I was wondering if anyone could answer this question for me. If the temperature of your body goes up, wouldn't your calories burned? Like or example if you run 2 miles in 85 degree weather and burn about 300 calories, then the next moth you run the same 2 miles in 95 degree weather does your calories burned go up since your body is hotter? The reason I ask is cause its breaking record highs down here in texas and im running in it. Usually when I go for my run its about 95+ weather. So my usuall 2 mile run feels like 2.5 cause its so hot and the sun just zaps the energy right out of me it feels like.
Does Body Temp effect Cals Burned?
- Thread starter Paisty_Artist
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It's not that simple; a heart rate monitor that counts calories can solve that problem for you. The most important thing for you to remember though is to drink a lot of fluids before and after your workout, especially the day before your workout, cause dehydration affects negatively your overall performance and puts a lot of stress on your cardiovascular system.
That's a really good question.
My hunch is that you don't burn more calories just because you're in a hotter climate. The reason your energy is zapped or you feel the exertion is more intense is because you're body is dealing with heat. Simple as that. I know an old-fashioned New York Boxing trainer who still makes his guys wear those plastic-bags when they train....and these poor saps think they're leaning-out and burning fat just because they're sweating like pigs. Sweat = lost water, not burned fat.
By my own experience:
I do a lot of mountain biking AND a lot of spin-class. Without wearing my heart-rate monitor, I'd probably guess spin-class is more intense.....it's non-stop with the load (no downhills) and when class is done, we're all hot, sweaty, exhausted and even my socks are soaked! With mountain biking it doesn't feel nearly as exhausting, the fresh air, moving air and visual distractions just take away that feel of exertion.
Fact is, my mountain biking has me moving along with a heart-rate of about 150-165, whereas my spin-class has me grinding away at 140-155. All that heat, sweat and muggy conditions just seem more intense. In the end, mountain biking in coolor conditions win. Frankly, over-heating your body can slow you down and inhibit your energy output....I think this is what you are experiencing: perceived greater intensity.
I think of the heart-rate as the body's tachometer...the blood moves faster to bring more oxygen, nutrients to and away from the muscles; the more energy you develop, the more the demand, the faster your heart-rate. Simple as that.
My hunch is that you don't burn more calories just because you're in a hotter climate. The reason your energy is zapped or you feel the exertion is more intense is because you're body is dealing with heat. Simple as that. I know an old-fashioned New York Boxing trainer who still makes his guys wear those plastic-bags when they train....and these poor saps think they're leaning-out and burning fat just because they're sweating like pigs. Sweat = lost water, not burned fat.
By my own experience:
I do a lot of mountain biking AND a lot of spin-class. Without wearing my heart-rate monitor, I'd probably guess spin-class is more intense.....it's non-stop with the load (no downhills) and when class is done, we're all hot, sweaty, exhausted and even my socks are soaked! With mountain biking it doesn't feel nearly as exhausting, the fresh air, moving air and visual distractions just take away that feel of exertion.
Fact is, my mountain biking has me moving along with a heart-rate of about 150-165, whereas my spin-class has me grinding away at 140-155. All that heat, sweat and muggy conditions just seem more intense. In the end, mountain biking in coolor conditions win. Frankly, over-heating your body can slow you down and inhibit your energy output....I think this is what you are experiencing: perceived greater intensity.
I think of the heart-rate as the body's tachometer...the blood moves faster to bring more oxygen, nutrients to and away from the muscles; the more energy you develop, the more the demand, the faster your heart-rate. Simple as that.
Nothing wrong with running in the heat, if he is healthy, diet is up to snuff, and hydrated properly.
Best wishes to ALL on the forum
Chillen
Your body maintains a constant temperature. If it fails to maintain a certain internal temperature, the system begins to fail. By being in a hotter environment, your body sweats more to maintain the temperature.
In cold or hot environment - ie. shiver or sweat - you burn more energy than when your body is in a normal temperature range. So in a way, yes you do burn calories by increased body heat, but you run a risk of losing body equilibrium and risk of losing water and thus die or faint of hyperthermia or hypothermia.
In short, maintain a cool body temperature. When running, run at sun rise, or sun set. Never during midday when it’s blistering hot.
Effort is more important than sweat. If you’re putting a lot of effort into your exercises, you raise your heart rate and thus improve your body.
In cold or hot environment - ie. shiver or sweat - you burn more energy than when your body is in a normal temperature range. So in a way, yes you do burn calories by increased body heat, but you run a risk of losing body equilibrium and risk of losing water and thus die or faint of hyperthermia or hypothermia.
In short, maintain a cool body temperature. When running, run at sun rise, or sun set. Never during midday when it’s blistering hot.
Effort is more important than sweat. If you’re putting a lot of effort into your exercises, you raise your heart rate and thus improve your body.
Yes well if its extremely hot then you shouldn't run for too long and at least prepare for it. The bodies thermoregulation is only so good so that there will be a point when heat accumulates and can permanently damage your brain ..
A lot of water will escape from you body, your heart will pump overtime to tryand maintain cardiac output putting a lot on stress on our body. Blood will be restricted at your peripheries further complicating your thermo, often you'll get clammy skin..
Geesh.....
If I listened to people with this sort of attitude, I would never get anything done......especially nearing 50.
I run outside in the heat once in a while (I mostly ride my stationary bike), and tax myself good.....
I am still walking around.......because I KNOW what I need to do.
I would suspect, that my cells and body don't respond as well as someone less than half my age (and same fitness condition)........
I guess this explains while I am all spazzed all the time...
And Like it......
Eyes and ears........CLOSED
Matt.....>
Talk to the HAND.
Best wishes,
Chillen
If I listened to people with this sort of attitude, I would never get anything done......especially nearing 50.
I run outside in the heat once in a while (I mostly ride my stationary bike), and tax myself good.....
I am still walking around.......because I KNOW what I need to do.
I would suspect, that my cells and body don't respond as well as someone less than half my age (and same fitness condition)........
I guess this explains while I am all spazzed all the time...
And Like it......
Eyes and ears........CLOSED
Matt.....>
Talk to the HAND.
Best wishes,
Chillen
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I use to run 6 miles a day in El Paso Texas. I pushed my twins in their runner and had my rottie on his leash, and there was no way in hell I was going to do it in the heat of the day! It would get up to 115 degrees! The dog would have died in that kinda heat!
If you are going to run somewhere where it gets really hot, do it early in the morning....
I would get up at 5:30 am so it would still be in the 60's when I went out. I honestly don't think it is in any way more beneficial to tax your body in that way while you are exercising......
Well I drink alot of water during the day at work, and my diet is pretty good I think. I was reading yalls replies and the part about your body maintaining a certain temperature makes sense to me. I just thought that maybe this hot weather would turn up the heat and melt away a few extra pounds. Well I still want to do a little experiment just for fun. I'll run with my nike ipod plus and a heart rate monitor and see if the calries burned are around the same number. I'll also start drinking a little more water during my days so come run time so i'm not getting dehydrated.
I'm sorry....but this forum is just whacked sometimes:
The topic is "Does body-temp effect calories burned?"...so let's actually discuss the subject.
As (usual) Dallen makes a great point: the body regulates it's temperature, so the body-temp is pretty much within a narrow band. This clarified, I'm confident the OP, in elaboration/clarification, meant to inquire: "Does environental temperature affect calories burned?".
As Dallen pointed out, if body is cold, it'll shiver to generate heat....so here is addtional calories burned, provided the exercise in and of itself isn't sufficient to warm you. I'm also confident the OP was referring to exercising in heat, so let's dismiss the cold/artic side of this equation.
As for heat....the one thing I fail to see is how exercising in a warmer/hot condition would make the body burn more calories....I think you'd just sweat. Most people figure they're "sweating-off the fat"....but in reality, sweating is merely the body's mechanism to cool. I contend the muscles require the same amount of calories/fuel to do their work almost regardless of external temps. Keeping it simple: running or biking on a 70-degree day burns the same amount of calories as running or biking on a 92-degree day; the only difference is the need for hyration on the warmer day.
Let's not argue hydration....it's a given.
Chillen, I don't think Matt meant to E-ttack you...no need to throw-up the shield/defense-mechanism or prompt your age or accomplishments to substantiate anything. Of course you didn't mean you run in record-breaking heat-waves.
Matt...please don't razz the Chillen, he hasn't been the same since they revealed professional wrestling was fake.
Back on subject. I've gone for rides on my same trail and even in consistent weather my calories-burned will vary +/- 120 calories, it all comes down to heart-rate & exertion. I know exercising on warmer/hotter days sure FEELS like we're working harder, but I think it's just the added burden of not only dealing with the heat generated by our exercise but in also the warmer environments inability to absorb the heat by virtue of their being less of a temperature differential: same reason they do hot-air balloons early in the morning when it's cold...to get the balloon to go up on a wamer day requires more heat to create the difference in temps. A warmer or more humid environment inhibits our bodies ability to dissipate heat.
In summary, my hunch is that while it feels like your burning 30% more calories when you exercise in heat, it's probalby more like 3% due to some whacky thermogenic freak effect...perhaps that Q10-effect that Mreik made reference to but defined as well as Oprah's abs.
The topic is "Does body-temp effect calories burned?"...so let's actually discuss the subject.
As (usual) Dallen makes a great point: the body regulates it's temperature, so the body-temp is pretty much within a narrow band. This clarified, I'm confident the OP, in elaboration/clarification, meant to inquire: "Does environental temperature affect calories burned?".
As Dallen pointed out, if body is cold, it'll shiver to generate heat....so here is addtional calories burned, provided the exercise in and of itself isn't sufficient to warm you. I'm also confident the OP was referring to exercising in heat, so let's dismiss the cold/artic side of this equation.
As for heat....the one thing I fail to see is how exercising in a warmer/hot condition would make the body burn more calories....I think you'd just sweat. Most people figure they're "sweating-off the fat"....but in reality, sweating is merely the body's mechanism to cool. I contend the muscles require the same amount of calories/fuel to do their work almost regardless of external temps. Keeping it simple: running or biking on a 70-degree day burns the same amount of calories as running or biking on a 92-degree day; the only difference is the need for hyration on the warmer day.
Let's not argue hydration....it's a given.
Chillen, I don't think Matt meant to E-ttack you...no need to throw-up the shield/defense-mechanism or prompt your age or accomplishments to substantiate anything. Of course you didn't mean you run in record-breaking heat-waves.
Matt...please don't razz the Chillen, he hasn't been the same since they revealed professional wrestling was fake.
Back on subject. I've gone for rides on my same trail and even in consistent weather my calories-burned will vary +/- 120 calories, it all comes down to heart-rate & exertion. I know exercising on warmer/hotter days sure FEELS like we're working harder, but I think it's just the added burden of not only dealing with the heat generated by our exercise but in also the warmer environments inability to absorb the heat by virtue of their being less of a temperature differential: same reason they do hot-air balloons early in the morning when it's cold...to get the balloon to go up on a wamer day requires more heat to create the difference in temps. A warmer or more humid environment inhibits our bodies ability to dissipate heat.
In summary, my hunch is that while it feels like your burning 30% more calories when you exercise in heat, it's probalby more like 3% due to some whacky thermogenic freak effect...perhaps that Q10-effect that Mreik made reference to but defined as well as Oprah's abs.
It's all good.
I ran out in 105 degree temps last year. I just made sure my diet supported what I was about to do, and carried some items to support my body wanting to stay in temperature homeostasis. Is cooler weather more appropriate--of course it is. Stands to mere common sense.
If I had a scheduled run, and due to work, I had to reschedule, and it happens to be hot that day. I AM NOT making the excuse its too hot....Bottom Line. I am getting it done. I am not out running a marathon, but a few miles.
Knowledge is KING of the hill, and knowing the signs and symptoms of the body not being able to maintain temperature homeostasis. And, one can assist this potential complication before the run, during the run, and after run.
The body CAN withstand more than one THINKS it can, and one supports this thought through KNOWLEDGE of ones own body, and no one is telling me any different.
BSL: No Comment.
Best regards,
Chillen
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Ok, a few things for people that use HR monitors and exercise in hot environments. When you are not properly hydrated your blood's viscosity alters; less blood plasma means that your heart needs to work harder to be able to provide your working muscles with much needed oxygen. A faster HR represents more calories burned according to your HR monitor, since the formula that it's using is based on how fast your heart beats. In reality, although your heart pumps blood faster, your work rate is much lower, your HR does not represent the normal pace/work rate/calories used, that is associated with under normal conditions. So, make sure you stay well hydrated and don't worry much about calories, run early in the morning or in the evening, always choose the best options when exercising
i dont know if someone said this yet but your body is able to keep a remarkable constant body temp with that being said you wouldnt any more calories at least anything to be significant because the heat is external, only heat generated internally would make a differnence. Also i dont agree with the heart monitor thing yes if your dehydrated your blood volume lowers but not significantly your body has numerous defenses against this happening for instance your pituitary and adrenal cortex produce aldosterone and ADH (antidiuretic hormone), not to mention your veins themselves hold an extra 1L of fluid. Therefore your blood volume stays relatively constant when it doesnt thats what we call heat stroke so unless your havin a heat stroke everytime you excercise your blood volume is not being compromised.
It is, however the body is only so good and at a certain point, heat will override the bodie ability to keep constant temperature.
Furthermore! blood volume will decrease. The hormones you mentioned doesn't prevent sweat does it, and your vein theory is wrong. And no, a decrease in blood volume does not diagnose heat stroke. There's a common term (funninly enough i can't remember it, something shift) used to describe the common increase in heart rate after a while of exercising. Try it out fo yourself, exercise with the same load and after 20 minutes or so you will have a higher heart rate.