Weight loss is easily one of the biggest and most relevant topics
open for discussion today. With more than half of the population
considered overweight, and an increasing proportion of that number
clinically obese, there's no wonder millions of Brits are constantly
looking for new ways to shave off a few pounds. Gym memberships always
balloon in January, with losing weight being the most popular New Year's
resolution by far (except for 2013, where the recession slotted it in
just behind saving money). Low-exercise detox programmes are engaged in
year round, and the health foods industry continues to grow.
Considering this well-intentioned obsession, it's worth examining every new technique and tip related to weight loss for accuracy and honesty. The idea that cold temperatures will help you to lose weight has been around for a long time, and suggestions like drinking cold water, exercising in the cold or taking a cold shower abound. But taking a more detailed look indicates it's not a technique you can rely on.
Theoretically, there's some merit to the concept. It's common knowledge that bodies need more calories to stay warm. The reason many animals hibernate is because they don't have enough food to maintain their body heat, so dropping into a low-energy state allows them to get by with less. Humans have similar needs, so extended exposure to low temperatures will increase calorie use.
To understand this we have to look at Basal Metabolism Rates, the amount of calories your body burns simply by staying alive. A 100kg individual not exercising will burn 1.75 calories a minute, increasing to 105 in an hour. This is where calorie counting comes from. The same 100kg individual will burn 2520 calories in a day without any exercise, setting a target for dieters.
Lowering your body temperate by 0.5 degrees Celsius will increase your BMR by 7 per cent. So immediately, the theory seems true. If your standard body temperature is 37 degrees, spending an entire day and night at 36 degrees will burn 350 calories more. Keeping cold isn't a reasonable way to lose weight, for two major reasons.
Firstly, the gains are tiny for the amount of time you'd need to spend at low temperatures to see any significant loss. And bear in mind that a body temperature anywhere between 32 and 35 degrees is classified as mild hypothermia. In order to use temperature to raise your BMR by noticeable degree you would have to either spend a few hours at dangerously low temperatures, or spend an incredibly long time at an uncomfortable one.
Secondly, any gains from this are immediately negated by exercise. People assume that the increase in BMR cold temperatures bring will scale with exercise. Walking is worth 2.5 times the calories of sitting down, so surely doing so 0.5 degrees colder will add another 7% of efficiency on top? Wrong. The exercise itself will immediately raise your body temperature, with the cold simply making you less likely to sweat, so there are no extra calorie burning benefits at all.
Keeping all this in mind, the best route of action is clear. Just eat less, and exercise more. You could spend the entire day feeling uncomfortably cold, but it would be more effective to simply not eat a chocolate bar or take a ten minute jog. There will always be conflict over the best ways to lose weight, but it's clear to see staying cold isn't one of them
Considering this well-intentioned obsession, it's worth examining every new technique and tip related to weight loss for accuracy and honesty. The idea that cold temperatures will help you to lose weight has been around for a long time, and suggestions like drinking cold water, exercising in the cold or taking a cold shower abound. But taking a more detailed look indicates it's not a technique you can rely on.
Theoretically, there's some merit to the concept. It's common knowledge that bodies need more calories to stay warm. The reason many animals hibernate is because they don't have enough food to maintain their body heat, so dropping into a low-energy state allows them to get by with less. Humans have similar needs, so extended exposure to low temperatures will increase calorie use.
To understand this we have to look at Basal Metabolism Rates, the amount of calories your body burns simply by staying alive. A 100kg individual not exercising will burn 1.75 calories a minute, increasing to 105 in an hour. This is where calorie counting comes from. The same 100kg individual will burn 2520 calories in a day without any exercise, setting a target for dieters.
Lowering your body temperate by 0.5 degrees Celsius will increase your BMR by 7 per cent. So immediately, the theory seems true. If your standard body temperature is 37 degrees, spending an entire day and night at 36 degrees will burn 350 calories more. Keeping cold isn't a reasonable way to lose weight, for two major reasons.
Firstly, the gains are tiny for the amount of time you'd need to spend at low temperatures to see any significant loss. And bear in mind that a body temperature anywhere between 32 and 35 degrees is classified as mild hypothermia. In order to use temperature to raise your BMR by noticeable degree you would have to either spend a few hours at dangerously low temperatures, or spend an incredibly long time at an uncomfortable one.
Secondly, any gains from this are immediately negated by exercise. People assume that the increase in BMR cold temperatures bring will scale with exercise. Walking is worth 2.5 times the calories of sitting down, so surely doing so 0.5 degrees colder will add another 7% of efficiency on top? Wrong. The exercise itself will immediately raise your body temperature, with the cold simply making you less likely to sweat, so there are no extra calorie burning benefits at all.
Keeping all this in mind, the best route of action is clear. Just eat less, and exercise more. You could spend the entire day feeling uncomfortably cold, but it would be more effective to simply not eat a chocolate bar or take a ten minute jog. There will always be conflict over the best ways to lose weight, but it's clear to see staying cold isn't one of them
From interval training to weight loss proteins, Arnold Nevsky is ready to comment on the hundreds of techniques claiming to help the public slim down in the market today.
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