How much does weather affect calories burned?

ZoneFive
ZoneFive Posts: 570 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I just got back from taking the dogs for a walk. I hit my 10,000 steps, but now MFP is telling me I've earned 1,454 extra calories today. Personally I think MFP has lost its tiny little mind. I've never earned more than 825 calories from walking alone, even with more than 12,000 steps. I'm only going to eat back about 300 of today's exercise calories, because 1,454 is just silly.

But it got me thinking -- today is quite cold and blustery in SE Michigan, and it's hat and scarf and gloves for running errands and being outside. In general, is there any way to know how much effect harsh weather has on exercise calories?

Replies

  • debgear1
    debgear1 Posts: 12 Member
    I am in SE Michigan too. I think we should get extra credit for shivering. I do my walking before sunrise and its brutal! I'm curious as well.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Typically, we burn more calories when the temperature is in the 90s and above than we do when it is down around zero. Increased calorie burn in cold weather occurs when we shiver. In hot weather we burn more calories because internal function increases to push more sweat out.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Weather has little to no effect on calories burned. What little effect it might have, is usually offset by the effect of temperatures on performance. In most cases, temperatures that are extreme enough to affect calorie burn are also likely to decrease performance so that it is much more likely to decrease calorie burn rather than increase it.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    If weather had a big effect, there'd be no obese Eskimos, or no obese people in Florida.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    edited November 2017
    Orphia wrote: »
    If weather had a big effect, there'd be no obese Eskimos, or no obese people in Florida.

    It may interest you to know that Florida has fewer obese people than average and Alaska has more obese people than average.

    But let's not forget that it is calories in/calories out that determines obesity, not calories burned due to temperature or otherwise.
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    My fitbit has given me a 3100 calorie burn today and iv only taken 13.5k steps. its rediculous im not sure why my fitbits tripping so much glad im not alone lol
This discussion has been closed.

Categories