So cold all the time :(
laurenbastug
Posts: 307 Member
I believe I remember reading, as you decrease body fat, there's less of it to keep you insulated so feeling cold all the time isn't so uncommon.
Aside from the obvious solution of increasing body fat - which is counterproductive to my goals lol - and just bundling up, does anyone have any suggestions? I'm like the office freak, always walking around in my winter coat. At home, I'm in a minimum of 2 sweatshirts. I can't really ask my office to become the sauna I want it to be and my fiance always runs hot, so I figure it's easier for me to go on layer overdrive.
I have a scheduled 2 week diet break coming up soon (CAN'T WAIT) and while I hope to not put on any fat, I'm curious to see if that has any affect since I was wondering if it was a hormonal issue.
Thanks in advance
Aside from the obvious solution of increasing body fat - which is counterproductive to my goals lol - and just bundling up, does anyone have any suggestions? I'm like the office freak, always walking around in my winter coat. At home, I'm in a minimum of 2 sweatshirts. I can't really ask my office to become the sauna I want it to be and my fiance always runs hot, so I figure it's easier for me to go on layer overdrive.
I have a scheduled 2 week diet break coming up soon (CAN'T WAIT) and while I hope to not put on any fat, I'm curious to see if that has any affect since I was wondering if it was a hormonal issue.
Thanks in advance
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Replies
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Bundle up and consider a space heater under your desk.0
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laurenbastug wrote: »I believe I remember reading, as you decrease body fat, there's less of it to keep you insulated so feeling cold all the time isn't so uncommon.
Aside from the obvious solution of increasing body fat - which is counterproductive to my goals lol - and just bundling up, does anyone have any suggestions? I'm like the office freak, always walking around in my winter coat. At home, I'm in a minimum of 2 sweatshirts. I can't really ask my office to become the sauna I want it to be and my fiance always runs hot, so I figure it's easier for me to go on layer overdrive.
I have a scheduled 2 week diet break coming up soon (CAN'T WAIT) and while I hope to not put on any fat, I'm curious to see if that has any affect since I was wondering if it was a hormonal issue.
Thanks in advance
No, you don't want to do that. Actually, I've found that muscle is a MUCH better insulator than fat. Harder to gain of course. Given your profile pic I see that you already lift so not really sure what to suggest other than keep lifting.5 -
Yes, a long enough diet break should compensate some.
For example at full maintenance I would expect some more involuntary movements, an increase in resting heart rate, things like nails and hair growing faster. And your core temperature should go slightly up.
This would be a (partial) reversal of adaptive thermogenesis which your being cold while on a diet, in my opinion, has much more to do with than the loss of fat insulation.5 -
Being very cold can be a result of your body wanting to save energy and therefore not having enough to keep the internal heater going (aka processes that use energy and heat = energy as your science teacher probably told you at some point).
What are your calories at? It might help to just increase carbs, just from my own experience.
Also, do you know your fat percentage estimate? You have to be very lean for this to happen due to low body fat.
Also a diet break will probably help a lot as your body can start to balance out your hormones and other bodily functions again.3 -
Yes, a long enough diet break should compensate some.
For example at full maintenance I would expect some more involuntary movements, an increase in resting heart rate, things like nails and hair growing faster. And your core temperature should go slightly up.
This would be a (partial) reversal of adaptive thermogenesis which your being cold while on a diet, in my opinion, has much more to do with than the loss of fat insulation.
Yes, I was also reading that just the sheer fact I'm restricting calories could result in feeling cold all the time. I always thought it had to do with body fat %. I'll be very interested to see the results the diet break will bring along with what you mentioned. Thanks so much!1 -
Being very cold can be a result of your body wanting to save energy and therefore not having enough to keep the internal heater going (aka processes that use energy and heat = energy as your science teacher probably told you at some point).
What are your calories at? It might help to just increase carbs, just from my own experience.
Also, do you know your fat percentage estimate? You have to be very lean for this to happen due to low body fat.
Also a diet break will probably help a lot as your body can start to balance out your hormones and other bodily functions again.
Ah makes sense. I'm currently at 1580 (148C, 130P, 52F) - I gravitate/prefer a higher protein/fat diet and find that my carbs are enough to fuel my workouts. I'm probably close to 24% body fat which I know isn't very low.
Yes, I'm hoping to really see a lot of the physiological benefits of the diet break in addition to the psychological.
Thanks! 0 -
laurenbastug wrote: »Yes, a long enough diet break should compensate some.
For example at full maintenance I would expect some more involuntary movements, an increase in resting heart rate, things like nails and hair growing faster. And your core temperature should go slightly up.
This would be a (partial) reversal of adaptive thermogenesis which your being cold while on a diet, in my opinion, has much more to do with than the loss of fat insulation.
Yes, I was also reading that just the sheer fact I'm restricting calories could result in feeling cold all the time. I always thought it had to do with body fat %. I'll be very interested to see the results the diet break will bring along with what you mentioned. Thanks so much!
Observe how you will move and feel when you increase your calories.
Even in the context of a deficit I find myself taping my legs sometimes after a larger (but not so large I become comatose) meal.
Yet I don't feel like doing that most of the rest of the time.
Also will your workouts become more effective? Willing to put an extra rep or move in?
These adaptations form part of the slack beyond which persistent over or under feeding gets us to change our long term weight level.3 -
I started feeling cold all the time when menopause happened, and that was before I lost weight.
Things haven't improved with the loss of 90 pounds and it looks like this is my life for now. I can't speak to any ideas of diet breaks helping or not (they make no difference for me since me being cold is due to being older and has nothing to do with less body fat), but I can tell you some of the things I do to cope.
Herbal tea. Lots of it. Zero calories and I drink it all day. I also move around a lot. Try swinging your leg under your desk or buying a desk bicycle to get your circulation going. I find that really helps the most.6 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I started feeling cold all the time when menopause happened, and that was before I lost weight.
Things haven't improved with the loss of 90 pounds and it looks like this is my life for now. I can't speak to any ideas of diet breaks helping or not (they make no difference for me since me being cold is due to being older and has nothing to do with less body fat), but I can tell you some of the things I do to cope.
Herbal tea. Lots of it. Zero calories and I drink it all day. I also move around a lot. Try swinging your leg under your desk or buying a desk bicycle to get your circulation going. I find that really helps the most.
90 pounds lost - that's amazing!!
Thanks for the suggestions, yes, definitely chugging tea! Yea, I was thinking that sitting at a desk all day doesn't really get my blood moving and that could help get some circulation going. My fingernails turn blue sometimes they're that cold so I think even just using the standing desk I have could help. But work's been slow and if I stand, I'll put the MFP forum on blast and everyone will have a view to my slacking haha1 -
laurenbastug wrote: »Being very cold can be a result of your body wanting to save energy and therefore not having enough to keep the internal heater going (aka processes that use energy and heat = energy as your science teacher probably told you at some point).
What are your calories at? It might help to just increase carbs, just from my own experience.
Also, do you know your fat percentage estimate? You have to be very lean for this to happen due to low body fat.
Also a diet break will probably help a lot as your body can start to balance out your hormones and other bodily functions again.
Ah makes sense. I'm currently at 1580 (148C, 130P, 52F) - I gravitate/prefer a higher protein/fat diet and find that my carbs are enough to fuel my workouts. I'm probably close to 24% body fat which I know isn't very low.
Yes, I'm hoping to really see a lot of the physiological benefits of the diet break in addition to the psychological.
Thanks!
It sounds to me like its the first case I mentioned then, with your body just slowing down its system. How is your NEAT? Do you move throughout the day, or are you sedetary for hours on end? In addition to the diet break (which I think is a very good idea for you right now) just getting up and getting the blood flowing once per hour could help. Get up and do 15 air squats to give it a try.1 -
Ah yes. Moving (in my case going for walks) is integral to me not feeling cold. More than two hours of inactivity (sitting at desk) and I start feeling it. Even the 250 steps an hour thing helps with that...0
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I'm a really cold person no matter my weight. I always have hot tea in hand (even in summer haha), I keep sweaters in the car just in case I forget to throw one on before I leave. I have a microwavable rice bag that I will use to help heat back up (you can use this in the car, at the office, etc). I used to keep a space heater under my office desk. If you need to, those hot hand warmers can be helpful and I few times I used those stick on heating pads in a pinch haha.
You may want to consider getting blood work done just in case. I have several vitamin deficiencies and one symptom was feeling cold easily/often (tbf I'm cold no matter what, vitamins up or not)0 -
generallyme2 wrote: »I'm a really cold person no matter my weight. I always have hot tea in hand (even in summer haha), I keep sweaters in the car just in case I forget to throw one on before I leave. I have a microwavable rice bag that I will use to help heat back up (you can use this in the car, at the office, etc). I used to keep a space heater under my office desk. If you need to, those hot hand warmers can be helpful and I few times I used those stick on heating pads in a pinch haha.
You may want to consider getting blood work done just in case. I have several vitamin deficiencies and one symptom was feeling cold easily/often (tbf I'm cold no matter what, vitamins up or not)
Ah yes, the microwaveable bags are a good one. Unfortunately, we're not allowed to have space heaters in our office -_-, but thanks for all the suggestions! Yeah, I was thinking if, after upping my cals and trying to move more during the day, doesn't help I'll do some further medical investigation.
Thank you 0 -
diet breaks wont help (why would they?)
get a space heater for near where you sit. wear layers. get used to always being cold.
the way things are is the way things are.7 -
callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »diet breaks wont help (why would they?)
get a space heater for near where you sit. wear layers. get used to always being cold.
the way things are is the way things are.
From what I understand, diet breaks help re-regulate hormones that are suppressed/compromised during a diet - body temperature is regulated by hormones so not sure how a diet break WOULDN'T have an impact.6 -
Conscious and unconscious movements generate heat.
Conscious is covered by air squats, walking to the bathroom, moving around for 3 minutes every hour, increased activity beyond walking to from work, being deliberately inneficient (and other NEAT increasing strategies)
Unconscious movement is foot taping, finger drumming, figgeting, moving and darting your head around, the vigour with which you perform conscious movement and exercise, the desire to push out an extra rep or extend a move an extra inch.
All that does get affected by your hormones and energy availability.5 -
Is there any chance you have thyroid trouble? That can cause one to be cold all the time as well.6
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laurenbastug wrote: »GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I started feeling cold all the time when menopause happened, and that was before I lost weight.
Things haven't improved with the loss of 90 pounds and it looks like this is my life for now. I can't speak to any ideas of diet breaks helping or not (they make no difference for me since me being cold is due to being older and has nothing to do with less body fat), but I can tell you some of the things I do to cope.
Herbal tea. Lots of it. Zero calories and I drink it all day. I also move around a lot. Try swinging your leg under your desk or buying a desk bicycle to get your circulation going. I find that really helps the most.
90 pounds lost - that's amazing!!
Thanks for the suggestions, yes, definitely chugging tea! Yea, I was thinking that sitting at a desk all day doesn't really get my blood moving and that could help get some circulation going. My fingernails turn blue sometimes they're that cold so I think even just using the standing desk I have could help. But work's been slow and if I stand, I'll put the MFP forum on blast and everyone will have a view to my slacking haha
Mr. Coffee Mug Warmer is great for keeping beverages warm. I have flat bottomed cups - not sure how well it would work otherwise. I gave one to each of my parents and they didn't want them, so now I have one in my kitchen, office, and exercise room.
Footwear makes a big difference in keeping warm. I work from home so get away with Sorel Manawan Slippers, which I wear with one pair each of cotton and wool socks:
Knocked $50 per month off my heating bill after I got them.
If I were cold in an office and people cared about my footwear, I'd wear leather boots.
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Thank you both - yes, will have thyroid checked if it doesn’t improve
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Congrats on your weight loss! It does take a while for the body to readjust to it's new size. If it doesn't improve, please check with your doctor. It could be a sign of an under active thyroid. It might also be a sign of anemia. Both tend to make you feel cold when no one else is chilly. And the two can often go hand in hand.1
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@fittocycle thanks so much! Yes, definitely possibilities. Not to get all dr. Phil but my dad is a hypochondriac so I kinda grew up the opposite in which I don’t like to get things medically checked out in fear of seeming overactive lol I know it’s totally silly and a little dangerous but I think if, after my diet break and upping my activity (NEAT), I don’t see any improvement, I’ll get it checked out. Can’t be wearing a parka in Central Park in the middle of summer haha1
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laurenbastug wrote: »callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »diet breaks wont help (why would they?)
get a space heater for near where you sit. wear layers. get used to always being cold.
the way things are is the way things are.
From what I understand, diet breaks help re-regulate hormones that are suppressed/compromised during a diet - body temperature is regulated by hormones so not sure how a diet break WOULDN'T have an impact.
agreed. Lyle McDonald has talked about this quite a bit. especially a solid 14 day break at maintenance. it did wonders for me after about 8 months and 80 pounds. I was freezing, starving etc. felt much better after. wish I had done more throughout.3 -
laurenbastug wrote: »callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »diet breaks wont help (why would they?)
get a space heater for near where you sit. wear layers. get used to always being cold.
the way things are is the way things are.
From what I understand, diet breaks help re-regulate hormones that are suppressed/compromised during a diet - body temperature is regulated by hormones so not sure how a diet break WOULDN'T have an impact.
agreed. Lyle McDonald has talked about this quite a bit. especially a solid 14 day break at maintenance. it did wonders for me after about 8 months and 80 pounds. I was freezing, starving etc. felt much better after. wish I had done more throughout.
That’s awesome! Of course nervous about weight fluctuations/regressing progress but it’s a mental hurdle i’ll have to get over considering the benefits a diet break can/will provide.0 -
Always freezing. I did noticed more after weight loss. But I've also put on another 20 lbs since my lowest. Gah. My fingers are cold while I type this.1
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A: if you work at a desk, get a deskcycle. My office is incapable of being a normal, comfortable temperature, and when the air is blowing right on me a few minutes of pedaling gets me warmed right up. Bonus, burn a couple hundred extra calories and get to eat more.
B: learn to knit. You'll soon have so many hand-knit wool sweaters you'll actively look forward to cooler temps, and be sad when it gets too hot to wear them.2 -
Oh, do I feel your pain! I'm hypothyroid with hypotension. If I sit typing at a desk too long, my hands become ice blocks, despite my always wearing a sweater. I actually bought a pair of fingerless gloves to use when I worked in an office. Can you get a small heater to put under your desk?0
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A: if you work at a desk, get a deskcycle. My office is incapable of being a normal, comfortable temperature, and when the air is blowing right on me a few minutes of pedaling gets me warmed right up. Bonus, burn a couple hundred extra calories and get to eat more.
B: learn to knit. You'll soon have so many hand-knit wool sweaters you'll actively look forward to cooler temps, and be sad when it gets too hot to wear them.
I will look into this! Thanks 0 -
Oh, do I feel your pain! I'm hypothyroid with hypotension. If I sit typing at a desk too long, my hands become ice blocks, despite my always wearing a sweater. I actually bought a pair of fingerless gloves to use when I worked in an office. Can you get a small heater to put under your desk?
Omgosh! Sorry to hear you go through this too! Unfortunately we’re not allowed to have space heaters
I think I need to look at ways I can get moving at my desk. Thank you! 0
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