Adding burned calories for heat/cold?

kellyscomeback
kellyscomeback Posts: 1,369 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I live in the central valley of Calif. and it gets very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter, for example today is suppose to be 100 with no to little breeze (dry heat). My husband and I started C25K last week and we wondered if we should be adding more calories into our burn because of the temperature.

Replies

  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
    Definitely wouldn't worry about it unless you are outside in the heat all day and then you'd probably be adding some other activity any way.
  • bovbjerg
    bovbjerg Posts: 172 Member
    I would think probably adding more water so you don't get dehydrated but that would be it.
  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
    Heat does not burn any additional calories.

    I have heard that cold does, however, I don't believe there is any good way to measure it. So, it's probably best to not count it. Think of it as an added bonus.
  • Tereztaylor07
    Tereztaylor07 Posts: 200
    MFP seems to over exaggerate calories anyway (compared to a HRM) so I wouldn't add anything.
  • wiggleroom
    wiggleroom Posts: 322 Member
    I don't think heat burns extra calories -- if you're sweating, it's only water (which I hope you're replacing by drinking lots! I used to live in Fresno, so I feel for you!).

    I wouldn't try to compute it anyway. Like others have said -- just let it be a bonus and get to your goal a wee bit quicker.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    I live in Minnesota where it's often in the 90's with 100% humidity in the summer making it feel well over 100 degrees and the winters are just plain brutal by most people's standards. I don't ever add in extra calorie burns just because of weather. If it burns extra, it's not much and it would likely offset any mistakes made (underestimating) when logging food.

    If you want to be as accurate as possible, buy a quality heart rate monitor with a chest strap that measures calories burned.
  • bstamps12
    bstamps12 Posts: 1,184
    I live in AR where we get well over 110 degrees in July and August. The heat and cold don't necessarily burn more calories. However, when I run, I notice my HR is up about 10-15 bpm if it's over 90 degrees compared to cooler temperatures, and that does burn more calories. So I just use what my HRM says, which is usually less than an additional 25 calories per 35 minute run in the heat compared to no heat, so a very small difference.
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