Can ice packs reduce belly fat?

There are several methods or techniques to get rid of excess weight. One of the most natural solutions to have a beautiful figure and a flat abdomen would be to apply an ice pack on the belly.

This technique inspired by cryotherapy would have beneficial results on the line. How can this be explained?

Would cold temperatures help burn fat?

It is important to understand that there are two types of adipose tissue in the human body: white and brown. White adipose tissue makes up about 25% of body weight in non-obese people.

It provides energy to the body and helps maintain body temperature. Infants and small animals use this brown fat to stay warm.

White adipose tissue, on the other hand, favors an accumulation of lipids and burns calories with difficulty.

However a scientific study (1) shows that exposure to cold temperatures can transform white fat tissue located in the abdomen and thighs into brown fat tissue.

These researchers have established that it is possible to burn fat by exposing oneself to the cold. In concrete terms, the thermal variation caused by a drop in temperature would have several immediate effects on the body.

To fight against the cold, the body will then draw on its energy resources by burning many calories in a single session.

What role do ice cubes play in weight loss?

In men, normal body temperature ranges from 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the weather outside. This average temperature is maintained thanks to the body’s thermoregulation system, which causes the body to burn about 150 kcal per day.

When you put your body to a temperature below 15°C, it starts the process of thermogenesis.

The cold will force the body to set up a series of reactions to generate heat and fight against the cooling: shivers, muscle contractions.

This sequence of events will increase the number of calories burned. In doing so, the body boosts its basic metabolism to maintain its temperature at 37°C.

This is the same phenomenon that occurs when you are undergoing ice therapy. The ice pack on the belly will activate the work of the brown adipose tissue and cause an increase in the number of calories burned.

It will, therefore, burn body fat, followed by a slimming effect for the days.

At the same time, however, it is important to follow a healthy and varied diet and to exercise regularly to achieve optimal results.

How do you use ice on your belly to lose weight?

A regular massage of your abdominal area, with ice cubes, will allow you to lose weight in a few months.

Find yourself an ice pack or wrap ice cubes in a thin cloth and place it over the whole area of your belly.

To avoid frostbite (numbness of the skin, redness, and pain, tingling, blisters), lift the bag at regular intervals. Operate in this way for about 30-45 minutes, once a day, for at least two weeks.

This therapy is not recommended for diabetics, people suffering from arterial diseases or poor blood circulation.

Further tips

In the winter, you can go out with little cover and take about 1000 steps. This may seem difficult for people with a cold, but this tip will allow you to expend energy and lose calories easily!

In addition to putting ice cubes on your stomach to lose weight, taking one bath a day in cold water will result in energy expenditure, as the body will react with several stimuli to maintain its temperature at 37°C.

Don’t hesitate either to jump into the water in wintertime for a good invigorating bath. This is a good way to awaken all your senses and firm up your skin but don’t forget to consult your doctor before taking a dip. Don’t bathe for long either.

The professional method to lose weight in the cold

For the people who do not wish to apply ice on the belly to lose weight, there is another ultra-effective solution, which can be carried out by a professional: cryotherapy. This care with degreasing and anti-inflammatory properties allows us to get back in shape thanks to the extreme cold.

Indeed, cryotherapy or therapy at very low temperature consists of using the action of the cold to stimulate the metabolism of the body. Today, this technique has specific applications, including cryolipolysis, carried out in a center for cosmetic surgery or by a specialist doctor.

After a study of the parts of the body to be treated, the practitioner will apply on the targeted areas, a suction cup linked to the device dedicated to cryolipolysis, which will inject cold and suck out adipocytes and other unsightly bulges.