Cutting through the noise of weight loss fads

From television commercials to social media ads, it’s hard to go even a day without seeing some reference to weight loss, and it feels as though there’s always a new supplement, treatment, or regimen to help people lose weight. 

Unfortunately, not every weight loss fad is backed by science, and it can be hard to figure out what combination of things will work best for your unique bodily composition. After all, no two bodies will respond to any given regimen or treatment the same way. 

Whether you’re just getting started on a weight loss journey or have been working on a weight loss goal for years, scientific research has shown that cold water immersion therapy can be a very effective way to lose weight – when coupled with exercise, a healthy diet, and other crucial healthcare practices, of course!

The science behind cold water immersion therapy 

Cold water immersion therapy is exactly as it sounds: immersing your body in cold water for its multitude of health and wellness benefits. Everything from a cold shower to a full cold plunge counts as cold water immersion as long as the water is below 59 degrees Fahrenheit. 

What’s unique about cold water immersion is the reaction that happens within your body as a response to the sudden change in temperature along with the lingering benefits long after you leave the tub. In those first few seconds of exposure, your body enters into a state of cold shock and responds by increasing blood pressure and heart rate to retain as much heat as possible. Then, your blood vessels constrict and your brain releases neurochemicals to relieve stress. 

But, it doesn’t end there. Even after getting out of the water and allowing your body to warm back up to a normal body temperature, the dilation of blood vessels increases circulation and endorphins continue to be released, leading to feelings of refreshment and energy. 

How does cold water immersion help with weight loss?

Cold water immersion is a great tool for those looking to lose weight for a few different reasons, including:

Boosted metabolism: Adding cold water immersion therapy to your daily wellness routine has been shown to increase your body’s metabolism by around 15%, making it easier for your body to break down and use nutrients from food and flush out toxins or fats before they’re stored in the body. 

Fat conversion: Another key way that cold water immersion can make it easier to lose weight is because it aids in the conversion of fat within the body. As you may already know, not all fat is bad, and brown fat is actually very beneficial to the body because of its ability to produce heat in the body. What cold water does is convert bad fats into good fat, leaving less unhealthy fat to be stored.

Muscle recovery: Cold water immersion is also used frequently by athletes because of its recovery properties, aiding in quicker recovery after physical activity. With how important physical activity is to losing weight, by cutting down the time needed to recover between workouts, you may be able to push harder or work out more than usual, which can speed up that weight loss process.

Other benefits of cold water immersion

While cold water immersion can be extremely beneficial to those looking to lose weight, taking a cold plunge on the regular brings a ton of other benefits to the body that can impact your overall health at the same time, both mental and physical. 

Cold water immersion therapy has been shown to improve mood and make you feel more focused, which is why cold water immersion is sometimes used as a treatment for mental health conditions like anxiety or depression. Along those same lines, cold water can help improve sleep quantity, quality, and depth, allowing your body the rest and recovery it needs to work most effectively during waking hours. 

10X your weight loss efforts with 10X Health

One of the biggest mistakes someone can make when starting on their weight loss journey is using various weight loss strategies in siloes and not evaluating how they can work in tandem with each other. At 10X Health, we take time to fully understand our clients’ unique needs and bodily makeup to create a plan that will actually work to help them lose weight and become the best version of themselves. 

Get started on your journey to more efficient and effective weight loss with 10X Health! Contact us to learn more.

instagram facebook x tiktok linkedin youtube threads