Does the temperature of the training environment influence the calorie burn rate significantly?

Question

The efficiency of the human body, like any other machine, depends on the surrounding temperature. We get exhausted quicker if we run on a hot summer afternoon than we would in the cooler evening. But how does the temperature influence our calorie burn rate?

In a cold environment the body will need to burn calories to produce additional heat, in a hot environment the body needs energy to cool the system. But is this significant during sport? Does it make sense to train in a hot or cold environment to increase the calorie burn rate or is it better to train in a more or less ideal environment?

Answer 1

According to at least one study, the temperature of your environment can have a major impact on the amount of calories you burn. In the linked article, a scientist talks about how he was able to increase his rate of weight loss by exposing his body to cold temperatures.

However, take this conclusion with a grain of salt because this is the only study I've found on the subject.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/nasa-scientist-chills-body-shed-pounds/story?id=12000983

Answer 2

Not significantly. It takes a little extra energy to keep your body warm in the cold (and to carry extra clothing, if applicable), and it takes a little extra energy to generate sweat and run the related body cooling system. The large majority of energy during exercise is spent on the exercise itself, whether it's hot or cold.