Story at-a-glance

• New research suggests overweight women can exercise longer if they cool the palms of their hands with a cooling device. Over 12 weeks, those using this technique shaved more than five minutes off their 1.5 mile treadmill test; increased their exercising heart rate from 136 to 154 beats per minute on average; lost two inches off their waist circumference, and reduced their blood pressure from 139/84 to 124/70. In comparison, the non-cooling group experienced no substantial differences in any of these measurements despite performing the same amount of exercise
• Other research suggests that calorie combustion in brown fat may be of significance for your metabolism, and brown fat is effectively activated by cold temperatures. In one recent study, men burned more calories when cooled, and lost white fat, the kind that causes obesity
• Periodic fasting, such as eating very lightly for two days a week, can also help boost your metabolism and help you reach your weight loss and fitness goals faster
• The combination of fasting and short intense exercise also triggers a mechanism that recycles and rejuvenates your brain and muscle tissues, effectively helping maintain the youthfulness of both your muscles and brain

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/03/30/hand-cooling-devi...