Why am I so cold? Does eating a calorie deficit make anyone else feel cold?

Jancandoit7

Hey all- I've lost 15 pounds (from a total goal of 40). I'm the one who always complained of being hot- fans on- windows open, etc. But suddenly, it seems like I'm always cold! I eat a super healthy whole food diet so I'm quite sure I'm getting all my nutrients. Anybody else cold because of sustained calorie deficit? Geez, I still weigh 178- not like I'm some skinny minnie now.

nowine4me

yup. Normal.

RoxieDawn

Seasonal change, calorie deficit/losing fat.. sounds normal.

cwolfman13

Fat is insulation...when you lose fat, you lose insulation...

Also, if you're like me and living in the northern hemisphere, winter is quickly approaching...it's been quite cold here the last week or so.

kommodevaran

It's winter for a lot of us, but I assume you're comparing to how you used to feel year round? Eating in a deficit shouldn't make any difference; eating in a too big deficit would make a difference, but then you'd have other symptoms as well; less body fat may make a difference, but being more active would counteract that and then some; maybe you're less active overall, maybe you got used to being hot all the time from carrying surplus weight and need time to adjust to not feeling hot all the time, maybe you're dressing more lightly now that you are slimmer.

Francl27

Lack of sleep does that too.

But yeah, I'm always cold (and Fall is definitely the worst, lol).

pkweier

I'm cold also and used to be warm although I was 185 pounds heavier than

zoltankontes

If you eat a lot o carbs during caloric deficit you will feel cold. This will explain it alll: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APZCfmgzoS0&t=3s

fiddletime

I started adding hot spices to foods, like sriracha. That helps a lot. In winter I avoid ice cream and other foods that obviously make me cold. I used to be really cold, but kept playing with foods and spices till I’m “normal” once again.

Jancandoit7

zoltankontes wrote: »

If you eat a lot o carbs during caloric deficit you will feel cold. This will explain it alll: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APZCfmgzoS0&t=3s

Wondering what "a lot of carbs is?" I eat about 100 grams of complex carbs a day which doesn't seem like a lot to me- I've gone the super low carb route in the past- did not feel well on that diet.

sunbeam236

I have been fasting for the last 8 months i am always cold especially my hands

Jancandoit7

sunbeam236 wrote: »

I have been fasting for the last 8 months i am always cold especially my hands

awwww- sorry- but good to know. How have you been fasting? Just curious- are you doing the 5-2 thing?

maggibailey

I am definitely colder when I’m in a deficit. And I wasn’t ever that much heavier so it can’t all be about lost fat. I’m not running an insane deficit either. I think the body must just conserve some energy while you diet. ~Obviously that was not science just my uneducated option based on my experience ~

maura_tasi

I've been noticing the same thing! I'm usually a very hot person (sleeping with the fan on in the dead of winter) but lately I've been a bit chilly. I've lost 25lbs but I can't imagine it's had this big of an effect! I do live in northern Ohio and it's been pretty chilly here lately so it could very easily be the temperature changes.

Athena98501

Is your body temperature normal? Low?

callsitlikeiseeit

always. it will be 90 and ill still be cold LOLOL

rankinsect

Yes, I notice this as well when I am in too much of a deficit in winter. There's a very noticeable difference between days I eat at maintenance and days I eat in a deficit, particularly noticeable in terms of how many blankets I use when in bed.

Last winter I basically took a maintenance break all winter long because it annoyed me that much. This year I aim to still lose a bit of the weight I gained on my not-really-actually-maintenance break , but at a slower rate than I would in the summer.

PAV8888

maggibailey wrote: »

I am definitely colder when I’m in a deficit. And I wasn’t ever that much heavier so it can’t all be about lost fat. I’m not running an insane deficit either. I think the body must just conserve some energy while you diet. ~Obviously that was not science just my uneducated option based on my experience ~

It is called adaptive thermogenesis and it is common when people cut calories, especially at a relatively steeper deficit or for an extended period of time.

One of the ways your body adapts is by lowering core temperature compared to being at a non deficit situation of maintenance or surplus.

Ways to mitigate include smaller deficits, deliberate increases in activity, diet breaks and re-feeds.

While for many people these adaptations will substantially resolve once the deficits cease, there is a bit of an open question whether for others some of these effects will persist for a very substantial period of time.

While many people will bring up that the primary cause of the reduction in base calories as weight is lost is the reduction in weight and lean mass, the above refers specifically to an additional amount of adaptation over and above what would be predicted by the weight loss itself.

In any case the cold hands and feet are not uncommon. And you will either have to counteract them with deliberately increased activity, or reduce your deficits or a combination of both together with possibly died breaks or refeeds as mentioned above.

maggibailey

@PAV8888 I have only been running a deficit for two months and not that large of one. I’ll probably do a maintenance break through the holidays not so much because I mind my cold feet but because it will make my husband less crazy . I can handle being cold I have socks and blankets. Glad to know there is a science reason behind my personal experience.