Too Cold Outside? Congrats — Your Body Is Apparently Doing Cardio

Hate shivering? Good news: your mildly miserable winter walk might actually be helping you burn fat. You’re basically a frosty fitness icon.

When temperatures drop, your body has to work harder to keep you warm. This process is called thermogenesis — but we’ll just call it “silent winter suffering that counts as self-care.”

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Here’s the science-y part without the snooze factor.

Your body stores two types of fat:

• White fat – The clinger. The “why do my jeans hate me?” fat. Builds up when we eat more than we burn.
• Brown fat – The overachiever. This one burns energy and helps regulate your metabolism like a tiny internal space heater.

Lean people tend to have more brown fat, and researchers have discovered one surprising way to activate it:
✨ Being cold ✨

Yes, shivering isn’t just annoying — it’s your body switching on calorie-burning mode.

In fact, experts say 15 minutes of shivering in the cold can equal about an hour of moderate exercise.
So if you’ve ever stood scraping ice off your windshield, questioning your life choices... surprise! That was a workout.

One study even found that people who hiked in chilly temps burned 34% more calories than those strolling in warmer weather. Snow resistance? Bonus cardio. Slipping a little? Core strengthening.

So the next time you’re wrapped in three scarves, questioning why you live in a place where your face hurts… just remember:
You’re not freezing.
You’re wellness-ing.

Now if only shivering also toned arms, paid bills and made coffee…