It's true, exercising in cold weather burns more calories (2024)

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It's true, exercising in cold weather burns more calories? ›

Working out in cold weather may burn more calories as your body expends energy to keep warm, research suggests. You may burn more calories working out in cold weather than you would on a warm day, research suggests. However, it may not be an effective strategy to burn fat, according to an exercise scientist.

Temperature: The colder it is, the more calories you'll burn. Extremely low temperatures trigger a more robust thermogenic response, resulting in a higher calorie expenditure. A brisk winter day will likely have a more significant impact than a mild one. Body Composition: Your body composition plays a role too.

A study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that cold weather workouts could burn more calories compared to those done in warm weather. While exercising outside in the winter can be perfectly safe, it does require some extra precautions.

Cold weather forces your body to work harder during training, and this also applies to your cardiovascular system. As the heart works harder to pump blood around the body during cold weather exercise, this invigorating workout helps to keep your heart health in tip-top shape.

That's because our bodies hold onto calorie reserves and crave calorie-rich foods when the temperature drops. Thompson says, “In the colder weather, we're more inclined toward sleeping and resting for longer periods. Our bodies crave more calorically dense foods, or rich foods.

But you can feel confident knowing that scientific studies have proven that this cooling treatment can reduce the stubborn fat on your belly that you haven't been able to reduce on your own. That's why the FDA has specifically approved this treatment for people who are struggling with belly fat.

Brown fat is activated when it is cold out – and when you exercise – to burn energy to keep you warm. One study also showed that people have more genetic markers for brown fat in the colder months, which suggests we could burn calories at a slightly higher rate in the winter.

Cold showers may help boost weight loss

Some fat cells, such as brown fat, can generate heat by burning fat. They do this when your body is exposed to cold conditions like in a shower. Gerrit Keferstein, MD, says these cells are mostly situated around the neck and shoulder area.

Cold Exposure and Fat Cells

You'll be amazed to learn how direct cold exposure can have a significant impact on your fat cells. Ice baths, a form of cold exposure, can stimulate white fat conversion into calorie-burning brown fat, aiding in weight loss.

How does being cold affect metabolism? Because we need to keep our bodies at around 98 degrees Fahrenheit, being in a cold environment makes us burn more calories to generate enough heat.

What temperature is too cold to exercise? ›

The verdict. The bottom line: If the temperature falls below 0° F, it's best to skip the outdoor workout. If you do choose to brave the elements, before heading out into the cold, people should put on multiple layers of thin clothing.

As a general guide, mild to moderate physical activity is usually fine if you have a common cold. Symptoms of a common cold include a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing or minor sore throat. If you have a cold, you should consider reducing the intensity or length of your exercise.

Turns out, hot weather causes a greater calorie burn than cold weather. "In general, you burn more calories when you are hot (or in hot, humid weather) because your cardiovascular system has to do more work to pump blood. Your heart works harder to pump blood to your muscles, which are using more energy," says John P.

When it's cold, your body works harder to maintain its core temperature. One way it does this is by increasing metabolic activity, which can lead to an increase in calorie burn. So in theory, if you're cold, you're burning calories.

Scientific research is clear on this one: being cold burns significantly more calories than being hot, warm or comfortable temperature. It's because the body has to work harder to stay at a balanced temperature. There's no need to head out in the snow in just a t-shirt, though.

Well, the body's "metabolism speeds up" in the cold months. Pooja Malhotra said that the body burns more calories to maintain body temperature in winter. So, if you remain physically active and eat mindfully, "winter is the best time to lose weight."

The bottom line: While technically speaking, you can burn more calories in the heat because you are working at a greater intensity, the best way to ramp your fat-burning up is to get fitter.

Weather conditions with air temperatures below zero F or extreme windchills may prohibit safe activities outside, even when wearing appropriate clothing. The risk of frostbite significantly increases when the air temperature is below 5 F.

It turns out cold temperatures can increase your body's brown fat. A study dropped the temperatures of sleeping participants to 66 degrees for 10 hours each night for a month. This led to an increase in brown fat, which may help burn more calories.