Hot or cold climate for losing weight?

I hope someone can finally solve this issue... although it may remain an eternal question.

Which climate is easier to lose weight in: hot or cold?

Every time we're in the U.K. my wife complains that it's harder for her to lose weight in the cool climate. She claims that the body has to work harder keeping cool in a hot climate.

I, on the other hand, think a cool climate burns more calories keeping the body warm (and besides, she doesn't really need to lose weight!).

The best answer I've found so far is that in most cases it's really irrelevant... only extremes of heat or cold would have a noticeable influence on the body.

Any other opinions on this?

You burn way more calories in cold weather than in hot, but I think you are correct that this is only true at extremes. 

For instance, I had a friend who was thru hiking the AT and started early.  He figured he was burning about 6,000 calories a day when it was really cold.  Most of that trying to stay warm.

I agree book, but is there a tendency to eat more when it is cold and perhaps not be as active?

I'm sure the science regarding burning calories is correct, but I do think a lot of it depends on the individual person. Speaking for myself, I lose weight better in winter than in summer. I'm always far too busy in the summer and there are so many more social gatherings, picnics, barbecues, holidays, camping trips, etc. that make it really difficult to lose weight when the weather's warmer.

I lost a lot of weight in the month I spent traveling around India, not as much when I was in South East Asia, and I gained during the winter in Europe.  I wonder how much weight loss in warm climates is due to sweating and losing water weight vs fat?

It depends on what you consider to be a hot or cold climate.

When I lived in New York, it was so hot during the summer that I often couldn't hold down food. The thought of eating anything heavier than a light, cold salad made me nauseous.

The weather here in the UK isn't variable enough for me to feel a need to change my eating habits throughout the year.

ETA: I guess I am agreeing with the OP. The UK climate is too mild to make a difference. It doesn't get what I would consider to be either hot or very cold.

See- I am looking forward to getting back to Cali this summer so I can lose the last bit of baby weight. It's so hot all I want to drink is water or plain iced tea. Forget about cooking anything heavy either. I want salads and watermelon!  Plus we will be swimming, biking, hiking in the heat- makes losing weight easier I think.

Here though, my hubby's favorite dish is Bean and Cheese Pie. Can you say Carbs!!! Plus all the sugary milky tea I get when visiting friends and relatives. It's a fat and sugar fest. Hopefully I'll put together some healthier recipes so I can continue to lose weight when we get back. 

I do see the UK as a "cool" climate, but it's not really cold enough to burn calories from shivering. (More like dampness that creeps into your joints & soul )

One excuse most people have for not exercising is bad weather, which definitely can be used often in the UK.

Also, you see people at the gym with heavy sweats on working out, because the hotter they are during the workout the tougher it will be = more weight they will lose. Same thing with saunas and hot yoga.

So for me it would seem easier to lose weight in a warm/hot climate.

Also, you see people at the gym with heavy sweats on working out, because the hotter they are during the workout the tougher it will be = more weight they will lose. Same thing with saunas and hot yoga.

They are just losing water. It will come back.

I assume that when you talk about losing weight you mean losing fat, not having the number on the scale go down.

They are just losing water. It will come back.

I assume that when you talk about losing weight you mean losing fat, not having the number on the scale go down.

Yes totally and it is dangerous. 

The heat might want to make you eat better or the rain not exercise, but from a physiological standpoint you burn more calories in cold (actual cold weather that is) than warm because your body needs to burn more calories to keep you warm.

I like it when its cold cause I get quite hot & sweaty when I'm working out. my gym is air conditioned but sometimes I cant even feel the air con cause I'm so hot & sweaty from all the cardio I do. I am always amazed when people at my gym wear full length tracky bottoms, t-shirts under there sweatshirts as well. I usually wear sleeveless tops & 3/4 bottoms an I usually have them rolled up to my upper thighs. I would wear shorts if I could find any that I liked that werent too short an didn't make me looked like a stuffed sausage in them lol.    I get sooo hot while in the gym Dh calls me a sweaty Betty cause I sweat soo much lol.    I have to have my hair in bun as well I used to wear it in a pony tail but I get to hot wearing it like that these days.

Yes totally and it is dangerous. 

The heat might want to make you eat better or the rain not exercise, but from a physiological standpoint you burn more calories in cold (actual cold weather that is) than warm because your body needs to burn more calories to keep you warm.

But if your body is burning more calories, you probably feel hungrier. If you eat when you are hungry, you will be taking in more calories to make up for it, so it all evens out.