Exercise and Heat

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cerdmann
cerdmann Posts: 60
in Fitness and Exercise
OMG! It's HOT! If it's this hot in Michigan (99 degrees yesterday) how hot is it everywhere else? Do you burn more calories exercising in the heat? It sure feels like it! I can sweat standing still in the shade.

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  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    Yes, but I believe the difference is too neglible to bother trying to account for it in your diary.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    No--in fact you might burn fewer, because you usually can't work as hard or as long.
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    No--in fact you might burn fewer, because you usually can't work as hard or as long.

    I agree, I just can't push myself in the summer with the heat so high
  • julieh391
    julieh391 Posts: 683 Member
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    No--in fact you might burn fewer, because you usually can't work as hard or as long.

    Makes perfect sense, but what a bummer.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    OMG! It's HOT! If it's this hot in Michigan (99 degrees yesterday) how hot is it everywhere else? Do you burn more calories exercising in the heat? It sure feels like it! I can sweat standing still in the shade.

    If sweat = calories I'd already be skinny but, sadly there's no correlation.

    As azdak correctly pointed out you generally burn fewer as it's hard to sustain the same level of effort in high heat & humidity. If I'm running after work my pace is almost guaranteed to be 15 to 30 sec more per km than in the cooler early morning air (it was already starting to feel a little muggy when I went out at 6AM this morning)

    It's been up in the mid 30s here (Celsius, into the 90s Fahrenheit) and very humid. We're paying for the easy winter we had........
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    No--in fact you might burn fewer, because you usually can't work as hard or as long.

    I agree, I just can't push myself in the summer with the heat so high

    You don't need to. The body's natural response to the heat is to elevate the heart rate to circulate more blood to aid in cooling. You can put forth less effort for the same amount of calorie burn. Of course, since it's a bazillion degrees, you won't feel like you have not worked as hard.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    OMG! It's HOT! If it's this hot in Michigan (99 degrees yesterday) how hot is it everywhere else? Do you burn more calories exercising in the heat? It sure feels like it! I can sweat standing still in the shade.

    If you can maintain the same intensity, yes, you can burn more calories because the body is working harder to remain cool.

    However, honestly, you're not going to be able to maintain the same intensity. Chances are you'll actually burn fewer calories because your performance will start suffering from heat-related issues long before you can get as good a workout in.

    By all means, don't let that stop you, but make sure of two things:

    1. Water, water, water, water, water.
    2. If you're sweating a lot, remember that you're losing electrolytes. Over an extended workout, this can cause you some issues, at the most severe water intoxication (where your electrolytes are diluted by all the water you need for hydration). Eat a light snack every half hour to an hour, or mix your water with Gatorade or something that will ensure that your electrolytes remain high.

    Normally, Gatorade is something I consider badly overused and generally useless, and being a bit of an *kitten* I can't help but snicker when I see someone in an air-conditioned office rehydrating with it after a 20-minute light jog on the treadmill where they never even broke a real sweat.

    But when it's a buck ten in the shade and you're leaving a trail of sweat behind you and drinking a couple of liters of water an hour, well, this is exactly what Gatorade was made for.
  • Bridget0927
    Bridget0927 Posts: 438 Member
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    I feel your pain, Its 105 here in Chicago today
    Yesterday it was so hot some of the streets buckled, eeeeekkkk
    Cant wait til this heat wave is over!!!!!!!
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    I am in MN. it has been ridiculous hot. I have been to the gym once in the past week because of the heat.
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    No--in fact you might burn fewer, because you usually can't work as hard or as long.

    I agree, I just can't push myself in the summer with the heat so high

    You don't need to. The body's natural response to the heat is to elevate the heart rate to circulate more blood to aid in cooling. You can put forth less effort for the same amount of calorie burn. Of course, since it's a bazillion degrees, you won't feel like you have not worked as hard.

    Thanks!
  • pinthin87
    pinthin87 Posts: 296 Member
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    It's been in the 100s here in Texas but I am just used to it. I don't think the heat helps me burn anymore calories than normal, but it does provide a good cleansing sweat.
  • jaeysson
    jaeysson Posts: 41 Member
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    If you can maintain the same intensity, yes, you can burn more calories because the body is working harder to remain cool.

    However, honestly, you're not going to be able to maintain the same intensity. Chances are you'll actually burn fewer calories because your performance will start suffering from heat-related issues long before you can get as good a workout in.

    By all means, don't let that stop you, but make sure of two things:

    1. Water, water, water, water, water.
    2. If you're sweating a lot, remember that you're losing electrolytes. Over an extended workout, this can cause you some issues, at the most severe water intoxication (where your electrolytes are diluted by all the water you need for hydration). Eat a light snack every half hour to an hour, or mix your water with Gatorade or something that will ensure that your electrolytes remain high.

    Normally, Gatorade is something I consider badly overused and generally useless, and being a bit of an *kitten* I can't help but snicker when I see someone in an air-conditioned office rehydrating with it after a 20-minute light jog on the treadmill where they never even broke a real sweat.

    But when it's a buck ten in the shade and you're leaving a trail of sweat behind you and drinking a couple of liters of water an hour, well, this is exactly what Gatorade was made for.

    ^^This

    I rode my bike 100 miles last week for a charity ride just north of Atlanta. The temp was 107 with high humidity. I was drinking 2 bottles of water every hour and losing a ton of electrolytes. You could actually see the salt on my bike shorts from the sweat! I was thankful for Gatorade that day.
  • raerae514
    raerae514 Posts: 171 Member
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    I hear ya. We've had days so hot I can't even sweep the floor, let alone workout. I find if you have a fan pointing on you it's more tolerable, but still not for very long.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    No--in fact you might burn fewer, because you usually can't work as hard or as long.

    I agree, I just can't push myself in the summer with the heat so high

    You don't need to. The body's natural response to the heat is to elevate the heart rate to circulate more blood to aid in cooling. You can put forth less effort for the same amount of calorie burn. Of course, since it's a bazillion degrees, you won't feel like you have not worked as hard.

    FYI: a higher HR =/= more calories burned.

    HRMs use HR to gauge (estimate) intensity which is used in conjunction with V02Max to give you a caloric burn. If you HR is elevated for some other reason than intense exercise your HRM will over estimate the caloric burn. The number you will see on the watch will be more than you actually burned.

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