Your Heater Is Making You Fat!

If you love to crank up the old thermostat on cold days, I have bad news for you. Your heater may be making you fat!  According to MSNBC, researchers in London found that our demand for higher temperatures might be affecting our waistlines.

“The theory is that we burn fewer calories when our bodies don’t have to work as hard to stay warm.”

That makes sense. A British researcher says that by staying indoors and avoiding shivering we are altering our bodies natural balance of fats. We have some kinds of fat to store energy, and others help our bodies generate and retain heat. When we shiver less, we create less of the heat-generating fat and more of the energy storing fat.

I can’t comment too much on the scientific parts of this theory (Let’s just say my liberal arts degree didn’t delve too far into physiology or bio-chemisty), but it sure makes sense. I know the days when I’m stuck out in the cold for a few hours with little more than a sweatshirt I feel like I got an ab workout by the time I get back inside.

And I found some facts to back the calorie burn you get from shivering from GlobalSecurity.org.

“Shivering also requires energy and burns up to 220 calories per hour (estimated for a 100-pound man)”

So, is "stay cold and stay fit" the message here? Probably not. I don’t think keeping your house at 50 degrees is a good substitute for a couple of trips to the gym. But hey, every little bit helps if you’re watching your weight.

Really, it's a win-win-win situation.  Turn down that thermostat; save some cash, save the earth AND help shave off a few pounds. Sounds good to me.