A man enjoying a Chill Tub ice bath in a Liverpool garden.

Can Ice Baths Help With Weight Loss?

There’s so much advice out there, like eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise, which is attached to the concept of weight loss. However, there might be a more unconventional way to lose weight: ice bath or cold water immersion. Yes, taking ice baths or cold showers might actually help you shed some extra calories and lose weight.

In this blog, we will break down the studies that suggest ice baths can have a positive effect on weight loss.

Concept of Thermogenesis

Thermogenesis is the process of heat production by the body. This can be caused when your body needs to regulate its temperature. The concept simply means that a person tends to lose weight if exposed to a higher temperature as a result of physical activities or other related factors.

The desire to eat becomes reduced when thermogenesis causes an increase in hormone levels, as it is directly related to levels of certain body hormones responsible for controlling hunger and appetite.

Knowing how thermogenesis impacts our feelings of hunger and appetite can help us control food consumption. Also, according to science, there is a concept that talks about how our body reacts to cold temperatures. This concept is known as ‘Cold Thermogenesis’ which is also claimed to help with weight loss. We’ll talk about it in depth and how it helps with weight loss.

Cold Thermogenesis and How It Helps With Weight Loss

Cold thermogenesis, or cold-induced thermogenesis (CIT), is the process which allows you to expose your body intentionally to cold temperatures to increase metabolism.

CIT can be an important factor in weight loss and overall health. According to research, when we expose our body to cold temperatures, brown adipose tissue (BAT) becomes activated, giving room for non-shivering thermogenesis, that is, burning calories in response to outside temperatures.

Cold thermogenesis works to promote weight loss in the following four ways:

1. Instant Energy Increase

Cold thermogenesis can help with an instant increase in energy. When the body is exposed to cold, it becomes harder to maintain its core temperature. This process requires energy, and this is derived from the calories we store in our body. As a result, we experience a boost in our metabolic rate and an instant increase in energy.

2. Increases Brown Fat

Unlike white fat, which stores calories, brown fat burns energy to produce heat. Cold thermogenesis is one of the factors that stimulates the production of brown fat. The more brown fat we have in our body, the more calories we burn, even at rest, promoting weight loss.

3. Immunity Boost

Cold thermogenesis can also boost the immune system. The process helps us adapt to cold temperatures, which can also help to stimulate the immune response, and in turn, helping to fight off infections and diseases. Furthermore, a stronger immune system means fewer disruptions to your exercise routine and weight loss plan due to illness.

4. Promotes Cell Longevity

Sirtuins, a certain protein in our body, can be activated when our body is exposed to Cold thermogenesis. These proteins are associated with increased lifespan and improved health. By promoting cell longevity, cold thermogenesis can help maintain a healthy metabolism, which is crucial for weight loss and overall health.

Do Ice Baths Help you Lose Weight?

While weight loss depends largely on a change in exercise, lifestyle, and eating better, the type of bath you take has also be proven scientifically to have an impact.

I’m sure you are wondering how ice baths can help you lose weight. Think of your body as some sort of intelligent machine that starts burning up calories to stay warm when its temperature starts dropping.

Scientific Approach To Ice Bath Weight Loss

Many scientific studies have proven that ice baths can help with weight loss. Dr. Chris Minson, an expert in exercise physiology, heart health and thermoregulation at the University of Oregon, said that some of the stronger evidence revealed by the study suggests that exposure to cold water can aid in blood sugar regulation.

“This is through improvements in the way that insulin works in our body,” he explained, “and it has real potential for helping to improve the risk of diabetes, and thereby may also improve cardiovascular health.”

He went on to explain that ice bath creates stress on our physiology in much the same way that exercise does.

“Our physiology will be more resilient if these stresses occur repeatedly, and we are able to adapt and recover from them,” Minson said, “and we may have lower levels of background inflammation (resulting from sedentary behaviour, poor diet, and excess body fat).”

Benefits of Ice Baths for Weight Loss

According to lead study author Dr. James Mercer, a UIT – The Arctic University of Norway Professor, several benefits of ice baths have been previously proposed, and these benefits tends to lead to weight loss. They include:

How to Perform Ice Baths for Fat Loss

Performing ice bath for fat loss can be scary, but following a few steps and techniques can help anyone burn calories and shed excess body fat safely and effectively.

Step 1: Preparing Your Ice Bath

Submerge your body in an ice bath filled with cold water. Add ice packs or ice cubes so that the temperature can be lowered to around 14 to 15 degree Celsius (the optimal temperature for weight loss benefits)

Step 2: Start with a Warm-up

Do a quick warm up to get your muscles ready for the cold exposure before getting into the ice bath. You may want to some light exercises like running in a place, jumping jack, or taking a warm shower to increase your body temperature.

Step 3: Submerge Your Body

Slowly and carefully get yourself into the bath and focus on breathing to help your body adjust to the cold temperature.

Step 4: Remain in the Ice Bath

Remain in the ice bath for 5 -10 minutes, depending on your tolerance level. You can also try some light exercises like stretching or bodyweight exercises during your cold exposure to increase heat production and fat burning.

Step 5: Warm Up Afterward

On getting out of the ice bath, make sure you warm up your body by moving around to prevent muscle cramps or by having a hot shower.

Step 6: Repeat

The best way to see a significant change is to repeat the ice bath for the weight loss technique regularly. Start slow and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your cold exposure as your body becomes more acclimated to the cold temperature.

Useful Tips for Using Ice Baths for Weight Loss

While ice bath for weight loss can offer many benefits, it is important to take proper precautions and gradually ease into it. Here are some useful tips to help you with using ice baths for weight loss.

  • Start with cold showers
  • Ease into it
  • Use ice packs
  • Stay hydrated
  • Combine with exercise

Conclusion

In conclusion, ice baths can be beneficial to your weight loss journey. They have the potential to help you optimise your body for burning calories. But it is important to note that they cannot be solely relied on. Adding regular exercise and healthy eating habits can help with achieving optimal results.

Also, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional to make sure it is safe for you to incorporate ice baths into your routine. So, if you’re ready to take the plunge, consider adding a Chill Tub to your weight loss regimen.

Contact Chill Tubs to Try Ice Baths for Weight Loss

Want to take the first step towards trying ice baths for weight loss? No matter how you plan to incorporate cold water therapy into your routine, our knowledgeable team is here to help!

Shop our range of ice baths online today, and get in touch if you have any questions for our team.