Solved: I'm always cold

sabitabi88 · ‎02-17-2016

As wonderful as losing 35 pounds has been, I have found that I am cold way more often than everyone else in my life seems to be. Even in the summer, when I walk into an air conditioned building I don't find it relieving, I find it freezing! I understand why losing weight causes me to be cold more easily but I was wondering if others have this same issue and if any one knows whether your body really acclimates after a while or if that is just an old wives tale? I wear long sleeve shirts under sweaters when I'm at work but I'm still cold even with that 2 layers. Also another factor might be that I now have an office job where when I was heavier I worked in retail and I was on my feet 90% of the time. Any ideas would be helpful. Even if it's just the suggestion of a really good thin fleece that would keep me warm but isn't too puffy.

Thanks!

too_spicy · ‎02-17-2016

In my experience, it never gets better.

When I was in high school, I was probably 145 pounds (I didn't weigh myself, but I guess based on the pictures T_T) and I eventually was able to drop more than 30 of them. I noticed at around 120 that I was always cold indoors. In the wintertime, I was wearing a hat, coat, and gloves in class and never took them off. At 115, I was wearing 2 pairs of leggings under my jeans and two shirts under a sweatshirt AND the hat coat and gloves. It was ridiculous, but I just could not get warm.

In the summer, I was working as a lifeguard, and I was absolutely fine on 100+ degree days, but when I would get in the water for a rescue, I would be shivering afterwards.

Eventually, it got to the point where I wasn't any less cold, but I'd been cold for forever and I just accepted it. I feel like it's really a mental thing in that respect. Once you accept that it's cold, and realize you're a badass for braving such arctic temperatures, it doesn't really feel so bad. Staying active helps, warm showers help. I notice that I have problems with keeping my feet warm especially (to my boyfriend's dismay), so I'll wear multiple pairs of socks designed not to cut off your circulation. They're a lifesaver. I also have fingerless gloves with detachable mittens. They help keep my hands warm but I can still do things with the mittens off, and then if I'm doing something like driving where my hands will get cold because of the steering wheel, I can pop on the mittens and I'm good. They look like this if you want a pair.

Yeah, like I said. It doesn't really get better. In fact, it will probably get worse if you keep losing weight. But there are things you can do to manage it, especially keeping a good mindset about it.

-EDIT-

Because I'm a fitness professional, I feel the need to edit this post to say that increasing your muscle mass will help with keeping warm. Muscles burn a lot of calories at rest, which in turn generates heat. I'm very thin, and don't have much fat or muscle mass to keep me warm. So if being cold is really an issue for you, I would suggest picking up weight training 🙂

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vrDrew · ‎04-07-2016

Constantly feeling cold can be very frustrating.

There are a number of medical and physiological conditions that can lead to this.

1) It could be a thyroid issue. If you have a family history, or other symptoms - probably something to get checked out by a physician.

2) It could be a deficiency of either dietary iron, or vitamin B12.

3) You could be diabetic: Again, have this checked by a physician if there are other symptoms or indications.

4) You may be dehydrated. Yeah, wouldn't normally think of this. But not having enough fluid in your system plays havoc with your autonomic responses, sometimes causing shivering. Make sure you are getting enough water.

5) You could be either underweight; or - more probable - you don't have enough muscle tissue. People who have recently lost a lot of weight (as you describe doing) probably lost a fair amount of muscle along with the fat. Think about adding some mild resistance exercises. Along with a sensible diet, this will help you develop some healthy muscle mass. Don't worry about getting bulky or unfeminine looking. Unless you take artificial steriods, this won't happen to women.

6) You could have poor circulation. If related to a cardiac or circulatory condition, this is something a doctor needs to help you with. Otherwise, a snesible exercise regimen will help alleviate this.

7) It could just be because you are a woman. Women's bodies are designed, by evolution, to handle things differently than men. Women's bodies divert more blood flow to the internal organs and brain, rather than the extremities, keeping those bits of the body healthy - to protect any infants you may be carrying, as well as protect the overall health of the body. This can mean women's hands and feet are often a couple of degrees colder than those of their male housemates. Fair or unfair? I can't answer than one. Just the way it is.

Recommendations: If you have any reason to suspect a serious underlying medical condition: diabetes; thyroid condition; circulatory or cardiac disease, etc.: Seek professional medical help. If you think that your feelings of cold are related to your recent weight loss - look to diet and exercise as a means of rebuilding healthy muscle mass, while maintaining the healthy physique you've worked so hard on.

For ordinary daily feelings of cold? Long underwear; socks; hats; gloves can all help. The new "microfibre" ones are far better than the nasty old cotton ones I remember from my youth.

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too_spicy · ‎02-17-2016

In my experience, it never gets better.

When I was in high school, I was probably 145 pounds (I didn't weigh myself, but I guess based on the pictures T_T) and I eventually was able to drop more than 30 of them. I noticed at around 120 that I was always cold indoors. In the wintertime, I was wearing a hat, coat, and gloves in class and never took them off. At 115, I was wearing 2 pairs of leggings under my jeans and two shirts under a sweatshirt AND the hat coat and gloves. It was ridiculous, but I just could not get warm.

In the summer, I was working as a lifeguard, and I was absolutely fine on 100+ degree days, but when I would get in the water for a rescue, I would be shivering afterwards.

Eventually, it got to the point where I wasn't any less cold, but I'd been cold for forever and I just accepted it. I feel like it's really a mental thing in that respect. Once you accept that it's cold, and realize you're a badass for braving such arctic temperatures, it doesn't really feel so bad. Staying active helps, warm showers help. I notice that I have problems with keeping my feet warm especially (to my boyfriend's dismay), so I'll wear multiple pairs of socks designed not to cut off your circulation. They're a lifesaver. I also have fingerless gloves with detachable mittens. They help keep my hands warm but I can still do things with the mittens off, and then if I'm doing something like driving where my hands will get cold because of the steering wheel, I can pop on the mittens and I'm good. They look like this if you want a pair.

Yeah, like I said. It doesn't really get better. In fact, it will probably get worse if you keep losing weight. But there are things you can do to manage it, especially keeping a good mindset about it.

-EDIT-

Because I'm a fitness professional, I feel the need to edit this post to say that increasing your muscle mass will help with keeping warm. Muscles burn a lot of calories at rest, which in turn generates heat. I'm very thin, and don't have much fat or muscle mass to keep me warm. So if being cold is really an issue for you, I would suggest picking up weight training 🙂

betpchem · ‎02-17-2016

My sister is always cold, too. She is sometimes anemic, so you may want to have your iron level checked. Otherwise, I would say wear sweaters to work and get up and walk whenever you can. If others agree with you about the air conditioning level, perhaps you can get the company to change their setting. I too often find air conditioned buildings too cold.

sabitabi88 · ‎02-18-2016

Thank you! @too_spicy, @betpchem I will have to work on building muscle (I already wanted to but I have been a bit lazy lately lol) and I probably should have my Iron tested considering I haven't in a few years. I also need to keep an eye out for a good thick sweater for at work. My fleece is a couple years old and not the thickest. The sad thing is that my coworkers seem to like it cold in the office so even in the summer I have to wear a sweater to fight off the A/C.

Jon_d84 · ‎02-18-2016

My wife is always cold in our house, but I think she is just a chilly person and I am always hot (Moreso now I am over weight)

But in the past I have found that at times I felt much colder and after doing some resarch, it can be due to cutting calories, your body will shut off the heating system to conserve enegy, eating just a few more calories a day, can turn the heating back on.

sabitabi88 · ‎02-18-2016

Interesting. I have been thinking about adding calories but cutting sugar/carbs to see if that gets my weight loss going again. Maybe that would help with this issue too.

Thanks!

Corney · ‎02-18-2016

I weigh 125 pounds and have a %BF under 12 and I'm always cold. And I do not do IF, I exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet

Atomic77 · ‎02-19-2016

It could be your Thyroid. I found out that my Thyroid was underactive and now I am on a pill for life and that underactive thyroid hypothyrodism was part of the reason why I wasn't losing weight for a long time when I was exercising. Being cold or being to warm is also part of the thyroid being out of wack.

Thomas (Atomic77) West Bend, Wisconsin: Fitbit Versa 2 and Aria Air Scale

Lucet · ‎02-21-2016

Hi Atomic is right . It could be Hypothyroidism in This case ask your primary heath care provider to check your TSH, T3 and T4 level. Or anemia Request Ferritin MCV and MCH levels. Also Folic acid. Or it might just be nothing . It is always better to Rule out Any medical issue. I am also always easily cold but this is just my body. The only period I was not cold easily was when I was in Crossfit doing weight lifting and juicing beets at the time which is good for circulation.

Good luck

pgerig · ‎04-06-2016

Definitely check out your blood! Just by chance my new primary care provider ran a complete blood count on me and found that I was very anemic. I had experienced changes in my body temp that I never had issues with before, fatigue, breathlessness, trouble sleeping, muscle cramps and bruising. I attributed these to other things like hydration. You may be anemic and not even realizing it. I knew years ago that I was borderline anemic but hadn't had a complete blood test in over a decade. It was a huge light bulb moment for me!

Pyjamas89 · ‎04-06-2016

Would just like to say thank you to all who have posted I'm constantly cold especially at work but have not lost weight at all. I do have a diagnosed underactive thyroid and have been on medication for about 4-5 years so should be controlled (ha ha) and have also had anaemia in the past so maybe this explains it for me. Thanks again and sorry for jumping in to the post.

NoelB · ‎04-06-2016

I have always been one that has never felt the cold; wuold hardly wear a coat or jumper; but have now lost 18kg (from 110kg to 92kg) and I'm now feeling cold all the time & it's not even winter yet.

sketchdoll · ‎04-07-2016

I know that this question has already been answered, but it is an interesting topic, especially since I can relate!

I typically weigh anywhere between 118-125lbs and I am always freezing when I am inside a place. I have my own thermostat in my office and I usually have it set somewhere between 75-80 degrees, not that it seems to do much. I usually cope with wearing long sleeve blouses all year long and drinking copious amounts of hot tea. I even have a little heating pad I can stick my hands in during the winter months. My hands always seem to be the coldest. At night my feet always seem to be the coldest. It's weird. And even though I am always cold inside, I am easily effected by the weather outside. In summer when it's stupid hot and humid, I will complain. But I much prefer the heat to the cold!

I've read some suggestions about eating "warming" foods. Foods like curry and spicy foods are supposed to help ramp up your metabolism? I haven't tried it myself, but maybe us "constantly cold" people could give it a go?

vrDrew · ‎04-07-2016