Those headlong in their New Year, weight loss resolution -- and ready to shed more pounds -- don't need to barrel out in the snow sans scarf and mittens to start burning fat. (Though we know more time outdoors is always good for health and spirit!) According to the NYT, Dr. C. Ronald Kahn, a Harvard Medical School professor thinks simply lowering the thermostat to the lower 60s,
...Might actually help with weight control over time, provided people stick with it.
When we put people in a 60-degree room, they increase their energy expenditure by 100 or 200 calories a day if they're in light clothing," like hospital scrubs, he said. "They're not shivering. They activate their brown fat."
Over a period of several weeks, they will have burned an extra 3,500 calories, which translates into the loss of one pound. Wearing a sweater will dilute the effect.
