When those north winds begin to blow and the cold weather comes, don't despair. Along with snow and sleet, the cold weather brings some NEAT ways to burn calories -- NEAT, as in Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.
Shiver Calories
NEAT refers to ways to burn calories without exercising. When you get cold, your muscles involuntarily tense and then relax to warm your body. When shivering, you can burn up to 400 calories per hour, according to the website That's Fit.
Individual Differences
People differ in how sensitive they are to cold, how likely they are to shiver and how intensely they shiver, reports nutrition columnist Charles Stuart Platkin. Body size, fat content and type of clothing worn affect how much you shiver and consequently, how many calories you burn by shivering.
Further Cold Burning
Above and beyond shivering, your body may burn 3 to 7 percent additional calories to warm the air that enters your lungs and to reheat your skin that is cooled by cold air, according to Platkin.
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