The heat wave this summer does not seem to subside. But, while for most people it will mean spending a day looking for refreshment in the mountains, at the sea or at the limit in the pool, for those who are already training for the autumn races, training cannot stop.
But what happens to the body when running in the heat, do you actually burn more calories? The answer, unfortunately, is “maybe”.
The doctor Preethi Danielclinical director of the London Doctors Clinic, explains that everything depends on the basal metabolic rate. This is “the amount of energy we spend per unit of time at resta measure of how quickly the fuel (calories, in fact) is broken down to keep the cells functioning, “explains Dr. Preethi.
He also explains that basal metabolic rate can vary with activity levels, but notes that in theory it is also influenced by weather and climate. “Warmer weather can cause a slight increase in the basal metabolic rate, helping to burn calories a little faster, because the body works harder to keep the body cool,” says the doctor again.
But, unfortunately, there are no scientific studies that show exactly how many extra calories you burn.
Greg DrachCEO of the running community myCrew and ultramarathon runner, also stresses that any increase in calories burned thanks to a warm environment would not last long, because the body immediately learns to adapt.
“Those who are not used to training in the heat can burn more calories than those who have been training for a long time, but over time the body gets used to working less even at these temperatures and the calories burned during training naturally decrease,” he explains.
In addition, he notes that, although you can feel more satisfied after a workout in the heat (just think of the amount of sweat produced), “in terms of effectiveness and results, it is certainly better to train when it is less hot”, because you can resist for a longer period of time.