Can holding a cold thermos help you lose weight?
From Joe: Reporter Anahad O’Connor reviewed the evidence indicating that you might improve the quality of your exercise sessions by carrying a cold thermos around, especially if you are overweight. You don’t use it for hydration but for cooling purposes!
…the scientists recruited obese women, ages 30 to 45, with no other health problems. The women took part in three group exercise sessions a week for three months, and held special cooling devices in their hands as they walked on treadmills and performed lunges and other exercises. In one group, the devices circulated cold water, but in the other group, the water was room temperature.
By the end of the study, those in the “cool” group had a better attendance rate than the controls — 98 percent versus 80 percent — and saw their aerobic activity progress at a greater rate. They increased their duration and speed on the treadmill, and had greater improvements in blood pressure, heart rate and waist size.
Read the full article here.