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Just Jess
traineo Fanatic
Posts: 85
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 # Posted: 16 Jan 2007 17:46


My uncle told me that if you drink one small glass of very cold water first thing in the morning before you eat or drink anything else that this will shock your metabolism and jumpstart it for the rest of the day. Does anyone know if this is true? Or maybe it works for some people and not others....
John Lewis
traineo Newbie
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 # Posted: 17 Jan 2007 05:25


Honestly... I don't know, but I suspect drinking very cold water first thing in the morning has little to no effect on your metabolism.

Metabolism itself is a chemical reaction that either consumes energy (anabolism) or produces energy (catabolism). While your metabolism is 'learned' by your body based on your diet (rather than being completely influenced based on your genes) I don't see how _cold_ water could shock or influence your metabolism compared to say room temperature water. Or, I guess, when or why would it make a difference if you drank it first thing in the morning or halfway during the day?

However, I think drinking water first thing in the morning is a very good idea. Your body has probably gone without fluid for a very long time (8+ hours) and it needs to be hydrated


frank aiello
traineo Regular
Posts: 30
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 # Posted: 14 Mar 2007 14:34


I have read on that, what happens is your body will need to warm up the fluid and it will rev up the metabolism, I read some medical study, also true that the boost is very small.
Ryan Meashaw
traineo Newbie
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 # Posted: 14 Mar 2007 16:20


I have also heard that it's best to drink cold water since your body needs to warm it up and that gets your metabolism going.

I don't know about drinking it first thing in the morning, but it's good to drink cold water throughout the day to keep your metabolism going strong, not to mention meeting your water quota!
Aoife Hammersmith
Fitness Guru
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 # Posted: 14 Mar 2007 17:29


A better idea is to eat something and do a little bit of a workout, rather than try and rely on the highly debated idea of the thermogenic effect of warming cold water and if it even makes a difference.

A quick workout of even a few minutes of cardio or some basic calisthenics coupled with a good breakfast will jumpstart your metabolism.
Layla Schade
traineo Fanatic
Posts: 122
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 # Posted: 14 Mar 2007 20:12


Do exactly what Aoife said. Definitely eat breakfast. That's the best way to start your metabolism. Otherwise your metabolism goes into famine-mode shutdown.
RJ Landis
traineo Newbie
Posts: 15
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 # Posted: 21 Mar 2007 00:28


I haven't heard about cold water helping your metabolism, but I heard a rumor that lemon in water makes your body think it's getting food, and it apparently get's your metabolism started. If it's true or not, I really do not know
Maria P
traineo Regular
Posts: 38
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 # Posted: 21 Mar 2007 04:30 - Edited by: saigonese


I read on the Abs Diet that milk (which is always cold) first thing in the morning would help boost up for metabolism, then the book goes further to breakfast and stuff... But I think a cold drink is the main idead to help boost up your system after the inactivity of the night.

Also I was wondering, if you stay up the whole nite and not sleep at all (or sleep at most 2 hours), then your body would always in active mode, does that mean there would be nothing you could possibly eat/drink to boost up the metabolism?
Gemma D
traineo Newbie
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 # Posted: 21 Mar 2007 04:47


Interesting about the cold drink theory - I've got a detox lifestyle plan book that suggests drinking a cup of hot water with lemon juice in it as a way of kick starting your metabolism, if you do it 15 minutes before breakfast. I tried it for a while when I was detoxing after a holiday in Europe, and have to say I didn't notice any change in my metabolism.

The book went on to say that herbal teas (non-caffeinated) would do much the same thing, as the hot water stimulates the gut.

Any ideas on that?
Christina L
traineo Regular
Posts: 40
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 # Posted: 6 Apr 2007 09:24 - Edited by: bikiniready


Sounds like an old wise tale but it's true, Grapefruit actually helps to start the "burning" process first thing in the morning. Also, good to eat 1/2 before meals.

http://walking.about.com/od/fluids/f/coldwatermyth .htm

They say Cold water is better for you, I always thought it was the other way around, I guess I'll start drinking cold water again.

A year ago, I hired a personal trainer, worked out 3 days a week at 5:30am, boot camp style. I drank 2 cups of water each morning on the way, and 2 cups during/shortly after my workout. Then the rest of my 8 - 10 cups during the rest of the day. Got in the best shape of my life. Of course the workouts helped a lot, but I really felt like the water intake kept my body from being de-hydrated and storing water. I just felt healthier, maybe it was all in my head, but I thought it worked.
Christina L
traineo Regular
Posts: 40
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 # Posted: 6 Apr 2007 09:34


About the SLEEP ISSUE! Ever notice you loose weight at night when you sleep? Weigh yourself before you go to bed, then sleep 8 hours, and weigh yourself! Then sleep only 4 hours, you won't loose the weight! Your body needs that sleep time! And, it's not healthy to not sleep, sleep is actually part of a healthy nutrition and fitness program. ZZZZZZZZZ!
Tom ncp
traineo Newbie
Posts: 1
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 # Posted: 31 Dec 2007 06:18


Hi Just Jess,

This may be true, let me just try it once and let you know the results.

_______________________________________________________________

Metabolism
Minu ~
The Master
Posts: 2581
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 # Posted: 31 Dec 2007 11:27


I start every day with a big glass of water, (room temp, usually), but it's simply to flush out the system after being dry as a raisin for a whole night of snoozin'.
Jeff Bristow
Fitness Guru
Posts: 280
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 # Posted: 3 Jan 2008 15:46


Quoting: bikiniready
Weigh yourself before you go to bed, then sleep 8 hours, and weigh yourself!


I have noticed this same thing. I am literally almost 2-3 pounds lighter in the morning than I am in the evening.

I find it convenient to do my official weekly "weigh ins" in the morning when I am lightest.


Tim Wilson
Fitness Guru
Posts: 650
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 # Posted: 3 Jan 2008 16:05


Jeff - I have noticed the same thing - usually between 3-5 lbs difference in the morning.

Minu - I do the same thing, it is the first thing I do every single day, sometimes more than one glass. The crazy thing is that I drink at least a couple glasses right before bed too, and I wake up really really thirsty, even if I wake up in the middle of the night I have to get a drink because I am so thirsty!
Another Dave (formerly Release the Hounds)
Fitness Guru
Posts: 249
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 # Posted: 5 Jan 2008 01:39


i always figured you weighed the least when you woke up because of dehydration?
i Slappy
traineo Fanatic
Posts: 101
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 # Posted: 5 Jan 2008 01:47


I remember reading in either You: The Manual or You: The Diet that drinking a cold glass of water before eating will shrink your stomach lining a bit and help you get full faster.

As for boosting your metabolism, Aoife & John Lewis have it right on. Metabolism will increase with frequent meals.
sarah M
traineo Newbie
Posts: 4
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 # Posted: 9 Jan 2008 21:28


ive heard that drinking a glass of hot water with lemon first thing in the morning boosts the metabolism. I dont like drinking hot water and lemon but i do drink hot water with half a teaspoon of ground cinamon and one teaspoon of honey mixed and it has helped, and you need to have it in the morning and the last thing before you go to sleep.
i hope this helps


Monia Batra
traineo Newbie
Posts: 5
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 # Posted: 9 Jan 2008 21:47


Oh I agree with Sarah , cinnamon first thing in the morning with hot water is a very effective remedy to loose weight. Cinnamon is also proved to have lot of other advantages too. It helps people who suffer from Insulin resistance.But I too feel hot water is the best thing to have in the morning...I would rather not prefer cold.
Dave Nicholson
The Master
Posts: 2089
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 # Posted: 9 Jan 2008 21:54


Scientifically, the cold water would surely be the most helpful. As a part of the digestion process, your body has to warm that liquid to body temperature. Though this isn't going to be a significant weight loss method, it will help to boost your metabolism a little and will actually mean you're burning calories just drinking the water. Hot water would, in effect, add energy to the system and slow the rate at which your body is working.

Whenever you run across an idea that seems interesting, not right, too good to be true, etc - get to know the biology/chemistry behind it. Most of the time you will either understand why someone said that or realize it's crap.
Aaron Freeman
traineo Newbie
Posts: 21
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 # Posted: 10 Jan 2008 16:17


The only thing I had to do in order to jump start my metabolism was to just eat smaller and more than three times a day. As long as I was below my calorie intake for the day and never ate more than 700 calories in one sitting, I would be fine. That was the rule I made for myself and it has worked well.
Dave Nicholson
The Master
Posts: 2089
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 # Posted: 10 Jan 2008 16:51


That is a good rule!

The basis of this conversation was just about little things that might help, nothing that is significant. In fine tuning, there are small things that just add to the fire so to speak.
Cynthia P
traineo Fanatic
Posts: 180
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 # Posted: 24 Mar 2008 01:04 - Edited by: graycyn


I suspect the benefits of drinking cold water on metabolism is small... but more water is usually a good thing, and I like to drink a glass when I get up too! It certainly won't hurt you!

Eating breakfast is also important for your metabolism.

I keep my metabolism firing by eating 5-6 small balanced meals a day, eating lean protein/veggies/healthy fats with each meal and exercising most days. That and some bodyweight resistance training for strength.

As for weight lost during sleep... that is primarily water, you breathe out moisture, you sweat it out, even if you don't realize it. In my case, I also get up and pee once or twice a night, LOL!
Angie Hudson
Fitness Guru
Posts: 650
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 # Posted: 24 Mar 2008 18:32 - Edited by: fauxvirgo


Probably already been said (have only scanned this thread), but here goes.

Your body has an optimum temperature in which it functions the best - typically 98.6 F. The reason for this, I've read, in part has something to do with the symbiotic relationship your body has with certain beneficial bacteria, etc. your body plays host to.

Drinking or eating cold ANYTHING will lower your body temperature by some small amount. Since us warm-blooded animals attempt to keep an equilibrium around that optimum body temperature, your body will go through an energy burning process that produces heat.

How many calories are consumed? Well, the definition of a calorie is the amount of energy needed to heat 1 g of water by 1º Celsius. An 8 oz glass of water (1 cup) is approximately 236.6 g. If that was ice cold water (32ºF = 0ºC), it would take 8754.2 calories to heat it up to body temp. In the nutrition world, kilocalories are used. So.... that means drinking ice cold water instead of body temperature water burns an additional 8.8 Calories per cup.
Angie Hudson
Fitness Guru
Posts: 650
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 # Posted: 24 Mar 2008 18:39


Having said all of that, "jumpstarting" your metabolism sounds like a crock of bs. Your body simply burns enough energy to warm you back up; that's it. It doesn't continue to keep burning more energy once you're at the equilibrium body temperature. Increasing metabolism, in my mind, means that your body continues to burn more energy at rest than it did previously.
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