Episode 173 of the Fit Mother Project Podcast – Dr. Anthony Balduzzi sits down with Wyatt Ewing, founder and CEO of Ice Barrel, to talk about one of the most powerful “good stressors” you can add to your life: cold exposure.
Wyatt shares how, back in 2017, he was burned out in corporate aviation, constantly on his phone, dealing with chronic bronchitis, anxiety, and a survival-mode mindset. A blunt comment at the gym and a suggestion to try cold showers and breathing exercises sent him down a path that completely changed his mental health, physical resilience, and life direction.
You’ll hear how his first intentional 30-second cold shower snapped him into the present moment, helped quiet his anxious mind, and eventually led him to experiment with bathtubs, trash cans, horse troughs—and ultimately to creating Ice Barrel, one of the first direct-to-consumer cold plunges on the market.
If you’re a busy mom (or dad) who wants more energy, better mental focus, and a simple daily practice that makes you feel more alive and grounded, this episode will show you exactly how cold can become one of your most powerful health tools.
Key Takeaways:
- Cold plunging as fast, high-impact daily practice
- Present-moment focus instead of anxious, racing thoughts
- Healthy “good stress” to train your nervous system
- Lower inflammation and pain with regular cold exposure
- Mood and energy boost from endorphins and dopamine
- Simple weekly goal: about 12 minutes of cold
- Best range for most people: 50–60°F water
- Intentional breathing: in 4 seconds, out 6 seconds
- Upright plunging posture for calm, alert presence
- Cold + sauna as powerful recovery and reset ritual
From Burned Out to Ice Bath Boss: Wyatt Ewing on the Benefits of Cold Therapy (Ep. 173)
Plunge Into Ice Barrel and Wyatt Ewing:
Website: https://icebarrel.com/
- Use discount code FITFAMILY and receive $100 off barrels or chillers, $200 off bundles, in addition to sitewide discounts.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icebarrel/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theicebarrel
X: https://x.com/Ice_Barrel
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC40pA9GBIVro1iZDRWG8seQ
Biographical Information on Wyatt Ewing
Founder and CEO of Ice Barrel, Wyatt’s areas of expertise include product innovation, manufacturing and eCommerce marketing. Before Ice Barrel, he worked in corporate aviation buying and selling jets. Like so many, he bought into the fiction society tells us: work harder, sleep less and don't complain. The stress and anxiety of the 60- to 80-hour work week took a toll on his physical and mental well-being. Eventually, reality caught up with Wyatt. “I was broken, sick and desperate for a change.”
Shortly after hitting bottom, a stranger approached him at the gym and offered some candid advice. Saying, “you don't look well,” the man then went on to explain the power of breathwork, meditation and cold showers. Wyatt was skeptical, but also desperate to try anything. He started researching the science of cold therapy and was hooked. It wasn't long before his wife noticed the results of these new practices. “It was like he was a new man.”
After growing tired of cold showers and ice baths in the house, Wyatt decided to invent a cold therapy device that would allow him to simplify the practice. He started sharing a few of these prototypes with others and quickly realized that there were so many people looking for a solution for their recovery. That's when he set out on a mission to create the most accessible and effective cold therapy solutions, helping everybody, everywhere, to get colder and feel better! A few months later, Ice Barrel went from a prototype to a product.
Today Ice Barrel is considered a leading brand in the cold therapy industry. The team at Ice Barrel believes that everyone is capable of a life filled with well-being, and they are working to introduce products that simplify the practices that release us to do the extraordinary.
Wyatt lives in Ohio with his wife and three children. He is passionate about family, cold therapy, CrossFit, health and wellness, agriculture and being in nature.
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*Please know that weight loss results and health changes/improvements vary individually; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice. This is simply very well-researched information on how cold exposure and cold plunging can be used as a powerful, intentional tool to support your health and resilience.