curious!

babyblake11
babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
do you burn more calories in the heat or in the cold? i know that it takes more calories for your body to heat itself up, but then you sweat when your hot?

Replies

  • daves160
    daves160 Posts: 600 Member
    They say you sweat almost as much in the cold, but you don't notice it because it dissipates quicker. Don't know if thats true, but when I ride when its cold, I need just as much, or more water.
    Whether it takes more energy to exercise in colder weather or not? I think it doesn't matter one way or the other.
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    In general, your base metabolic rate is slightly higher in cold weather because your body has to expend energy to keep warm. Think of it this way - you use muscles when you shiver. You don't sweat in order to burn calories, you sweat because you are burning calories. In every metabolic reaction, a tiny amount of energy is lost as heat. This is what warms your body. In the winter your body needs that heat so you don't sweat (as much). When the ambient temp increases, you sweat in order to cool off. Sweating is basically a swamp cooler for the human body!
  • debs6
    debs6 Posts: 232 Member
    I have always been of the belief that you burn more calories in the cold- the body has to work to maintain body temperature. I am not so sure how significant it is though - especially in temperate climates.
  • vichick20
    vichick20 Posts: 96 Member
    "You burn fewer calories when you exercise in cold weather than you do when it's hot. The hotter it is, the more extra work your heart has to do to prevent you from overheating. More than 70 percent of the energy produced by your muscles during exercise is lost as heat. So the harder you exercise, the hotter your muscles become. In hot weather, not only must your heart pump extra blood to bring oxygen to your muscles, it must also pump hot blood from your heated muscles to your skin where heat can be dissipated.

    On the other hand, in cold weather, your heart only has to pump blood to your muscles and very little extra blood to your skin to dissipate heat. Your muscles produce so much heat during exercise that your body does not need to produce more heat to keep you warm. So your heart works harder and you burn more calories in hot weather. This information should not discourage you from exercising when it’s cold, because staying in shape is a year-round proposition. However, it may help to explain why so many people find the pounds creeping on in the wintertime, even when they stay active."

    Found here: http://www.drmirkin.com/public/Ezine030605.html
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
    More in the heat. Blood also flows better in the heat and it improves the ability for fat to be transported from fat cells into muscles cells to be oxidized.
  • babyblake11
    babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
    "You burn fewer calories when you exercise in cold weather than you do when it's hot. The hotter it is, the more extra work your heart has to do to prevent you from overheating. More than 70 percent of the energy produced by your muscles during exercise is lost as heat. So the harder you exercise, the hotter your muscles become. In hot weather, not only must your heart pump extra blood to bring oxygen to your muscles, it must also pump hot blood from your heated muscles to your skin where heat can be dissipated.

    On the other hand, in cold weather, your heart only has to pump blood to your muscles and very little extra blood to your skin to dissipate heat. Your muscles produce so much heat during exercise that your body does not need to produce more heat to keep you warm. So your heart works harder and you burn more calories in hot weather. This information should not discourage you from exercising when it’s cold, because staying in shape is a year-round proposition. However, it may help to explain why so many people find the pounds creeping on in the wintertime, even when they stay active."

    Found here: http://www.drmirkin.com/public/Ezine030605.html

    thanks :) makes sense..!
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