff thrown together in a blender... healthy and full of vitamins and minerals. I got my buddy into it too. Raw garlic is great for you.

I wasn't thinking about going overboard. Ice baths will stress the body, but pool-temperature water is generally okay. And you usually feel warmer when you get out. My riends have known for me to go swimming in the pacific ocean in february and march for 20-30 minutes at a time and usually I feel better and more energetic after.

But thanks for those that were concerned. I wouldn't go overboard (pain doesn't always equal gain). I was just wondering if anyone could find info on the caloric loss. I know when I was a kid running around up north (northern Canada) in a thin jacket and in the forest 6-8 hours a day, I ate whatever I wanted and was thin (part of that was exercise, a lot of it was trying to keep warm). Since I moved to the city as a young adult and started using less traditional ways to keep healthy and more western ways to keep healthy, I developed asthma, depression and gained a lot more weight so I am going back to more homeopathic ways to stay healthy, because I was healthiest when I used those ways to keep healthy.

misseenk · February 2013

This is from Livestrong.com

"The amount of time spent trying to warm up has a direct impact on the number of calories burned. According to the American Council On Exercise, you may burn about 400 calories an hour from shivering, depending on the temperature and the heaviness of your clothing."

Hendrix7 · February 2013

Seriously op, just forget this and focus on getting better.

Swimmers are thin and muscular due to the cold water drawing off the heat from their bodies and the body compensating for it.

LOLed

ladyraven68 · February 2013

I am trying to eat less than 1200 calories (not counting the amount extra I am allowed by exercise) because my BMR is about 1400 so 200 calories a day lost will help me. I went over by about 15 calories a day. i think simply typing will help.

Help you to do what??

Eat more. Your body needs fuel and nourishment to get better.

now_or_never13 · February 2013

she asked a simple question whether or not if you can burn calories from cold temperatures i found my answers from the site i posted if you don't like the answer then take it up with the website, btw i have seen on doctor oz that you can burn calories from a cold ice pack for 20 mins. on the lower neck and shoulders no it obviously isn't as much as if you exercise but it does help kick your metabolism in gear, think about it your body is cold so your body has to work extra hard to warm you up which will get the blood pumping and then result in burning "some" calories. and no i dont think you should do this if you are still sick it will only make you worse... good luck and hope you are better

Sorry but Dr. Oz is not the place to find facts... he is not respected anymore like he used to. The amount of calories you burn from the cold is not enough to make a difference.

I live in Canada and it's pretty damn cold here these days... I spend a lot of time outside... my weight loss hasn't changed.

The website you posted is crap... swimmers are thin because of the water? Ya, becuase they are moving in it... not because it's "cold"

CoraGregoryCPA · February 2013

1.25 calories, the same as watching tV. lol Just wait till you get better. I've read that your metabolism increases when you are sick anyways. You will be MORE than okay if you return to your routine within a week. You'll be fine.

CoraGregoryCPA · February 2013

she asked a simple question whether or not if you can burn calories from cold temperatures i found my answers from the site i posted if you don't like the answer then take it up with the website, btw i have seen on doctor oz that you can burn calories from a cold ice pack for 20 mins. on the lower neck and shoulders no it obviously isn't as much as if you exercise but it does help kick your metabolism in gear, think about it your body is cold so your body has to work extra hard to warm you up which will get the blood pumping and then result in burning "some" calories. and no i dont think you should do this if you are still sick it will only make you worse... good luck and hope you are better

Sorry but Dr. Oz is not the place to find facts... he is not respected anymore like he used to. The amount of calories you burn from the cold is not enough to make a difference.

I live in Canada and it's pretty damn cold here these days... I spend a lot of time outside... my weight loss hasn't changed.

The website you posted is crap... swimmers are thin because of the water? Ya, becuase they are moving in it... not because it's "cold"

I will never understand why Oprah supports Dr. Oz. I hate that guy. But I'm not a fan of the Doctors either, but I LOVE Doctor radio on XM.. they are real doctors that work with patients daily.

paperpudding · February 2013

Swimmers are thin and muscular due to the cold water drawing off the heat from their bodies and the body compensating for it.

Hmmm, or maybe it has to due with the energy burned by actually swimming :bigsmile:

Alatariel75 · February 2013

Swimmers are thin and muscular due to the cold water drawing off the heat from their bodies and the body compensating for it.

Hmmm, or maybe it has to due with the energy burned by actually swimming :bigsmile:

Dr OZ says "pshaw!" to your logic.

MeMyCatsandI · February 2013

42

mockchoc · February 2013

I am trying to eat less than 1200 calories (not counting the amount extra I am allowed by exercise) because my BMR is about 1400 so 200 calories a day lost will help me. I went over by about 15 calories a day. i think simply typing will help.

Help you to do what??

Eat more. Your body needs fuel and nourishment to get better.

Please do listen to this advice.

SkimFlatWhite68 · February 2013

Surely you are not serious.

If you are sick. Concentrate on eating well and getting well.

Life is for living. Make it the best one that you can and don't stress your body when it is already struggling with being ill.

Next week, when you are feeling better, you can gradually resume your fit and healthy life.

Ready2Rock206 · February 2013

she asked a simple question whether or not if you can burn calories from cold temperatures i found my answers from the site i posted if you don't like the answer then take it up with the website, btw i have seen on doctor oz that you can burn calories from a cold ice pack for 20 mins. on the lower neck and shoulders no it obviously isn't as much as if you exercise but it does help kick your metabolism in gear, think about it your body is cold so your body has to work extra hard to warm you up which will get the blood pumping and then result in burning "some" calories. and no i dont think you should do this if you are still sick it will only make you worse... good luck and hope you are better

OMG Dr. Oz! Seriously?! No.

TrackMum · March 2013

Sorry but Dr. Oz is not the place to find facts... he is not respected anymore like he used to.

Agreed.

The amount of calories you burn from the cold is not enough to make a difference.

Disagree

I live in Canada and it's pretty damn cold here these days... I spend a lot of time outside... my weight loss hasn't changed.

Are you bundling up to maintain your core temperature, or are you lightening your layers to allow your body to work harder to keep the core warm? Also, when your body works harder to keep the core warm, it does burn more calories and can stimulate your appetite. Are you eating those calories?

The website you posted is crap... swimmers are thin because of the water? Ya, becuase they are moving in it... not because it's "cold"

Compare Michael Phelps - swimmer (consumed 12,000 calories/day) to Bryan Clay - decathlete (consumed 5,500 calories/day). Both trained something like 6-7 hours a day? Both sports are overall physically demanding, both require considerable energy, but ask yourself why one requires twice the calories to fuel? It's not water resistance, because Clay is also doing resistance training, It is because of thermodynamics.

A good analogy is this: If your house is cold, you turn up the furnace, you end up burning more gas, and your bill goes up. The same can be said for your body. If your core temperature drops, your body will work harder to create heat to keep it warm. That burns more energy, energy = calories.

A very good site for this is: www.hypothermics.com a quick preview can be seen at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrQ_ldCwKUQ

BTW, ice baths are NOT necessary to gain results.

warrow8282 · March 2013

This thread just totally made me want to go soak in a nice, hot bath (conveniently...I did just finish scrubbing my tub and cleaning my bathroom) with candles and a glass (or 2 or 3) of wine. I'm definitely doing this tomorrow when I can "cheat" and have lots of wine.

But seriously, I hope you start feeling better soon! :-)

Kim55555 · March 2013

Actually I just bought the 4 hour body ebook by Tim ferris. He goes into this. Might explain why olympic swimmer Michael phelps can eat heaps more than what he burns and not put on any weight.

nokanjaijo · March 2013

Your body will need more calories to maintain the temperature it requires if you make yourself cold.

BUT BUT BUT BUT BUT, in my experience, you're going to get very hungry. You will be much hungrier than you would get if you had exercised those calories off.

sunnyhlw77 · March 2013

I don't think its a healthy way to burn calories. To me it would be like telling someone to get hypothermia to lose weight. If you've ever been in cold temperatures for extended periods of time I don't think you would even consider it. Plus I don't think that subjecting yourself to the time in the cold that would be needed to cause a large amount of calories burn would be worth it and you may just get yourself sicker. If I were you, I would speak with your doctor before attempting it. Good luck either way and I hope you get well soon!

How many calories will use lose in a cold (not ice) bath?

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