Got stubborn fat? Splash cold water on your face!

Over the last few years, elite fitness centers have evolved to offer comprehensive personal “wellness” assessments that include metabolic testing. Among the data gathered is how effectively a person’s body utilizes fat for fuel.

As someone who's administered and benefited from these tests, I understand their popularity. Everyone wants to be a “fat-burning machine,” but, as it turns out, very few are. Interestingly, fat utilization, or lack of, often correlates with a person’s stress levels.

Here’s how it works. The body relies on carbohydrates and fat for fuel. Carbs provide the quickest energy and are best for higher-intensity activities and immediate energy needs. Fats, on the other hand, are slower to convert into usable energy but provide a much larger reserve.

Activities like running, shoveling snow, and lifting weights release cortisol and adrenaline, and require fast fuel delivery, namely carbs. For activities like a neighborhood walk, light housework, and reading a book, the body will primarily tap into fat stores.

How does this translate to one’s stress levels?

When we’re under the pressure of looming deadlines, financial worries, parenting concerns, and other modern stressors, our bodies are locked into “fight or flight” mode. With these conditions, our bodies rely heavily on carbs for fuel, and our cravings for carbohydrate-dense and sugary foods increase accordingly.

People living with elevated stress typically struggle to fully relax, with a nervous system that’s always “on.” In this state, little fat is used for fuel, even while sleeping. Training the body to decompress and burn more fat is where the vagus nerve comes in.

The vagus nerve governs the “rest and digest” response, the opposite of fight or flight, and signals the body to relax and conserve energy. After eating, it increases gut activity for proper digestion and nutrient absorption.

An active vagus nerve improves stress regulation and promotes increased fat metabolism. When learning this, my clients’ interest always piques.

Studies have shown the following techniques to stimulate vagal activity:

1. Deep diaphragmatic breathing—5-7 breaths per minute, ribs expanding on the inhalation.

2. Meditation and guided visualizations—no need to sit on the floor in a lotus position; a comfortable chair will do.

3. Brief cold water exposure—splash some on your face and neck, or for a few seconds at the end of a shower.

4. Humming and singing—the vagus nerve responds to vocalization, including chanting and even gargling.

5. Yoga and tai-chi—combining slow movement and poses with controlled breathing have calmed nervous systems for thousands of years.

Adding one or more of these methods to your routine can ease the physical and mental toll stress takes. Accumulating more time in the rest-and-digest state lowers blood pressure, resting heart rate, and improves fat metabolism, helping us feel more relaxed and healthy.

How does this information about the vagus nerve, the techniques to activate it, and its impact on our health sound to you? Have you tried any, or curious to do so? I’d love to hear your thoughts.