Nowadays, ice baths have surged in popularity and are trending among celebrities, atheists, and all weight loss enthusiasts. Cold water therapy is recognised as a powerful tool for weight loss. But does an ice bath work for weight loss? Does plunging into cold, icy water pay off, or is it just another fleeting trend?
Scientific studies support that ice baths help in weight loss. However, one should also remember that although it supports weight loss, it is not a magic bullet. The success of results particularly depends on understanding how to use it along with nutrition and exercise.
In this blog, we will explore the key benefits of ice baths for fat loss, supported by research studies. You will discover whether this chilly therapy is worth your shivers.
How Ice Baths Help in Weight Loss:
There are many myths circulating online about the safety of cold therapy. It is an entirely safe and simple procedure. If you follow the recommended guidelines regarding cold water sessions, you will enjoy it. Here is a breakdown on how ice baths help in weight loss:
Activates Brown Fat:
Brown Adipose tissue plays a key role in how your body responds to the cold. These fats are specifically located in the neck and shoulder regions. The function of these brown fats is to burn energy to produce heat, keeping you warm during winter. Therefore, this plays a significant role in how ice baths work for weight loss. When you feel cold, the body sends signals to the nervous system. Your nervous system then releases a hormone, a neurotransmitter. This hormone binds with the brown adipose tissue receptors and activates. Even drinking cold iced coffee and some ice cubes can activate your brown adipose fat.
Therefore, many weight loss doctors in Lahore and other cities in Pakistan assume that ice baths help in treating obesity by raising the body temperature and burning fat. Moreover, when the temperature drops too low, even white fat in the body that stores fat acts like brown fat cells.
Reduce Swelling and Enhance Recovery:
When you do intense workouts, it puts a strain on muscles, and sometimes, muscle fibres get torn a bit. Don’t worry, it is not dangerous, but it causes inflammation and soreness in the body. Poor metabolism also alters your appetite and causes chronic inflammation. Inflammation hampers the function of satiety hormones, leading to weight gain. Swelling also causes fatigue and pain in the body. This is where ice baths come in for weight loss therapy. When you soak yourself in cold water, it causes your blood vessels to constrict. This phenomenon is known as vasoconstriction. It helps your body flush out metabolic waste like lactic acid that builds up mostly during exercise.
Furthermore, after the cold therapy, when you warm up afterwards, blood rushes back to your muscles. This blood contains nutrients and promotes the healing of the torn muscle fibres. With this pumping action, your muscles get cleansed. Cold water therapy thus reduces chronic inflammation and is often recommended to patients with autoimmune diseases.
Affects Hunger Hormones, Suppresses Appetite:
When your body feels that its body temperature has dropped, it triggers a hormonal response to balance it. Many research studies show that the cold plunges decrease the ghrelin (hunger) hormone for several hours. Cold water also functions for weight loss by promoting gut hormones. It ultimately encourages satiety. Cold water also boosts norepinephrine, which suppresses hunger temporarily. These hormonal changes are the cause behind the success of cold water for weight loss. After cold therapy, many people report less craving and reduced stress eating. However, results differ from one individual to another based on their condition. Additionally, studies also demonstrate that the weight loss results are more significant when water temperatures are below 15 degrees Celsius and your plunging sessions last for at least 15 minutes.
Improves Insulin Sensitivity
Cold water therapy not only helps in burning calories by expending energy but also boosts your metabolism. It increases glucose uptake by muscles and reduces blood sugar spikes after meals. Insulin sensitivity signals to the body that there is low insulin, and your body needs more to lower blood sugar levels. One of the primary causes of obesity is insulin resistance, telling your body to store fat. This leads to weight gain, which is very difficult to shed with fad diets and even exercise. Cold water helps in weight loss by lowering the sugar levels. Now, this method in itself may not give you optimised results. Therefore, it is usually combined with other methods by weight loss specialists to ensure sustainable and fast results.
How to Start with Cold Water Therapy?
If you are just starting ice baths for weight loss, it is important to begin gently. When you start, don’t be impatient—begin gradually with sessions lasting 30 to 60 seconds and increase the duration with each session. This allows your body to adapt to the chilly water. Once you feel that you can tolerate cold exposure, you may extend the session time up to 15 minutes. It is always best to consult a professional at a Weight Loss Clinic in Lahore before starting this therapy. Keep in mind that there are potential risks, so always have someone accompany you for a safe ice bath—you can count on them if something goes wrong. Additionally, learning simple breathing exercises can help prevent hypothermia and shivering. Above all, prioritise your safety.
Must Know About Soeberg Principle:
Never do one thing. Rushing to take a warm bath after the cold water plunge. This is what the soeberg principle says. Allow your body to warm up naturally because it will speed up your metabolism. Your brown adipose tissue will work hard to balance your body temperature. Ultimately, you will benefit from those chilly shivers.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, ice baths offer many benefits for weight loss, but it is not a standalone solution. Cold therapy boosts your metabolism, keeps you energised, and also downsizes food cravings. But without an exercise routine and a balanced diet, it doesn’t give the desired benefits. One must think of it as a support system rather than a shortcut to weight loss.
To enhance results, do ice plunging 2 to 3 times per week, especially after workouts. However, only do so if you enjoy cold therapy and can tolerate it well. The real secret to fat loss is consistency. We advise you to consult a weight loss doctor in Lahore.
A nutritionist helps you build healthy habits that prove to be a helpful addition to a weight loss plan. So, are ice baths worth trying? We say go for it. Start slow and also track your results. But alone, it may not deliver you the desired results. Let a weight loss professional guide you towards a weight loss path, not just hype therapy.
