Forgot the air conditioned gym. To really shed the pounds take it outside and let Mother Nature have the assist.

An Australian study (a very small one, but it’s still intriguing) found that those who work out in hotter conditions tended to eat less after the work out than those working out in a more comfortable surrounding, temperature wise.

The study of 11 physically active men found that participants ate less immediately after working out in hot conditions — about 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36 Celsius) — than in a more moderate, 77 degree Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) environment.

On average, the men ate roughly 300 calories more when they worked out in moderate temperatures than when they exercised in the heat.

“Our findings suggest that if you exercise in a warmer environment you will eat less in the subsequent meal,” researcher Dr. Kym Guelfi, of the University of Western Australia’s School of Sports Science, told Reuters Health.

In theory, she said, that would be a good strategy for exercisers trying to lose weight.

Researchers found that after a hot workout, exercisers had a higher blood level of peptide YY, a “fullness” hormone, as well as a higher core temperature, which could influence appetite.

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