Most people know that staying hydrated is important for a healthy lifestyle. However, did you know that your shower temperature plays an important role in determining how much weight you will lose? Let’s examine the facts.
Hot Showers Help You Lose Weight
From a health standpoint, warm showers are preferable to cold ones. When you enter a warm shower, your muscles immediately relax, and your blood pumps more briskly. This helps your body temperature remain stable, which encourages weight loss. According to research, a warm shower can help you shed up to two pounds in a single month! So, if you’re looking to decrease your waistline, consider taking a warm shower instead of a cold one.
If you want to cool off after a hard day of running or working out, a cold shower is okay too. However, make sure that you dry your hair as soon as possible after your shower so that your hair does not end up weighed down, causing tangles and breakages. This is why some people prefer to shower before exercise rather than after: to avoid the hair damage that occurs from running water on your hair.
Cold Showers Help You Gain Weight
Just like warm showers, cold showers are better for your body than cold ones are. When you enter a cold shower, you engage your muscles and raise your body temperature gradually. Research shows that spending time in a cold shower can help undo the damage from one day of overexertion. According to the American Institute of Stress, chronic cold exposure can even improve athletic performance! While this may sound too good to be true, there’s actually evidence to support it too. In one study, subjects who took cold showers three times a week for a month increased their VO2 max by an average of 5.7 percent! So, if you’re looking to put on a little bit of weight, consider taking a cold shower instead of a hot one. You’ll be doing your body some favor, and it won’t hurt either.
Staying hydrated and avoiding the damage from overheating are important for a healthy lifestyle. So, if you’re looking to lose weight, consider taking a warm shower or cold shower rather than a hot one.