I've been doing Stage 1 of Dr. Jack Kruse's Evolution of the Leptin Rx, Cold Thermogenesis seven days. Today will be the eighth day.

Here are some tips from what I've learned doing this the last few days.

1. Take a deep breath before you lower your face into the water. (Duh. But I didn’t think of that initially).
2. Use a bowl or dishpan on the counter next to your bathroom sink. It is the right height for me, and comfortable placing both my forearms on either side of the bowl, resting on the counter while immersing my face. This also allows me to easily see my face in the mirror.
3. Have two receptacles so that as the water in one warms up due to your face being immersed you can switch out to the second one.
4. Another idea we are trying is to keep a large stainless steel pot filled with water in the freezer, or course this turns into ice. I pour water into the pot on top of the ice to make my first batch of ice water, and pour water in on top of the ice so that it is chilling the water for when I need to make the water colder in the bowl.
5.  I have a battery operated clock hanging on the wall in my bathroom and it is pretty loud as the second hand moves, so I can count the seconds that I’m holding my face in the water.
6. So far the longest I have been able to hold my breath has been 60 seconds. The other times are 35 or 45 seconds.
7. I’ve been dunking my face 7 to 10 times in the cold water.
8. Have a towel and tissues nearby, and a clean top (water drips down your chin onto your shirt). The tissue is for your nose… if it’s anything like mine it may begin to run profusely with the 4th or 5th dunking.
9. It’s going to hurt at first, so just dunk until you can’t stand it, wait a few seconds or a minute and try again.
10. After 4-5 dunks your face will begin to get cold enough that it won’t be so painful.
11. Initially 50°F water will be very cold and painful, but after a few times immersing your face you will be able to tolerate colder water. After 4-5 dunks I have been chilling the water to 44°F and can tolerate it.
12. As you keep your face in the water, the cold water draws the heat from your face into the water, so the layer of water next to your skin becomes warm. If you move your face back and forth this will make the water close to your face colder.
13. After 4-5 dunks, you will find you don't need to wait more than removing your face long enough to get another breath and then you can go back into the water again.

And here for your viewing pleasure, me dunking my face in the ice cold water. 🙂  Thanks to my husband for videotaping and trying to make me think I held my breath for 30 minutes! 🙂

This is the thermometer gun you'll see my husband use at the very end of the video:

This is one of his professional tools and what he had taped to my face to see if he could get a reading:

If you're looking for more inspiration, Patty put up a great video today and today also begins her Cold Thermogenesis Challenge.