Will your body burn more calories Exercising in the Heat?

After living in one of the most well known emirates in the UAE, Dubai, and seeing some people to work out outside during the summer season when the average daily temperature is over 40 degrees Celsius combined with high levels of humidity I asked myself if the reason was to burn more calories than exercising indoor with a nice cooling system in place.

While some of them could definitely enjoy the sensation of the sun burning theirs skin the truth is that sweating is not equal to fat melting. Exercising in a hot environment will increase the core temperature and you may experience some weight loss, but it is water what you are losing and not the result of calories burned. In order to avoid heat-related illnesses you will need to start with the rehydration as soon as possible where you will recover the water loss.  

According to Dr. Michele Olson who holds two distinguished professor titles at Auburn University Montgomery and has became an expert voice in exercise in the USA; “The reason we sweat is to control our body’s temperature. When liquid hits our skin (from the inside) and then evaporates, the evaporation is cooling. However, this is not the most accurate indicator of how intensely you are working out or how many calories you are expending. In fact, you actually burn more calories running outdoors in the cold versus summer in the heat.”

For all those not experienced athletes it is not advisable even to have a try. If you want to keep enjoying your surroundings in a safely way it is healthier to wait till the temperatures cool down in order to obtain the maximum benefit from exercising outside. And instead of Dining Al Fresco why not Exercising Al Fresco!