Feeling cold after weight loss - can macros make a difference?

JohnDavid1969
JohnDavid1969 Posts: 34 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
So I'm closing in on 60 pounds lost since I started logging/tracking on MFP. One big difference I've noticed (as have many others, from what I've read) is that I get cold much, much more easily than I used to.

I suspect the majority of that is due to having less "insulation" overall... but I feel it the most in my hands and occasionally my feet. However, I have also noticed that I seem to feel the cold less on days when I hit or exceed my protein goal for the day, as opposed to days which are relatively carb-heavy.

Has anyone else ever experienced anything like this? I'm not convinced I can chalk it up to thermic effect and so forth, but I'm definitely intrigued.

Replies

  • nevadavis1
    nevadavis1 Posts: 331 Member
    I'm not nearly as fit as you are, but get cold when I'm dehydrated or if I'm not getting enough potassium. Carbs require more digestion right? So maybe all the blood rushes to your stomach and decreases the overall circulation?
  • buffalogal42
    buffalogal42 Posts: 374 Member
    I hope someone has insight for you. I have lost a little over 100lbs and I am constantly freezing. I never was a cold person before. My coworkers are used to me wearing my winter coat and running my heater all day! Someone told me that iron deficiency can contribute to "cold" - I have an upcoming doc appt and will discuss that because I have been anemic.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,242 Member
    Weight loss certainly does contribute to feeling cold - fat is an insulator! There's a reason that whales and seals and penguins and polar bears and all sorts of cold dwelling animals have a nice layer of fat under the skin. Lose the fat, lose the insulation.

    I do believe that protein can contribute to a warming effect.
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    I can definitely relate to your dilemma. This is the first winter ever that my fingers and toes were abnormally cold when I was skiing or even shoveling snow on cold days. Hand and toe warmers became my best friend. I am curious as well about your protein theory. It's too late now to worry about it this season, but I'm certainly up for an experiment next winter.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    JohnDavid1969 wrote: »
    So I'm closing in on 60 pounds lost since I started logging/tracking on MFP. One big difference I've noticed (as have many others, from what I've read) is that I get cold much, much more easily than I used to.

    I suspect the majority of that is due to having less "insulation" overall... but I feel it the most in my hands and occasionally my feet. However, I have also noticed that I seem to feel the cold less on days when I hit or exceed my protein goal for the day, as opposed to days which are relatively carb-heavy.

    Has anyone else ever experienced anything like this? I'm not convinced I can chalk it up to thermic effect and so forth, but I'm definitely intrigued.

    Yes. The talks about being cold are in some of the threads about losing a great deal of weight.
    Congratulations.


    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10087100/what-nobody-tells-you-about-losing-weight/p155
    Bungie01 wrote: »
    As a footnote to this thread (kinesiologist here). I don't know if this has been said yet, but people often feel cold during and after weight loss mostly due to metabolic changes and adaptations. Your body doesn't like the idea of being on a long term calorie deficit, or a deficit that's too extreme, so it compensates by reducing energy expenditure through reducing BMR (which makes you cold because it costs valuable energy to keep you warm) and sometimes even shutting down the sex organs since they aren't vital to your immediate survival. Typically that's how you know you've gone too extreme or need a break, if youve lost your sex drive and/or period.

    Just know that after being at maintenance for a while you will often become a little less cold as your body adjusts again!
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I am so cold, always. If there's a macro trick to fix it, that would be awesome. I'm almost 79 down and I freeze all day long. I am super vitamin d deficient, so I am hoping getting that back up helps.
  • JohnDavid1969
    JohnDavid1969 Posts: 34 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »

    Just know that after being at maintenance for a while you will often become a little less cold as your body adjusts again!

    Well this is very good news, then.

    Thanks for the responses all, gives me a lot to think about.

  • Mini_Medic
    Mini_Medic Posts: 343 Member
    I've lost 50lbs and I am cold a lot. I found when I temporarily went to maintenance and upped my calories I felt warmer but not completely. I'm always freezing in a deficit. Not sure if my macros were that much different, I think it was just more calories more energy to keep my body running.
  • FoxyMars25
    FoxyMars25 Posts: 112 Member
    I lost about 66 pounds, gained back about 20 over the last 3 years, have lost 4.5 over the last month and have been cold the entire time. I never had this problem before the weight loss but ever since I lost the 66 lbs, I am constantly freezing. I definitely feel more cold at work while I am just sitting at my desk all day. I walk during lunch which warms me up but get cold again once I am back at my desk. Moving around more does help, just wish I could do it more than just at lunch time while at work. My co-workers are very used to seeing me at my desk with a blanket wrapped around me. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to have space heaters :(
  • wellthenwhat
    wellthenwhat Posts: 526 Member
    I only lost 32 pounds, and I'm freezing all the time, lol
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    all good info here - I'd also recommend having a good physical with blood work - being cold all the time can be a sign of thyroid issues
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    edited March 2017
    Yes! All that fat INSULATED you! It was like a big heavy blanket on you and you took it off! Think about it: a big wooly sweater is maybe 5 pounds, tops.

    I've lost weight and naturally I'm a little chillier. So I layer up appropriately. Spring is coming... LOL
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
    I have the same coldness problem since losing weight. I've been maintaining for over 6 months and no change with this.
    I meet or go over protien levels every day. I find increasing fat intake seems to be a warmer, plus hats, wool socks, wool scarves over the shoulders, additional wool sweaters and a warm heater to snuggle up to. Space heaters, especially in bathrooms, make life more bearable. I thought maybe it was because I'm at the low end of healthy bmi. Can't really say I want to gain back weight testing my theory though. I lost between 40 and 50 pounds total over about 9 months. Best wishes to you in your search for warmth. I look forward to more losers posting on this topic!
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
    Ginger tea can be a warmer. :)
  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    My google foo failed to find the reference I know exists where it is pointed out that reduced body temperature is one of the ways resting energy expenditure goes down in the context of diet induced adaptive thermogenesis

    (diet induced adaptive thermogenesis is defined as a reduction in energy expenditure beyond what can be explained by changes in body composition as a result of the caloric restriction/increase in exercise or activity/a combination of the above)

    However, I did find a reference where female sheep on a diet can counteract a decrease of their body temperature by increasing exercise! :smiley:http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/endo-meetings.2015.OABA.5.FRI-575

    So move around a bit more... or figure out how to reverse adaptive thermogenesis (and the solutions I've found so far either involve the passage of time at maintenance (yeah!), or involve weight regain (boo!)

    Thanks. I get to clean my computer screen now :tongue:

    I actually started jogging in place for a minute when I'm feeling freezing and it does seem to help a bit. That and I drink hot tea nearly the entire day. Most of my work colleagues call me 'tea girl'. Which is quite an improvement over 'Chocolate freak' I must say :smile:
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited March 2017
    I'm about 30 pounds overweight; my mom hovers around Underweight. Under normal circumstances, she wears considerably more layers than I do.

    I had electric heat for the previous 4 winters, which is expensive, but I was mostly heated by my downstairs neighbor, and kept the heat very low or off, except when I had company.

    I wore several layers including a turtleneck, and superwarm slippers plus wool socks and cotton socks.

    These Sorel Manawans are amazing:

    651094-p-MULTIVIEW.jpg

    Now I live with my OH, who fusses if I turn the heat down past 67 degrees during the day so I'm wearing a lot less layers. I can't get it cold enough at night to really pile on the layers of quilts like I want.
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