Is exercise better in winter?

ArabiaWeather - Exercising in the cold burns more calories than exercising in warmer temperatures, which makes the process of losing weight easier.

A study of 53 men and women reported that people who walked in temperatures ranging from 15 to 23 degrees burned 34% more calories than people who walked in temperatures in their mid-50s. Warmth, because you will need to burn more calories through what is called thermogenesis to keep the body warm.

Men in the open air burned an average of 3,822 calories per day when they hiked in the mountains during the spring, and 4,787 calories per day in the winter, and for women the average burn per day was 3,081 calories in the spring and 3,880 in the season winter.

This study is the first of its kind to measure the change in the body's consumption of calories according to ambient temperatures in real conditions instead of in the laboratory.

Although exercise alone is an impossible and insufficient way to lose weight (because people often eat more after exercising which compensates for their caloric burn), many of the participants lost a few pounds. And in cold weather they burn 2,000 more calories a day than they consumed on average, compared to 1,000 calories in hot weather, leading to weight loss (more in women than men).

Research shows that it is possible to use cold heat to burn calories without any effort in the first place. Sleeping in a cool room, for example, raises your basal metabolic rate, causing you to burn more calories without doing anything (other than breathing and keeping your bodily systems working) when compared to a warmer room.

One of the downsides to exercising in cold weather is that it may make you feel hungry compared to when you exercise in warmer climates. Generally speaking, cold temperatures increase heat generation by up to 30%. While the temperature is cold enough to make you shiver it can generate more "brown fat", which is particularly good at generating heat and thus burning calories.

Lots of factors influence the number of calories you burn but overall, getting quick physical activity outdoors in the winter is good for you.

Source: Medical