Cryotherapy, cryolipolysis and cold showers are all ways to burn calories. However, it is essential to combine these practices with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Why Doctor takes stock.
It is well known that the cold burns calories. But do not deduce from this that it will be enough for you to go out with little cover in winter or to turn off the heating at home to lose weight. At worst, you will get sick. At best, not much will happen. the cold can however have beneficial effects on cellulite and help burn bad fat. All this, accompanied by a healthy diet and appropriate physical exercise, of course. Why Doctor takes stock.
What happens in our body when we are cold?
In humans, regardless of the outside temperature, that of the body varies from 36.5°C to 37°C. This average stays in place thanks to a thermoregulation system that makes us expend 150 calories a day. When the air around us is cold, our metabolism struggles to keep us at 37°C, which therefore leads to an increase in the number of calories burned. However, for the difference to be seen on the scale, it is essential to accompany this loss of calories with a healthy eating practice.
cold showers
When you take a cold shower, your body temperature drops sharply. To produce heat, your body will use brown fats called good fats. The latter burn calories instead of storing lipids such as white fat and aim to produce heat to prevent hypothermia. To increase this amount of good fat, spend ten minutes a day in a shower below 16 degrees. The most effective is to start at 38 degrees. After two minutes, begin to gradually reduce the temperature by placing the shower head at foot level. Then, gradually go up towards your head. Try to hold between 3 and 5 minutes at a temperature of around 30° at first, then at 20° for several days to end up with 14°. Besides weight loss, cold showers are also great for firming the skin, improving blood circulation and deflating the legs.
Swimming in cold water
Whether it’s the ocean, the sea or a lake, don’t hesitate to take the plunge, even in the middle of winter. In addition to energy expenditure, swimming in cold water boosts immune defenses and improves the quality of sleep. So many elements that allow you to stay in shape and maintain a healthy lifestyle and a stable weight.
Whole body cryotherapy
Whole body cryotherapy consists of exposing the body for two to three minutes to intense cold ranging from -110 to -170°C. On average, during a session, the body burns between 500 and 800 calories, depending on the person. “Because it allows you to burn calories in just a few minutes, this technology can participate in a weight loss cure and form a real synergy in addition to a diet and the practice of a sport”, is it written on the site cryojetsystem-France.
Recently, however, Inserm experts have warned against cryotherapy. According to them, the therapeutic effectiveness of this practice has not yet been sufficiently proven by science and many side effects have been reported by users such as burns, headaches or even chronic urticaria. cold. Remember also that in the 24 hours preceding a whole body cryotherapy session, you should not wax or apply cream.
Cryolipolysis
If the effects of whole body cryotherapy on cellulite have not been scientifically proven, there is a technology derived from cryotherapy whose effectiveness on fat cells located in adipose tissue, called adipocytes, has been demonstrated: cryolipolysis. This practice is carried out by a specialized doctor such as a dermatologist. After having studied the part of the body to be treated (thighs, hips, stomach, knees, back), the expert applies a suction cup connected to a machine which will inject cold (the temperature generally drops around -8 degrees) and will suck the beads for 45 minutes to an hour. This practice can also be carried out in certain beauty institutes for around thirty euros per session. Under the effect of the cold, the adipocytes are naturally eliminated by the circulatory system and the results are visible from one month of treatment. However, the number of sessions required varies from person to person.
However, be prepared for side effects: a few days after a session, you may suffer from aches or observe strange folds on your skin. As with cryotherapy, avoid applying cream to the area exposed to cold or keeping a piercing there.
Remember that it is essential to accompany this treatment with a healthy and balanced diet. Otherwise, the destroyed adipocytes will be quickly replaced by new fat cells which will come back to be grafted into the adipose tissue. Also, this slimming solution should be used by people on a diet or whose weight is already stable.
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