IS IT BETTER TO BE COLD?

A few years ago, I read a book by Tim Ferriss called The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman.

First of all, he knows how to market it doesn't he? Weight loss, Sex, Superhuman! Who wouldn't want to read this book? I know I did. (A couple of times.)

One of the things I got out of the book was the idea of the ice bath. You fill your bathtub with cold water, throw some ice in the water and get in for 20 minutes. For some people reading that, it sounds like torture, right? I tried it a few times and it wasn't too bad. I think the problem was that I didn't have enough ice in the bath so even though the water was cold it wasn't ice cold. Also, it wasn't very pleasant.

My friend says that you should try something that you intend to do for the rest of your life. For example, don't just go on a diet that you will follow for two weeks, you should try and do something that is sustainable for the rest of your life. So maybe 20 minute ice baths were not the best but what I have discovered this week is that cold showers are the thing now.

So this week I started taking cold showers, both in the morning and after my gym sessions. So far I have had 12 cold showers and I tell you the first couple were pretty difficult. The word torture comes to mind but I managed to get through and the initial few seconds is the worst but after that it is pretty easy.

I've found out that there are some benefits to cold showers (which I think are harder than an ice bath):

1. It wakes you up. Imagine jumping into a freezing cold pond first thing in the morning. You are going to be wide awake. Same thing.

2. It is good for your skin and hair. I'm not sure about my skin yet but I have noticed even after only 12 times that my usually dry hair is not so dry anymore and it feels a lot more smoother than normal.

3. Good for weight loss. We shall see but I can sort of understand the science behind it.

4. Accelerates muscle soreness and recovery. Professional athletes talk about having an ice bath after a game. Hydrotherapy and all that. They seem to be still doing it so it must work although in saying that, I was sore all last week from working out at the gym. Cold showers did not work at all.

This might not be for everyone but I do suggest to give it go. You never what you might find out about yourself.