This week, I have been reading the research comparing how the body cools in cold air versus cold water, and it is more interesting than it sounds. Water pulls heat away from the body far more efficiently than air does, even when the air is very cold, which means immersion and air exposure are genuinely different stimuli, not two versions of the same thing. It has real consequences for what you are doing when you cold plunge versus stand in the cold. I am going to write a proper piece on this in a few weeks, because the difference matters more than most people realise.
If you want to go deeper on the science of cold and heat, this is exactly what my online courses are for, whether you want to understand the mechanisms, practise safely, or build a real routine for your own use. I have four of them, and for the rest of August you can take 15% off any online course with the code AUGUST.
In my routine
My dog just turned 5 years old and that’s why I know that I for 5 years have had a proper forest walk routine. Every day, I take my dog out for at least a 5k walk in the forest, and it has become something I protect, not skip. Walking in nature lowers stress, supports a steady nervous system, and gets me moving without it feeling like exercise. Just a geat way to relax. The green around me does something a treadmill never will, and the dog makes sure I go, whatever the weather. Unlike before I became a winter swimmer, I really don’t mind the cold anymore.
On my plate
A spiced chicken and chickpea bowl that has become my go-to lunch this week, warm, high in protein, and it keeps me steady through the afternoon. I put the full recipe on the Plate. It is built around the one thing that matters most for metabolism in midlife: protecting your muscle.
Take a look at the Plate, if you want to try it out. The Søberg Plate
Trying this
Lifting heavier. I have written for years about protecting muscle, and this month I am practising what I preach, fewer light reps, more genuine load, twice a week. Muscle is where so much of your metabolic health lives, and the response to training does not disappear with age, it just needs you to show up. Two weeks in and I feel stronger already, which is motivating in itself.
On my mind
The emails in my inbox. People keep writing to me about the use of contrast therapy, the hype, and the lack of real knowledge in the industry. One told me about a place they had visited that had people plunge for 11 minutes strait. Oh no. Oh no. I keep repeating myself, which is ok but then again it doesn’t translate to practice I see… (see below for my solution).
Keep the emails coming, genuinely (at contact@soeberginstitute.com). They tell me what to write about, what to offer, and what research we still need. I’m sharing my research and knowledge, which is why I am building the Thermalist Recovery System. With this I can offer my assistance to venues, who wants safe and beneficial contrast therapy programs, with qualified training for staff. I create the programs according to science, and offer programs and training that is plug n’ play for any venue.
There are more than 50 venues around the world on the waitlist already. WAUW, thank you for the trust! I take that trust very seriously, which is why I take my time to create the best experiences around the science and test it out with real people. What I can reveal is that people call it “amazing”, based on that I think we found the right “rhythm”. I’m excited.
If you run a venue, you can read more at thermalist.com to apply. When we are ready we’ll let you know and start reaching out according to the number you are on the list.
One question for you: What is the strangest or most worrying wellness claim you have been told lately? Reply and tell me, these stories genuinely shape what I write next.
Have a good weekend. Susanna
Published this week:
Proof Gap No.1: The Full Supplement Breakdown, With Tables
For members. Thank you for being here. This is the deep dive, with the exact steps, and it exists because you support my work. You can read everything in the archive and the Journal, any time. Enjoy.
