The truth about cold workouts
Cold-weather exercise can raise energy expenditure a little, but that effect is usually modest. The body has to work to keep core temperature stable, and brown fat activation may contribute to heat production. That makes the physiology interesting, but it does not change the bigger equation: total health gains still depend far more on doing the activity consistently than on chasing a small extra calorie burn.
The more actionable issue is how cold affects performance, comfort and safety. When muscles and joints are stiff, the risk of poor movement quality and falls can rise, especially on slippery ground. A brief dynamic warm-up helps prepare tissues without the drawbacks of static stretching before activity. For longer sessions, clothing strategy matters because the body can shift from feeling underdressed at the start to overheating once exercise intensity builds.
There is also a behavioural angle. Winter conditions can be a barrier to exercise, and people who adapt their routine, route, timing and clothing are more likely to keep moving. That makes cold workouts less about โsuperchargingโ metabolism and more about preserving adherence. In that sense, the main benefit of winter training may be psychological and practical: fewer skipped sessions, not dramatic changes in energy balance.
Some claims around cold exposure should be kept in perspective. The idea that frigid conditions meaningfully offset diet choices is not supported by the basic physiology described here. Useful takeaways are simpler: dress in layers, protect extremities, warm up dynamically and choose safer surfaces. The best winter workout is the one you can do regularly without inviting avoidable injury or discomfort.
Deep freezeThis January brought winter back. The US East Coast faces another storm this weekend, and here in Berlin, itโs the coldest start to the year since 2010. Sliding across the sidewalks on my commute, I started to wonder whether the frigid temperatures were at least helping me burn some extra calories. The answer is not so straightforward. Exercise in cold environments does mean the body has to maintain its core temperature while it produces energy, which requires more energy expenditure, according to Original Posth8Cqm1N5TQYKy2gBr-_gKDtusLJJSUq/17" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" shape="rect">Lee Brown, a senior lecturer in strength and conditioning at the University of East London. Exercising in the cold activates brown fat, which makes heat via a process in the cells called non-shivering thermogenesis, he says. Yet while that burns more energy, itโs a small difference in the grand scheme of things, says Simon Hodder, a professor in environmental ergonomics at Loughborough University. โThe benefits of being cold are not going to offset a cheeseburger,โ he says. The big benefit comes in simply continuing to exercise even though itโs nasty outside, Hodder says. To do that safely, he advised making sure to warm up the muscles and joints beforehand, and taking care to avoid falls on slippery sidewalks and paths. A warmup should involve movement like arm circles and high steps, according to Harvard Medical School, rather than static stretches. For winter sports like skiing that involve being outside for longer periods, the challenge is to dress for comfort while stationary but without overheating during exercise, Hodder says. That means layers and vents in outdoor gear. Similarly, winter runners need to think about how warm theyโll be 20 minutes into their run, not just how cold they are when they step out the door. โIn the chairlift up, youโre static, you need really quite high levels of insulation to keep you comfortable,โ Hodder says. โBut then when you come down, youโre actually doing quite high intensity exercise depending on how you do it, and so you generate lots of heat.โ In all cases, Hodder advises keeping the hands, head and feet well covered up. Nerve thermoreceptors in the face also play an important role in determining the bodyโs comfort outside. Ultimately, repeated outdoor exercise over the winter will make the body more efficient at shepherding its energy to deal with the cold, says Brown. I plan to test this soon with some skiing โ and a few schnitzels. โย Naomi Kresge |
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