It started with the burning curiosity to try something because everyone on the internet was doing it.

Then it started transitioning to listening to these people on the internet, and seeing the mental and physical benefits in real time. 

Then it started as a rebellion. People telling me that it wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be. That I don’t need to do this, or worse, shouldn’t. I now had all the tools for greatness:

Admiration. Desire. And a chip on my shoulder. 

My bathtub in my bathroom is giant, and while I used it often for my scolding hot detox baths, I quickly added a few shovels full of ice and cold water to see if I could withstand a minute or two in some mediocre cold water.

I did. And I felt freaking amazing. So the next day I added a little more ice. And then a little more. And then I went a little longer. And then I became an addict.

And by addict, I mean dopamine hit chaser extraordinaire, through all the means that were healthy, kosher and benefited my life. 

The benefits started immediately. I slept better. The inflammation I didn’t know I had went away. My feet and ankles no longer hurt when I woke up in the morning. My acne cleared up. My hunger was suppressed. My milk supply increased (I was breastfeeding). My period pain subsided. So did my ovulation pain. My anxiety was less, I was less triggered by noise. My brain fog cleared. I started writing again. Reading again. Had more energy. 

And it had only been a month. 

More than two years later and hundreds and hundreds of cold plunges in, I can say without a doubt that the cold water has saved my life. I could list out the benefits for eternity, but I have been trying to narrow down exactly WHAT I’ve been able to pinpoint as a tangible benefit after all this time. Here’s my best guess at the top 10:

Since I began cold plunging:

1. I’ve weaned off my antidepressant I ‘ve been on for 16 years. It’s the first time I’ve been unmedicated since my teenage years. 

2. I have lost almost 70 pounds. 

3. My sleep quality is unmatched – I sleep all night, every night, and I’m tired when I go to bed and rested when I get up. 

4. My skin is glowing, literally. No acne, no red patches, no eczema, no dry skin. Anywhere on my body. 

5. I can withstand temperature change, fluctuations and severity with ease. I don’t get cold easily, nor do I get hot easily anymore. Summers in severe heat are a literal breeze, and winter days are not spent shivering. 

6. Conversationally, I’m faster thinking. My wit and grace in daily conversations has improved. I used to feel lost or lagging or slow in conversation. Not anymore. 

7. Productivity has skyrocketed. I get more done than I’ve ever got done. Even in my prime of work when I was pre-kids. Distractions are limited and time management is scoring. 

8. I’m a better mom. No question. My kids are so proud of me every single day when I get in that water. And I am proud of myself. That matters. 

9. I’m a happier human. The end. 

10. My favorite – I give less effs about minor things in life. My “fuck around” tolerance is pretty low. There’s less drama, less overwhelm, less… crap in my life since I began cold plunging. Why? Because if you aren’t choosing the hard and making yourself better every day, I don’t really want to be around you. And I’m 100% ok with that. 

All that to say. If I can start this journey with a bathtub, a meat thermometer and some water frozen into old milk jugs, so can you. 

We’ve obviously since upgraded our plunge situation, but no way in hell was I spending thousands upon thousands for the same effect I had in my tub. I am in this for the hard, and making something easy isn’t really my cup of tea. 

So we made it convenient. And cheap. And stinking awesome. 

It’s still just as hard, if not harder, to get in this freezer every day. I mean, who voluntarily sits down in next to freezing water temperatures for fun? I do, and so do many of my friends and people I admire. It’s no longer a want… it’s a need. 

We get asked a lot if we can share where we got our cold plunge, and I’m so proud to say we didn’t. We made it, and for less than $200. It sits on our back porch, serves as a bar top when we have company, and is one of the most prized possessions I have. 

How we made a masterpiece cold plunge under $200: 

First thing you need to know – there’s a risk here. This is not some fancy cold plunge pool that comes with a huge release of liability and fancy material to keep you from getting electrocuted. No, please use your common sense and do what you deem necessary to make sure you don’t die. Ok, moving on. 

Being that we made ours a long time, this tutorial does not come with photo instructions. BUT, if you follow the steps, it’s pretty self explanatory. You can totally do this. If you need help, ask the handy gentleman down the street you see working on his lawnmower and he will know what to do. 

1. Determine a good spot and size of area (close to a power outlet and area safe to drain water out )

2. You want a chest freezer with top lid to fit said area, make sure you can comfortably sit in it. Purchase a new one, or one off marketplace, or use one you have that has been sitting in the garage for 6 years. The prep is the same regardless of the freezer. We bought one off marketplace for $125. 

3. Snag your materials needed to prep the freezer. Aquarium Grade silicone, GFI plug, Ink Bird thermostat and a small water filter. 

Prepping the plunge

1. Make sure freezer is clean and dry on the inside

2. Using the aquarium grade silicone next, you want to run a bead along all interior seams or holes to make it waterproof. Warning - using silicone not rated for aquariums will peel off under water and cause you to have to reseal the whole freezer.

3. Allow plenty of time to dry and cure according to the silicone label. .

4. Place in your plunge spot, make sure you can open the lid easily before adding water. Some need 4’’ away from the wall for hinges to open. 

5. Mount ink bird and attach thermometer.

6. Mount filter and attach to ink bird so they run at the same time. This helps prevent inversion layers in water. 

Fill

1. Still unplugged, fill ¾ with water as a starting point. If you fill too much it will overflow when you get in..

2. Now you are ready to plug in your power, but first make sure you have a GFCI protected plug to prevent you from dying! 

3. Plug freezer into the ink bird, then ink bird into power. Otherwise you will have a giant ice cube. 

Plunge

1. After 24-48 hrs the water should be close to the set temp.

2. Make sure to unplug the freezer as a safety precaution before using.