Did you know that shivering can help you lose weight? Well not so fast, it’s not quite that simple, but here are the answers to some interesting questions.
Why do we get Goose bumps? How are we similar to rats in the cold? What leads to shivering? Does shivering really consume calories?
Basically, in a couple of words, shivering is your body’s response to your brain’s signal that it’s time to turn up the thermostat. So, it’s your body’s heat-regulating system, a collaboration between your brain and your muscles.
So then, what is the connection between being cold, shivering and expending calories? When you get all shook up because you’re shivering (because of muscles contracting rapidly) your body releases a hormone called irisin, a ‘magical’ hormone that causes fat–specifically that stubborn ‘light fat’ located around your stomach and hips–to burn to produce energy, that is, to create heat.
10-15 minutes of shivering produce the same amount of irisin as an hour of moderate exercise. Some people take things to the extreme, so one video viewer asks:
“So…if I go into a freezer and stay there for a while shivering, I’ll lose weight? New exercise plan! Lol” Let’s not get crazy now folks…
If you have a curious kiddie who’s asking you the same questions, try showing them this video which is more their speed:
In the meantime, be careful shoveling that snow and stay warm!
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