Do you burn more calories in hot weather?

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  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
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    What we have to remember here is that heart rate monitors are not the end all, be all of calorie burn.

    I could watch a scary movie, wear an HRM and it would appear I had quite a workout.

    Or be stressed at work, sitting at my chair... HRRMMMM... I wonder why obesity is so high if we're all stressed at work, and burning more.

    Beyond that, after awhile of training in same or similar conditions almost all of us acclimate to heat conditions, so you couldn't count on a higher burn, even if it were true, for too long of a time.
  • hrigsby
    hrigsby Posts: 31
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    From what I have read, in extreme weather it can change your metabolism to burn more calories. Such as if you were in extreme cold weather the shivering burns a high rate of calories because it raises your heart rate. However, when you are working out your body warms therefore you aren't shivering as much. Extreme hot increases your burn but not by much. They used the example of sitting on your couch vs sitting in a hot tub and it was a difference of 11 calories.

    Hope that helps.
  • yaddayaddayadda
    yaddayaddayadda Posts: 430 Member
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    Thanks for your responses!!

    To be honest with you, I would rather be comfortable and give up the extra calories anyway!!:laugh:
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A DOCTOR!!!

    However, I did find these articles with a quick google search:

    http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1815702/do_you_burn_more_calories_exercising.html?cat=50

    http://www.shape.com/health/your-health/common-conditions/does-more-sweat-mean-you-burn-more-calories-surprising-sweat-my

    I especially liked this line from the second article:
    T/F?: You burn more calories during a hot weather workout.
    True. Your heart needs to work harder to both keep your muscles well oxygenated during cardio and to send extra blood to the surface of your skin to keep your body temperature safe. Unfortunately, the calorie numbers are pretty low, so don't think you've earned an ice cream sundae! Think more like one bite of chocolate.


    Enjoy!

    The so-called "doctor" in the first story you cited is a total idiot. I have read that article and others before that she has written and it is some of the most ignorant nonsense I have ever seen on the web--and that's saying something.

    You do not burn more calories in the heat. Heart rate increases due to thermal stress, but VO2 does not. It's the same reason why exercises like bikram yoga do not burn that many calories. HRMs are completely unreliable under these conditions. If anything, the effect of the heat will cause you to burn FEWER calories because most people will not be able to work out as hard or as long in the heat.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    I sort of tested this theory yesterday. My heart rate was definitely higher in the heat (and it was about 85, not nearly as bad as your 92!) but I got overheated after almost an hour and had to slow way down so in the end, my calorie count was about the same.

    Either way, be very careful when you go out in the heat - hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! And if you start to feel your heart really racing or if you get a bit dizzy, stop and find a cool place to rest. I ended up having to call hubby tocome rescue me because I couldn't stand it any longer and was out of water.
  • jenthestrawberry
    jenthestrawberry Posts: 93 Member
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    Calories are a measure of heat, but if it's hot outside the sun is keeping your body warm instead of your body having to produce the heat itself. Also, when your body gets hot, it sends fatigue signals much sooner telling you to stop-working to prevent heat-stroke. Thus, you actually burn less calories (do to not having to produce your own body heat, and doing less exercise). Now, if you can work out in an air-conditioned room where you have to do MORE work to keep your body temperature up, you may see an increase in calories burned per minute.
  • melzteach
    melzteach Posts: 550 Member
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    Actually I think you burn more in cold weather, cuz your body is already working overtime to stay warm

    I totally agree. We did not have central heat this past winter. I exercise in the morning and started out exercising in long johns, seat pants, at least two shirts, two pairs of socks, a bathrobe, a hat, and gloves! I'd shed layers as I got warm.

    However doesn't your body need to work hard to keep itself cool in extreme heat? I've read about Bikram yoga classes, where the class is conducted in a hot or humid environment.
  • BeeOlive
    BeeOlive Posts: 13 Member
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    what's a bump?
  • bentobee
    bentobee Posts: 321 Member
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    I think you do burn more in hot weather. My husband wears a HRM when he mows the lawn and on the days he is mowing in the afternoon (rather than morning or evening) he burns about TWICE the calories.
  • yaddayaddayadda
    yaddayaddayadda Posts: 430 Member
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    what's a bump?

    A bump is when you want to read or respond to a post at a later time. If you bump it, it shows up under My Topics and its easier to find:-)
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    I think you do burn more in hot weather. My husband wears a HRM when he mows the lawn and on the days he is mowing in the afternoon (rather than morning or evening) he burns about TWICE the calories.

    He doesn't burn twice the calories. His HR is higher because of thermal stress. The HRM erroneously interprets the higher HR as a higher workload intensity (which it is not) and spits out a bogus number.
  • dodd319
    dodd319 Posts: 228
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    bump
  • k8edge
    k8edge Posts: 380
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    What we have to remember here is that heart rate monitors are not the end all, be all of calorie burn.

    I could watch a scary movie, wear an HRM and it would appear I had quite a workout.

    Or be stressed at work, sitting at my chair... HRRMMMM... I wonder why obesity is so high if we're all stressed at work, and burning more.

    Beyond that, after awhile of training in same or similar conditions almost all of us acclimate to heat conditions, so you couldn't count on a higher burn, even if it were true, for too long of a time.

    This is an interesting thing to think about... or to research. How well is that HRM working... I just assumed that it was the most accurate way to measure exercise calories. I guess there really is no exact way to know.

    I do think that I burned more last week running in the heat... My heart rate was much higher than normal and I was definitely working harder to push through the run. It has to count for something... Well. That is just my opinion.
  • bunchesonothing
    bunchesonothing Posts: 1,015 Member
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    This is an interesting thing to think about... or to research. How well is that HRM working... I just assumed that it was the most accurate way to measure exercise calories. I guess there really is no exact way to know.

    I do think that I burned more last week running in the heat... My heart rate was much higher than normal and I was definitely working harder to push through the run. It has to count for something... Well. That is just my opinion.

    :)
  • shennard80
    shennard80 Posts: 23 Member
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    I didn't think it would be a big difference but using a HRM MFP is usually fairly accruate for calories based on speed/time (at least for me). In this 90-95 degree weather with very high humidity the calories burned per HRM was 240 vs 160 on MFP...only 80 calories but it's a 50% difference.
  • kellimanson
    kellimanson Posts: 1
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    When I was in the military we worked out outside each day, in snow/ice and in 90+ heat. I found that I lost more weight in the heat. We took PT (physical training) tests so one of my friends worked out with me 4-5 days a week for a month in the heat, by running and doing drills going uphill and in 4 weeks I lost 15lbs. My little brother also gained weight and more noticeable in the stomach area. He only walked in the late afternoon in the Georgia heat at a slow pace during June-July and then lost his stomach in those 2 months....about 20lbs. I think you burn more in the heat, but you also must properly hydrate yourself to keep from collapsing.
  • ShibaEars
    ShibaEars Posts: 3,928 Member
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    I had always wondered if I'd burn more calories on my winter walks. If I'm out when it's -20C, I figure my body's got to be workng harder! (I'm sure it's not a big difference though.)
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    I didn't think it would be a big difference but using a HRM MFP is usually fairly accruate for calories based on speed/time (at least for me). In this 90-95 degree weather with very high humidity the calories burned per HRM was 240 vs 160 on MFP...only 80 calories but it's a 50% difference.

    Under conditions of thermal stress, the relationship between heart rate and oxygen uptake can become greatly distorted, making HRMs calorie counts even more inaccurate.

    During normal steady-state cardio, heart rate and oxygen uptake are linked. If workload is increased, oxygen uptake increases, and so does heart rate. So heart rate can be used as an indicator of increased o2 uptake and calorie burned. Heat causes heart rate to increase but DOES NOT lead to increased o2 uptake. If you are running at 6mph on a cool day with a heart rate of 150, your calorie burn will be similar to running 6.0 on a hot day with a heart rate of 170.

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