Is feeling cold to do with my diet?

mabelbabel1

I've noticed that I keep feeling cold and can't get warm, even when I go to bed I'm still cold.
This isn't constant but has become more noticable since I've been trying to lose weight.

I wonder if anyone else experiences this and could it be to do with either a lack of nutrients or too low a calorie intake?

I'm 5' 10
274lbs
43yrs
Female
I've set my cals to 1600 and have averaged since the 1st Oct 1500.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

crimsoncat

The short answer: It could be.

The longer answer: It could be. I'm cold a lot now too because of the weight I lost. However, one of my friend's was cold all summer and she ended up having cancer. Just mention it to your doctor the next time you go in unless you're noticing other problems.

....


That was probably terrifying, right?

nlcondit

It could be low iron intake. I used to get very very cold to the point my finger nails would turn blue when my iron levels were low (though not so low I was anemic).

darrensurrey

As I understand things, yes. You can fire up the internal warmth by doing exercise, though...

heybales

Many people that started eating at a more reasonable deficit for their level of activity report they are warmer than before.
Because that's really what metabolism is - heat generated from these functions the body is performing.

If the body is barely getting enough calories after exercise takes it off the top you might say, required functions first, then other functions, like staying warmer, come down the list.
Now, you reach bad low core temp, body is going to spend the energy to keep you warm.

But to many thinking being cold raises metabolism, it's only if they haven't suppressed it in the first place.

Are you eating more than you used to recently?
Are you colder now than when you really used to eat more?

themommie

since I have lost weight I notice i am cold alot when I had all the extra weight i was always warm-hot, but I do warm up when I exercise

Excira

Check your water intake. I start to freeze when I haven't gotten enough water into my system. With your dietary changes and exercise routine, you may need to up your water. I've gotten mine up to 4L per day but that's because I have low blood pressure.

berry83sweet

YES!!! Everytime I ever go on a diet this happens initially. I feel like the tip of my nose, hands and feet are worse. I sort of attribute it to my thyroid issues. Also, if I fast or anything like that it gets way worse. I really think it is our metabolism or possibly circulation related to our metabolism. I'd mention it to your doctor. You could also be tired more than usual because of the change! Being tired always make cold because my already low blood pressure drops. Could your blood pressure be too low? Make sure you are drinking enough and ask a doctor. As well as get him to check you for any vitamin deficiency

Amatambi

I second the iron intake. I get anemic when my time of month comes around and I get pale and cold and can't get warm, and I feel weak. Not like, dizzy or tired weak, but like I don't have as much physical strength as I normally do. I had to start taking iron supplements and it did help. Maybe get your blood tested for iron deficiency?

mabelbabel1

Many people that started eating at a more reasonable deficit for their level of activity report they are warmer than before.
Because that's really what metabolism is - heat generated from these functions the body is performing.

If the body is barely getting enough calories after exercise takes it off the top you might say, required functions first, then other functions, like staying warmer, come down the list.
Now, you reach bad low core temp, body is going to spend the energy to keep you warm.

But to many thinking being cold raises metabolism, it's only if they haven't suppressed it in the first place.

Are you eating more than you used to recently?
Are you colder now than when you really used to eat more?

I upped my cals from 1480 to 1600 2 weeks ago, and depending on how I am I was considering upping them to 1700 on 1st November
Before i started on here, when I wasn't watching my diet or counting cals I never noticed being cold.

I think my diet is pretty balanced hence my confusion and I don't have any health issues.

Seattle4135

You might also want to get your thyroid checked. Having cold hands and feet, and not being able to warm up are definitely symptoms. I'm 5'7"/172 before treatment and my hands and feet were always super cold. I would jump in the shower on HOT just so that I could have the water run along my arms. However, I would get light headed from the heat before my body would actually feel warm! Other symptoms include feeling tired all the time and having the HARDEST time losing weight. I also felt super tired all the time - lacking energy and mental motivation. When I got it checked out in July, I was at 5.8 - subclinical. My Dr. now has me on Synthroid and I'm feeling SO MUCH BETTER. I need to get checked again, but I think now I'm under 2, where I should be.

So, if you have other symptoms that you think are just you "sucking at life" - like fatigue, mental fog, thin nails, coldness, difficulty losing weight...it could be your thyroid!

I know I am sooooo much better after getting on medication. Take care!

emcdonie

I also believe weight loss/diet changes can do it. But as said, so can iron....and a big cause of that can also be thryoid levels. It is a common symptom if your thyroid is out of whack.

For me, I am usually melting most of the time, but another thing that can make be freeze abnormally....pregnancy. :-) That could be because my iron would also nose dive and I have had to supplement it heavily both times.

emcdonie

You might also want to get your thyroid checked. Having cold hands and feet, and not being able to warm up are definitely symptoms. I'm 5'7"/172 before treatment and my hands and feet were always super cold. I would jump in the shower on HOT just so that I could have the water run along my arms. However, I would get light headed from the heat before my body would actually feel warm! Other symptoms include feeling tired all the time and having the HARDEST time losing weight. I also felt super tired all the time - lacking energy and mental motivation. When I got it checked out in July, I was at 5.8 - subclinical. My Dr. now has me on Synthroid and I'm feeling SO MUCH BETTER. I need to get checked again, but I think now I'm under 2, where I should be.

So, if you have other symptoms that you think are just you "sucking at life" - like fatigue, mental fog, thin nails, coldness, difficulty losing weight...it could be your thyroid!

I know I am sooooo much better after getting on medication. Take care!

You and I posted about the same time. I am the same, subclinical on my TSH but when the doc put me on Synthroid it helped quite a bit with energy levels! Funny how just that little make a huge difference. I can't imagine how people feel who have really out of range thyroid numbers.

LisaLouisiana

I used to be cold all the time, but now that I've put on lean muscle mass, I find that I'm a lot warmer. I remarked to my husband this morning that I guess my metabolism must be improving.....but that's only a guess on my part.

mabelbabel1

You might also want to get your thyroid checked. Having cold hands and feet, and not being able to warm up are definitely symptoms. I'm 5'7"/172 before treatment and my hands and feet were always super cold. I would jump in the shower on HOT just so that I could have the water run along my arms. However, I would get light headed from the heat before my body would actually feel warm! Other symptoms include feeling tired all the time and having the HARDEST time losing weight. I also felt super tired all the time - lacking energy and mental motivation. When I got it checked out in July, I was at 5.8 - subclinical. My Dr. now has me on Synthroid and I'm feeling SO MUCH BETTER. I need to get checked again, but I think now I'm under 2, where I should be.

So, if you have other symptoms that you think are just you "sucking at life" - like fatigue, mental fog, thin nails, coldness, difficulty losing weight...it could be your thyroid!

I know I am sooooo much better after getting on medication. Take care!

Thank you for your words and everyone elses who picked up on possible health, iron and thyroid problems...I'm pretty certain it's nothing like that.

I don't have cold hands and feet, the coldness is more an inner cold if you like, a shivery cold feeling that comes and goes.

It's just odd that it's only started since trying to lose weight...

mabelbabel1

I used to be cold all the time, but now that I've put on lean muscle mass, I find that I'm a lot warmer. I remarked to my husband this morning that I guess my metabolism must be improving.....but that's only a guess on my part.

Sounds kind of logical to me.

Christine1110

I have lost 120 pounds...and I am always cold now. I'm getting use to it now.

Amy911Gray

I noticed in the early days of weight loss, when I would hit a 10 pound change, I feel cold quicker than I used to. It will pass...

mabelbabel1

I have lost 120 pounds...and I am always cold now. I'm getting use to it now.

I wouldn't mind....but i've only lost 16lbs!

Congratulations on your huge loss....amazing!

UncleRiotous

If you can't get warm, especially after loosing 16lb, then I'd suggest it's probably not just down to diet or weight loss. Probably worth checking with your doctor. Do bear in mind that in South England it has got much colder quite suddenly in the last couple of weeks. We've put the heating on and are thinking about digging out the winter duvet so it might just be that.

I lost about 80lb five years ago and prior to that I'd be wanting to open a window or turn the heating off while my wife (who has always been thin) used to be talking about putting on a jumper. After the weight loss she noticed I was the one putting on a jumper while she was too warm. After five years of being much thinner (and doing massively more exercise) I still find that I'm wearing a jumper more than I used to but I'm not really noticing being cold, I think it's just become the norm.

princesskellie60

When I've lost weight before (80lbs) I was always cold. Losing weight this time is different, I think because I'm actually doing exercise and calorie monitoring. Keeping my body internally moving has helped. I have been wondering when I was going to start getting cold like last time and it's just not happened. Good luck trying to figure it out.

allisonrozsa

What I've figured out is, when I started changing my diet, yes, I was feeling colder. I discovered that a lot of the foods that I was eating were high in fat and oily contents, and so my body was getting warmer from that (a drastic example is, whenever I would eat fast food, I would feel hot and sometimes a little bit sweaty). When that came out of my diet, and the fat cells started melting off my body, my "built in" heating system was breaking down. It wasn't a bad thing, I just went from always feeling warm and hot to discovering that it was a symptom of being fat.

Since then, I can tell when my body doesn't like something simply by my internal body temperature after I've eaten it.

mabelbabel1

What I've figured out is, when I started changing my diet, yes, I was feeling colder. I discovered that a lot of the foods that I was eating were high in fat and oily contents, and so my body was getting warmer from that (a drastic example is, whenever I would eat fast food, I would feel hot and sometimes a little bit sweaty). When that came out of my diet, and the fat cells started melting off my body, my "built in" heating system was breaking down. It wasn't a bad thing, I just went from always feeling warm and hot to discovering that it was a symptom of being fat.

Since then, I can tell when my body doesn't like something simply by my internal body temperature after I've eaten it.

That makes sense to me! Love the idea of my fat melting off my body!

I can remember when I used to deliberately binge and eat buttercream, it would make my eyelids sweat.....yuk!

fit4lifeUcan2

You should really check with your doctor. Could be a sign of a circulation problem.

mabelbabel1

You should really check with your doctor. Could be a sign of a circulation problem.

Circulation is all good thanks

trobbin88

All i can say is i felt warm all the time and now since i started reducing my calories and losing weight, i'm colder.....brrrr......so i hear ya.

MichelleLaree13

Spicy food is good for making you feel warm.

mabelbabel1

Spicy food is good for making you feel warm.

Very true....and chillies raise metabolism too!

LadyPakal

The way I see it, I've just lost 36lbs of excellent insulation material - a fat person takes longer to die of hypothermia in cold water than a slim one. That he because they have more insulation. Until my body adjusts, I expect I will feel colder. It will just take a bit of time.

tanyaslosingit

LOL, Just the other day I mentioned that I felt really cold and my 9yo came back with "Well, that's because you don't have blubber like a seal any more!" I closely monitor my iodized sodium and iron content, so I know it's not a matter of a thyroid or an anemia issue (been there, done that!); I'm fairly active - 5 miles/day minimum + 50 jumping jacks) and; my cal intake vs cal burn is usually with 500 cals. All in all I feel that I'm hitting my marks. I'm not tired or listless or exhibiting any other noticeable changes other than the weight loss and that my high blood pressure is tapering off to more reasonable levels, so I'm thinking that my daughter may be right!

On another thread, other MFPers were feeling the cold and some were recommending Under Armour Cold Weather Gear. Me, personally? I just went and bought a silk base layer tee-shirt. Works well for me! :-)

P.S. - But if your house needs some better insulation or the windows replaced with double-paned ones, don't miss the opportunity to guilt your SO into getting it done! :laugh:

paulywoo

Since cutting calories and losing weight I'm cold all the time so you have my sympathy. I'm sitting here wearing my sports base layer though so feeling good right now