Cold weather = ravenous

Thingymajig
Thingymajig Posts: 8
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
:sad: So anyone resident in Sydney Australia will know that it has been offensively cold today. Well, cold for Sydney's standards...and wet and windy and downright vile. Consequently I am so hungry I could eat a horse and chase the rider. 1200 calories just ain't cutting it. I ate lunch at 11:30am, my colleagues commented on my stomach rumbling all afternoon. Can't I get some bonus cold weather calories???? How do I keep the wolf from the door when I'm downright starving???

My stomach thinks my throat's been cut :frown:

Any thoughts?


Much appreciated,
Ravenous Jen

Replies

  • libstr
    libstr Posts: 36 Member
    same here in melbourne!!! all my gym buddies and I have been experiencing this odd phenonemon. I eat way more at work than I do when I am home durning the day too.

    perhaps we are burning more cals trying to keep warm????:noway:
  • minburke
    minburke Posts: 241 Member
    I KNOW! I'm in Newcastle and the weather's the same.. I'm so much hungrier in this weather.. It's horrible.
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
    I am in Auckland - so freezing here too - I make a green vegetable soup to fill me up when I get the cravings:

    Low Salt Chicken Stock, Brocolli, Zuchini, Cauliflower, Onion, celery, Leeks, (or any other veges like spinach, tomato) and then put a small handfull of lentils (80 g dry) in there as well just to give it a bit more "bulk"..... I then freeze it in small containers (cup size) and take them to work - normally have one (or two) mid afternoon (1 portion about 100 calories)

    The other recipe is Low Fat Chicken Stock, 1 Head of Cauliflower, 2 small brocolli heads, Patak's Curry Paste to taste, and then add some Tofu (200 g - but really to taste, and it provides "bulk") - 1 portion of soup about 120 calories.....

    I just cut all the ingredients into big chunks, and blend them up with a stick blender when done - I get about 10 portions out of a pot of soup....
  • Thingymajig
    Thingymajig Posts: 8
    Glad to see I'm not the only one shivering my butt off..I assume NZ is genuine chilly, not Sydney chilly. Elleinnz that soup sounds terrific...I hadn't though of tofu.

    I've bought some of those miracle noodles that only have 10 cal. per serve. I may have to try some of them added to my minestrone soup. I've scrounged enough calories for a cup of warm lite milk tonight. Bonus.

    I'm also thinking I'll take a wheat bag to work and heat it up. At least my tummy can be warm from the outside.

    I hope I'm burning more energy trying to keep warm. To those in Newcastle and Melbourne - solidarity sisters (brothers?)!!
  • ncm251
    ncm251 Posts: 24
    Hey guys,

    this is my first post!

    I'm also in Sydney and not loving the constant cold and rain.

    However, I'm NOT feeling ravenous... but at the same time I'm eating more hot/warm foods than the salads and sandwiches that I was eating in Summer. Could this be the key?

    I work in a kiosk at a shopping centre, so there's no kitchen to speak of. I have discovered that toasters and sandwich presses are invaluable for a reasonably mess free way of heating food. I just keep them in the cupboard.

    On my working days, I also tend to eat later. eg I have breakfast at 9:30 or 10am and then have lunch at about 2:30 or 3pm. I've also been rationing (not entirely intentionally) my breakfast and lunch intake so I can spend the calories for dinner / dessert.

    Eg. The last few days I've been working I've had a Sanitarium Not Burger (vege burger) for breakfast and again at lunch. These are 196 calories each and don't break the protein or fat budget. Today I also had a small cucumber before the lunchtime serving so at least I get a hint of a salad. With a 1200 calorie / day allowance, I still have 805 remaining... so my dinner possibilities are endless.

    Hope that this helps (even a little).
  • Thingymajig
    Thingymajig Posts: 8
    Sanitarium Not Burger ? never heard of it...shall have to try and find some tomorrow. I've been downing green tea because it is warm and 0 calories but not very satisfying.

    Great advice ncm251....vege burger + tofu are frankly new foods to me. My horizons continue to expand...

    Good news is that I now fit in my skinny suit pants that prompted me joining this group! Yay for my favourite suit no longer being consigned to the wardrobe because my butt had grown too big.

    I realised that when I went to university and used to trapse across campus everyday then worked 25hrs a week as a waitress or kitchen hand I weighed 6 kilos less.Having done a sedentary office job for a couple of years the weight has slowly been creeping upwards in a disturbing trend. The skinny pants fiasco was the limit. I feel terrific that at least that goal has been reached.

    I'd celebrate, but that usually involves trash food and alcohol....I'll go heat up my lite milk instead....
  • libstr
    libstr Posts: 36 Member
    I ate a very L A R G E cup of sweet potato for dinner with a nice pork chop.... I find my sugar level is often over due to my fruit n certain veg intake, but sweet potato is good for you.... low GI

    Im going to take a container of homemade pumpkin soup to work tomorrow.... really like something warming in the cold weather..... i was desperate for something sweet this arvo but held off gorging on a piece of banana cake (dont know why but im craving that in particular) and bananas are sooooooooooooooooo expensive :sad: love my narnas!

    I need to pop in some roobios tea bags for work too.... otherwise im having way tooo much caffiene!!
  • ncm251
    ncm251 Posts: 24
    Hey Jen! That's awesome that you fit back into your skinny suit pants! Congrats! I had a similar experience the other night when I tried on a pair of jeans that I'd bought about 3 1/2 years ago. I'd only worn them once or twice back then. I thought I might wear them when we were heading out the other night so I asked my housemate if they looked ok... and she said they were a bit baggy in the bum. I said "That's fine! I'm happy with that!" I took them off and I suspect will be popping them in the charity bin.

    The weight started piling on for me when I started working long hours and full time and the food court was the easy option... So I feel ya!

    Sanitarium Not Burgers are in the frozen sections of Coles and Woolworths. Generally $5 for a box of 4. They on special yesterday at Woolworths - 2 boxes for $8 Let me know what you think!

    I am vegetarian so obviously I'm used to shopping for these things. But I'm also now used to getting "value for calorie". I actually think of MFP as a game where I fit as much food into as little calories as possible. Even thought I ration the calories, I'm still eating a fair amount of food.

    In 2009, I read The Gabriel Method about 3 times I think. There was one section called "Lettuce Serve You" or "Lettuce Help You". It was basically about using salad to bulk up your meals. As I mentioned, I may not be having as much salad as I have been in the warmer months, but the beauty of salady ingredients is that they contain very few calories and lots of antioxidants... And because they consist mostly of water, you are hydrating yourself at the same time. Even if you wanted to have pizza, let's just say the average slice is 200-300 calories, you can chop it up and toss it in the salad.

    On a side note, I had a HUGE dinner PLUS gelato for dessert and I still have 123 calories left (and I don't think I'll get there). You can see the ingredients via this link:

    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=19170292&l=3a237ee537&id=664675270

    Tofu is AWESOME! For beginner tofu eaters, I would recommend getting the firm or extra firm. My favourite brand is Unigreen Ever Green... next favourite is Fortune. Most Asian grocers carry these brands. You can buy Tofu at Woolworths (and I assume Coles) but I find that they are generally more expensive (sometimes more than twice the price) and from what I've noticed their brands also seem to have a higher fat content.

    Hope your tummy stays happy tomorrow!

    -Nancy xx
  • Thingymajig
    Thingymajig Posts: 8
    Oh I love narnas!! Usually a daily staple, now consigned to the luxury list. Which is a very sad occaision for all :sad: My dear mother made an awesome minestrone soup that I took for lunch with 1 slice of soy and linseed bread...it's still holding now. 139 cal per cup, which I think is good considering it has ham hock and pasta in it as well. She lets it cool and sets any residual fat from the hock, which you scrap off and bin. Better in the bin than on my butt!!

    I also went to the gym and burned an extra 179 cal which I fully intend to eat! I think the gym also raises my metabolism and keeps you warm (and hungry!) I find on the days I go to the gym in the morning there is not enough food in the world to fill me up. I have 2 breakfasts, a boiled egg for morning tea and starving for lunch by 12pm. Shows how much exercise gets the system working.

    I am going to venture into the world of tofu...I like it in stirfry etc but I have never cooked it myself. My meat-aholic husband will have an apoplexy when he sees it. Thanks for the encouragement everyone, it is lovely to feel you have someone listening.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Yup, dieting is much harder when it's cold, imagine how we all were in the UK this winter when it was -5 to -10 all winter. I don't think my house ever got above 12 degrees (I am talking in centigrade here). You do burn more trying to keep warm, but also your body wants to lay down an insulating layer of fat and keep you warm.
  • Leanz
    Leanz Posts: 2,025 Member
    New Zealander here - our weather is fluctuating a bit but we have had a few frosts :frown: I agree - exercise sure warms you up, but again makes you want to eat more

    I have just started eating vegetarian food maybe 4-6 weeks and have tried tofu for the first time. My man and I quite like it. Give it time to take the flavours from the seasonings etc.
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member


    However, I'm NOT feeling ravenous... but at the same time I'm eating more hot/warm foods than the salads and sandwiches that I was eating in Summer. Could this be the key?

    Recently I did a course on Chinese Nutrition which talks very much about eating according to the seasons and more specifically eating according to your location on the planet. Warming soups and stews are an absolute must in the cold season - otherwise you are stressing your body which is finding heating up food doubly hard. The better you are able to digest foods, the fuller you will feel.

    It's not for nothing that traditional British winter foods are root vegetables and stews/casseroles. Forget the salads for now, steam some veg and make all your meals nice and warm.

    ps. Is it okay if I mention that the sun is shining and it is going to be a warm week??
  • libstr
    libstr Posts: 36 Member


    However, I'm NOT feeling ravenous... but at the same time I'm eating more hot/warm foods than the salads and sandwiches that I was eating in Summer. Could this be the key?

    Recently I did a course on Chinese Nutrition which talks very much about eating according to the seasons and more specifically eating according to your location on the planet. Warming soups and stews are an absolute must in the cold season - otherwise you are stressing your body which is finding heating up food doubly hard. The better you are able to digest foods, the fuller you will feel.

    It's not for nothing that traditional British winter foods are root vegetables and stews/casseroles. Forget the salads for now, steam some veg and make all your meals nice and warm.

    ps. Is it okay if I mention that the sun is shining and it is going to be a warm week??


    most definately you are not to comment about the summer weather you are experiencing LOL

    made a casserole last week, think i will make another one in the next few days :)
  • ncm251
    ncm251 Posts: 24


    Recently I did a course on Chinese Nutrition which talks very much about eating according to the seasons and more specifically eating according to your location on the planet. Warming soups and stews are an absolute must in the cold season - otherwise you are stressing your body which is finding heating up food doubly hard. The better you are able to digest foods, the fuller you will feel.

    Interesting!
  • dan76n
    dan76n Posts: 23
    FWIW it's even quite cold up here on the Gold Coast. Don't laugh, Im serious.
    Heres a link that may be of Interest .
    http://etipz.net/why-does-cold-weather-make-you-easily-hungry/
  • grassette
    grassette Posts: 976 Member
    Canadian here. Your body needs more calories in cold weather. Make sure you dress warmly. Layers are best, because you can add or shed according to your degree of comfort. Wool next to the skin, like a fine merino t-shirt is a good start. Marks and Spencer's St Michael's knit underwear, if you can get it is great. Then layer on top of that. Major heat loss areas on the body are the head (wear a beret), the arm pits and the groin. To keep the core warm, the body shuts off blood flow to the extremities, so wooly socks are wonderful on the feet. Wool is best because it retains heat when wet. If you dress for the weather (and in countries where there is no central heating, you do get cold), you should need fewer calories to keep warm. In Newfoundland, Nordic ski sweaters and bermuda shorts with wooly knee-high stockings are popular summer wear.

    Suggestions for hot vegetable soup made with good chicken stock, and hot drinks, that have appeared here are also good advice.
  • ncm251
    ncm251 Posts: 24

    I am going to venture into the world of tofu...I like it in stirfry etc but I have never cooked it myself. My meat-aholic husband will have an apoplexy when he sees it. Thanks for the encouragement everyone, it is lovely to feel you have someone listening.

    I love deep fried tofu with its crunchy skin... but obviously this isn't the healthiest way to cook the stuff. I find the most successful and light on calorie way to cook is just using canola oil spray and frying it on the pan. Just shake it every minute or so and give it a few mins on each side.

    I used to marinate my tofu and bake it in the oven. I'd marinate it for a few days and then give it about 1/2 hour on about 200* celcius. This recipe was particularly well received by my meat-eating partner. Recently, I've also started cooking my tofu in the Patak's simmer sauces. I like the butter chicken sauce... obviously the recipe calls for chicken but the tofu seems to be a pretty good substitute. I light fry the tofu (as above), add the simmer sauce and a few veges if I feel like it. Chinese broccoli or bok choi is particularly nice in the recipe. I skip having rice and just enjoy more of the main dish.
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    Major heat loss areas on the body are the head (wear a beret), the arm pits and the groin.

    why is that? I mean I know the head is a major source simply because it is a large exposed area of skin (and not as many think because heat is lost faster through the head) but are the armpits and groin to do with number of sweatglands and evaporation of moisture?

    My south african housemate used to wander round in winter putting the heating on full blast and complaining how cold it was. I pointed out that he had bare feet. One pair of slippers later and our heating bill went down. I agree wholeheartedly with keeping the feet warm - my feet seem to control my temperature, much like a dolphin or whale. And layers are good. Being allergic to wool and spending Christmas and New Year in Winnipeg was a challenge, that's for sure!!!!! I thought my face would crack with the biting wind!!
  • grassette
    grassette Posts: 976 Member
    Girlinahat, wearing a hood trimmed with fur really helps to keep your face warm when it gets cold in the winter. And a scarf over your face at minus 40 is a must. A good moisturizing lotion and chapstick help against those dry cold winds. As for the heat loss areas of the body, those are the areas that you have to protect to avoid hypothermia. I suspect that there are major blood vessels in those spots, and if the blood cools, then cold blood would lower your core body temperature and put you in the danger zone. Sheepskin slippers in the house are also do wonders when the floors are cold and are worth every penny!
  • Thingymajig
    Thingymajig Posts: 8
    Hey ncm251, I tried a vege burger tonight. Eatwells red lentil vege burger - good value for the calories but I wasn't entirely sold. Too dry? Maybe a bucket of tomato sauce needed??? I think I may be able to make something similar myself.

    These look like they are worth a try:

    http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/4838/lentil+burgers


    The supermarket I stopped by on the way home from work didn't have Not Burger so I will still track it down.

    My husband is trying to get me onto protein shakes. He uses them for weight training but I think they taste like bottom.:laugh:

    I've also bought some firm tofu - I might try it in a stirfry on the weekend.

    Any thoughts?
  • ncm251
    ncm251 Posts: 24
    Hi Jen,

    yeah, I've had the Eatwell's before. It's nice on the BBQ but you're right... it DOES need tomato sauce. All the meaties that have had the Sanitarium Not Burgers have been pretty satisfied with them. You may have to try the big supermarket like Coles or Woolies. I think the IGA's I've been to have had them too. Can't remember if I posted this link, but this is what they look like:

    http://www.sanitarium.com.au/products/vegetarian/vegie-delights-frozen/not-burger

    That recipe looks delicious! I agree, it looks far better than the Eatwells. My mum made me some lentil burgers over the summer. She also put some nuts in it. It was FABULOUS!! Mind you, I had stopped MFP over the silly season so I think I may have consumed more than double my calorie requirements.

    I did the low carb protein shakes back in 2008. I was pretty content on them. I lost 14kg by having a shake for brekkie and lunch, a piece of fruit for morning and arvo tea and then a good solid dinner. I was also exercising a fair bit. I would walk from Chatswood to North Ryde every morning (about 6km) and often back....

    BUT then got back with my ex for a few months, put weight back on... then after that ended i started with my now partner and the weight piled on even further. The shakes I was on is the Nutralife Thermo Trim Max. I quite liked the taste of those. It comes in chocolate or vanillaThe only place I could find it is at Healthy Life. I'm sure there are a number of them around but I used to shop at the Macquarie Centre store and the Miranda Westfield store (I've worked in shopping centres all over Sydney). Can't really speak for many other brands. I don't rate the Nutralife Low Carb shakes. The taste is ick and so is the texture.

    Stir fry suggestions? Have you made stir fry before? I don't often make them, but my mum does a fair bit when I go to visit. Lots of snow peas and thinly sliced carrot. I'd be inclined to suggest either of these methods, which I mentioned in an earlier post, for cooking the tofu:
    I love deep fried tofu with its crunchy skin... but obviously this isn't the healthiest way to cook the stuff. I find the most successful and light on calorie way to cook is just using canola oil spray and frying it on the pan. Just shake it every minute or so and give it a few mins on each side.

    Then just have some soy sauce on hand if you want some saltiness in your meal!

    -Nancy xx
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