Do we burn more calories in summer?

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I am 25 year old and 5 ft tall and weigh 50 kgs. I have been maintaining quite well on 1600 calories for the past 2-3 months.

But lately I have started feeling tired and hungry on that amount. I feel tired to the same workout which I was doing with ease before. It is really hot these days as I am from India and I am kind of sweating all the time.

I brisk walk around 45-60 mins 5 days a week (Commute to and from work) and workout 5-6 times a week (Jillian micheals videos i.e 20-30 mins circuit training)

I have a desk job but I feel I am not completely sedentary as I cook twice a day and do other housework.

And I love drinking water and I drink atleast 3-4 lt of water per day.

Lately I have been so tired that I cant move around if i workout, I feel so drained. Not a very good feeling to have early in the morning. Also even at 1600 calories I am hungry and tend to cross my calorie limit every day. Help guys!! I am opening my diary.
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Replies

  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    Lately I have been so tired that I cant move around if i workout, I feel so drained. Not a very good feeling to have early in the morning. Also even at 1600 calories I am hungry and tend to cross my calorie limit every day. Help guys!! I am opening my diary.

    That is usually a sign the you need to eat more. Have you tried putting your stats into a calculator to get a better idea of how much you should be eatting? I am 5'3" and eatting 1800 calories to lose weight, and that is at a 20% cut from my maintenance (just to give some perspective).

    As far as taking a look at your diary, I think the one thing I would suggest is bringing in some more protein. You are often a little low on most days...and maybe also some more healthy fats (nuts, olive oil, etc...).
  • xsmilexforxmex
    xsmilexforxmex Posts: 1,216 Member
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    I'd say listen to your body and add a few hundred calories (maybe from 1600 to 1800) and see how that treats you for a few weeks. If you're still tired in 3 weeks got up another 100 or 200. You might gain a few lbs at first but if you're getting tired like that it's usually a sign you arent eating enough. Looks like you could also stand to go up on protein a bit to help your body absorb the carbs you're taking in.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Most people move more as it gets warmer and daylight savings time kicks in - if that effected you, but longer days no matter what.

    Yes, that would increase your maintenance or TDEE.

    as mentioned, just add some more.

    Remember the math, if you at 250 calories over your real TDEE, it would take 2 weeks to slowly put on 1 lb. And if good workouts, not even all fat.

    Reread that, 100 extra would take 35 days.

    You have nothing to fear testing for 2 weeks.

    If you have fast water weight gain - then you actually were not eating at potential maintenance at 1600.
    Except the water weight and enjoy eating more.
    Test another 100, never know where you'll end up. May be able to plan on daily ice cream during the summer!
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
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    Either you aren't sleeping well or you aren't eating enough.
  • sola24
    sola24 Posts: 334 Member
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    I would love to eat more but I am kind of scared to put on weight. I am sleeping well too, in fact, sleeping more than usual as I am feeling very tired.
  • Wingg_
    Wingg_ Posts: 395 Member
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    I'm living in Singapore which is summer all year round does this means I can actually eat more?...
  • meganmarie1992
    meganmarie1992 Posts: 7 Member
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    What kinds of foods are you eating? If you're eating a lot of sugar in the morning, you may be spiking your blood sugar and crashing later on. Even "healthy" foods can do this. This happens to me if I eat cereal, yogurt-- even fruit in the a.m. I had to change my diet to high-protein and complex-carbohydrates to prevent this energy drop. Think eggs, toast, protein shake, plain oats, even bacon! Also, try upping your vitamins. A B-vitamin complex works wonders for me!
  • samamps88
    samamps88 Posts: 52
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    No it doesnt! And the same goes for wearing more layers when you exercise sweating more does not cause fat loss just water loss! In fact the opposite is true it is actually cold that has a slight effect on calories when you body is cold it has to use energy to keep you at a constant temperature so realistically it is winter where you should eat more.

    In summer if you do not rehydrate properly this could be the problem, being dehydrated will make you feel hungrier, tired and lethargic so try drinking more! Surprised no one has suggested this
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    I would love to eat more but I am kind of scared to put on weight. I am sleeping well too, in fact, sleeping more than usual as I am feeling very tired.

    Fat gain happens very, very slowly. Try eating more for a while and see what happens. Note that you may gain some lbs of water weight, because if you are tired from eating too little, your glycogen stores will be depleted, and you gain water weight when they're replenished (this is a good thing btw, not to be feared!) so monitor inches as well as weight gain. Glycogen/water weight gain the weight goes on quickly then stops, and you don't gain any fat in the process (so inch measurements stay the same). Fat gain the weight creeps up slowly, and the inch measurements also creep up slowly.

    It's important to understand the difference when you increase your calories because a lot of people when they start to eat more, they see a big jump in scale weight, think that they're eating at a surplus, and go right back to the lower calorie amount... but it's not fat, and it doesn't mean you're eating at a surplus, these water weight gains can still occur when you're eating at a deficit (i.e. less of a deficit than before but still a deficit)... to find out if you're eating at a surplus, maintenance or deficit you have to stick with the calorie number long enough for your weight to settle (i.e. these water weight gains to finish) then see if your weight is staying the same, creeping up or slowly going down.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    And re your question.... in pre-modern times, people burned more when it's cold than when it's hot, because it takes more energy (i.e. BMR calories) to maintain a constant body temperature in a cold climate. In modern times with central heating, air conditioning and the like, it makes very little difference. *however* people's activity levels may change depending on the season... if you're out of the house more and doing more different things in the summer, and indoors not doing much in the winter, then you'll burn more calories in the summer.
  • shanster23
    shanster23 Posts: 144 Member
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    No it doesnt! And the same goes for wearing more layers when you exercise sweating more does not cause fat loss just water loss! In fact the opposite is true it is actually cold that has a slight effect on calories when you body is cold it has to use energy to keep you at a constant temperature so realistically it is winter where you should eat more.

    In summer if you do not rehydrate properly this could be the problem, being dehydrated will make you feel hungrier, tired and lethargic so try drinking more! Surprised no one has suggested this

    She already said in her original post that she loves water and drinks 3-4litres of water a day. I don't think she really needs to go even higher than that?
    Although you could look at what you're drinking. Plain water isn't always the best option for rehydration. Maybe some kind of sports drink?

    Agreed with everyone who's suggested eating a little more. If it makes you gain weight, it will be minimal and easy enough for you to lose again, and if you don't gain weight then that's great, you get to eat a little more! :)
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
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    Have your iron levels checked if you can. Could be anemia or something else entirely rather than your diet.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    Have your iron levels checked if you can. Could be anemia or something else entirely rather than your diet.

    ^^^ good point.... although anaemia is diet related in most cases (i.e. insufficient iron).
  • samamps88
    samamps88 Posts: 52
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    She already said in her original post that she loves water and drinks 3-4litres of water a day. I don't think she really needs to go even higher than that?


    Appoligies I missed that paragraph when I read but 3-4 litres whats that about 6-7 pints? If so then yes why not a little more especially if exercising and depending how hot the weather and what else is being drunk. That amount of water is roughly what is advised per day supposedly! (8 cups) if the op is exercising then she will want more for certain. And in hot weather this is more important. In the UK its not that hot but I will still drink 5+litres per day (including my hot drinks) and more if I am exercising (can get through 2litres in one gym session)
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
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    If you're feeling tired, there's a good chance you aren't eating enough. I plugged your stats into a couple of websites to see what it came out with, and they all came out at pretty much the same:

    Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1559
    Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1786
    Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2013
    Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2241
    Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2468

    Obviously these are just a guideline, but they say you are eating enough for a sedentary person, which going by your activity level, you aren't. There's certainly no harm in upping your cals by a couple of hundred.
  • em1773
    em1773 Posts: 10
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    It isn't just how much you eat, but what you eat. Raw Vegans maintain at 3000 calories of fruit while others on a less healthy diet can maintain at 1500. If you eat fruit to up your intake, you shouldn't gain weight so long as the extra 200 calories aren't fattening foods. 1600 sounds low for a metabolism but you are petit so that could be correct. Just make sure!

    As mentioned, iron could definitely be an issue. Another thing I noticed is how much sodium you eat. The ideal, as recommended by the American Heart Association, is to eat under 1500 mg. I usually eat 2000 mg but I sweat it out so it's fine. Sodium overload can lead to water weight gain, digestive problems, and those two things can leave you sluggish.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    would suggest blood work. could be low iron, B12, D, or other vitamins or minerals.

    Do you take a multi-vitamin?

    Could it be depression related. more sleep and lathargy go hand in hand with it.
  • sola24
    sola24 Posts: 334 Member
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    The bloodwork thing sounds good to me. I am planning one next month since I havent got my iron levels checked for sometime. Also I was taking multivitamins last year for some skin related issues which I have stopped taking for the last 3-4 months. I might need a check up.
  • Mugiwarah
    Mugiwarah Posts: 40
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    The best thing you could do is visit a doctor and have him check up your blood, cause an iron deficit could be the case but I'm not claiming anything
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    She already said in her original post that she loves water and drinks 3-4litres of water a day. I don't think she really needs to go even higher than that?


    Appoligies I missed that paragraph when I read but 3-4 litres whats that about 6-7 pints? If so then yes why not a little more especially if exercising and depending how hot the weather and what else is being drunk. That amount of water is roughly what is advised per day supposedly! (8 cups) if the op is exercising then she will want more for certain. And in hot weather this is more important. In the UK its not that hot but I will still drink 5+litres per day (including my hot drinks) and more if I am exercising (can get through 2litres in one gym session)

    um no - 4 liters of water is dang near 1 GALLON, or DOUBLE the (ridiculous) "advised amount per day"