The epidemic of obesity and diabetes have increased interest in pathways that cause an increase in metabolic rates. The classical pathway of adaptive thermogenesis involves the function of mitochondrial Uncoupling Protein 1 (UCP1) in brown fat. This new work by the Spiegelman lab and published recently in Cell, shows that beige fat cells have another pathway used to generate heat and dissipate chemical energy. Their mitochondria utilize a futile cycle of creatine phosphorylation/dephosphorylation to elevate respiration and expend calories as heat. This new pathway may offer new insights into thermal regulation and offer new targets for human metabolic disorders.