DON’T get all riled up when people tell you to chill.
By being cool, not only will you be more in control of yourself, but you might also find yourself losing more weight!
Is it true that we burn more calories in the cold?
Verdict:
TRUE
Turn up the AC because it's weight loss time!
Studies seem definitive that human beings burn more calories in the cold.
This can be due to a variety of factors which include the palatability of food, natural body mechanism against cold temperatures, emotional factors and changes in physical activity habits.
The science behind it? Being cold increases your body's energy needs, which can lead to burning slightly more calories.
When exposed to cold temperatures, your body has to work harder to maintain its core temperature.
This is known as thermogenesis, which can result in a small increase in calorie burn.
Usually, when a person gets cold, they tend to shiver. This involves the muscles involuntarily contracting to create heat and maintain core body temperature.
When it comes to how our body works, the simple act of shivering also burns more calories.
Shivering also triggers the production of a hormone known as irisin, the same hormone produced by exercise.
That's not all! There's also a second type of thermogenesis called ‘nonshivering thermogenesis’.
This causes fat cells called brown adipose tissue, which uses stored fat to generate heat, to be activated making the calorie-burning process begin.
So can we stack the buffs and lose more weight?
No, you don't necessarily burn more calories when you exercise in the cold.
Several studies have attempted to clarify whether exercise in hot or cold environments uses more energy, but there has yet to be a clear consensus.
Only low-intensity exercise at a cooler temperature will burn more calories compared to the same exercise at an ambient temperature.
Because if the exercise is not strenuous enough to warm you up, your body still has to compensate through thermogenesis. So does being cold burn calories? Yes, it does. But it's not a good weight-loss strategy.
Does your salary need to be used to install air conditioners at home? Definitely no.
References:
https://www.bulknutrients.com.
https://www.goodto.com/
https://www.livestrong.com/
