Does Temperature make a difference?

miseb
miseb Posts: 7 Member
edited September 30 in Fitness and Exercise
If you work out in the heat, do you burn extra calories? Or just dehydrate more?

Replies

  • jbucci1186
    jbucci1186 Posts: 440 Member
    i've actually heard the opposite. the colder it is outside, the more calories you'll burn bc your body has to use more energy to keep your temperature up.
  • amunet07
    amunet07 Posts: 1,245 Member
    good question...I want to know this too
  • EmilySG2011
    EmilySG2011 Posts: 82
    I feel like I burn more in the heat---if sweating counts. I do drink a lot more water when working out in the heat to offset the dehydration---hopefully that balances it out.
  • mariyve
    mariyve Posts: 7 Member
    I use a heart rate monitor when I go walking. I walk 2.5 miles every day, in about 50 minutes or so. When the weather is cooler, I burn about 280 calories or so. Today it was in the 90s and I burned 355. I noticed that my heart rate averaged about 15 bpm more than usual...

    I'm not sure about the science behind it (maybe your heart has to work harder to keep your body cool?) but it seems like the heat does burn extra calories...just in my experience.
  • titletown
    titletown Posts: 377 Member
    I've read several studies on this recently and they all said the difference is negligible.

    I would have thought you'd lose more in the heat, but having your body try and stay warm in the cold makes sense too LOL

    http://www.active.com/running/articles/does_the_weather_affect_how_you_burn_calories_.htm
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
    I read a study where one group of athletes worked out in a cool room and another group in a hot room (can't remember exact temps). After I believe it was 2 months the two groups were compared in the same cool room and the study found that the group that worked out in the hot room improved by 8% more than the other group.
  • WifeMomDVM
    WifeMomDVM Posts: 1,025 Member
    It probably makes a small difference. Your body has to work hard to regulate your temperature - whether it is to keep your warm or keep you cool. Obviously, the more extreme the external temperature, the more your body has to work, but as far as what % caloric burn increase do you get? I have no idea. Probably negligible. Wear a Heart Rate monitor and track cals burned that way. :)

    It may even be awash, you may not put in as much "effort" in your workout as heating/cooling your body may tax your energy levels, decreasing your effort.

    Just some thoughts.
  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
    I spoke with my doctors, and some personal trainers that I know. They said that working out in heat does not burn any more calories than working out in a cool temperature. The only thing that happens is reduction in water weight, which should be very minor, and should go back to normal because you have to rehydrate.

    The only thing that heat does is keep your muscles warmer and more flexible reducing the risk of injury.

    Finally, the only thing that does change your body temperature is drinking ice cold water (fluids) .. because you body attempts to warm it up .. but again it isa very small difference.
  • spgabby86
    spgabby86 Posts: 323 Member
    Here's what I found just doing a google search:
    http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/06/15/fit-or-fiction-does-exercising-in-hot-weather-burn-more-calorie/
    http://www.fitsugar.com/DrSugar-Answers-Do-I-Burn-More-Calories-Running-Cold-Weather-3151164
  • titletown
    titletown Posts: 377 Member
    All I know for sure is, being a new runner here and only experiencing the recent sweltering heat, I'm so looking forward to running in the cold ;)
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
    Well, your body has to work harder to cool itself off in the heat, especially in long, continuous cardio stretches, like running. I don't believe that it ends up burning more calories, but it certainly is a lot harder on your body to perform in the heat, because of the fact that it's much harder to regulate your internal body temperature to homeostasis levels. While it might not burn more calories, it does increase your fitness and tolerance to heat, because your body will become far more efficient at regulating itself in severe conditions.
  • kathrynvculek
    kathrynvculek Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks for posting this. I have been wondering the same thing as it's been 100+ here for about a month straight now. It's making running extremely difficult.
  • jbucci1186
    jbucci1186 Posts: 440 Member

    Finally, the only thing that does change your body temperature is drinking ice cold water (fluids) .. because you body attempts to warm it up .. but again it isa very small difference.

    yep, my doctor told me 8oz of ICE water burns about 8 cals to warm it to body temperature (not that many, but still...)
  • titletown
    titletown Posts: 377 Member

    yep, my doctor told me 8oz of ICE water burns about 8 cals to warm it to body temperature (not that many, but still...)

    Hmm, I may have to start throwing ice cubes in my water, if my math is correct and you drink 8 cups a day, you'd lose an extra 6+ lbs a year just doing this :)
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