Always Freezing Cold!

Candrah · 11-07-2009, 10:32 PM

I've been on a low calorie diet for 3 weeks now and I've been so cold and weak.

I exercise for 30 mins 5 times a week.

I've been eating around 800-1000 calories a day and have had a good weight loss.

Does anyone else feel cold all the time?

I'm 5'4 198 pds female

tiffany0809 · 11-07-2009, 11:08 PM

I don't know about feeling cold, but you're probably weak because you're not eating enough. 800-1000 calories isn't enough, especially if you are exercising 5 days a week too. Your body will go into "starvation mode." I suggest increasing your calorie intake to around 1200 a day.

CountingDown · 11-07-2009, 11:18 PM

I don't know your height or starting weight, but it is HIGHLY likely that you are eating too few calories. Eating less than 1200 calories should only be done under medical supervision.

Please consult your doctor regarding your weight loss program and your temperature sensitivity - they are likely related.

Rainbow · 11-08-2009, 04:02 AM

You're not eating enough - that may be why. I'd increase to 1200-1400. I'm having 1400 most days, a couple of days a bit more and losing 2lb most weeks still at 203lb and 50 mins exercise 5 times a week.

TamiL · 11-08-2009, 06:47 AM

I am always freezing cold too but not due to calorie counting. When your body loses fat, its insulation, your body temperature needs time to adjust itself. Last winter I had an extra 75 lbs on my small frame and it was like having a winter coat on all the time. This year I am actually wearing that winter coat and can remove it.

benchmarkman · 11-08-2009, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TamiL

I am always freezing cold too but not due to calorie counting. When your body loses fat, its insulation, your body temperature needs time to adjust itself. Last winter I had an extra 75 lbs on my small frame and it was like having a winter coat on all the time. This year I am actually wearing that winter coat and can remove it.

Same here. I'm always cold too since I lost weight. All my "insulation" is now gone. I guess you can say it's one of the negatives of losing weight.

bargoo · 11-08-2009, 09:49 AM

800-1000 calories a day is not enough. You are robbing yourself of needed nutrients. You should be able to lose on 1200 calories a day, but it is recommended to not go below 1200 calories a day.

Nell68 · 11-08-2009, 02:20 PM

Dear Candrah
As most ladies said, you are not eating enough ...after some time , your body will fight back and you will probably end up overeating and gain all weight back and then some ....sorry if I was to blunt but I have seen it happend to many times ...
good luck...

Starzmom · 11-09-2009, 01:05 PM

I agree you're not eating enough. I know when I eat low calories I'm cold and when I eat excess I'm hot! I never go below 1,200 calories though. It's hard to get enough good nutrition if you go too low and you could do damage to yourself also.

Couch · 11-11-2009, 07:32 PM

Your body uses the energy you get from food to keep you warm. You're feeling cold because your body has decided to run at a slightly lower temperature to conserve energy. It's a really good sign that you aren't eating enough.

Up it to at least 1200cal, or you will do serious damage to your metabolism, which means you'll put all this weight back on when you stop dieting. Your body is probably also eating your muscle instead of fat at such a low calorie intake.

MathGirl87 · 11-11-2009, 07:44 PM

Minimum is 1200...I had the exact same problem..and then what is even worse is when I was restricting my calories like crazy my metabolism slowed down so much that when I started eating normally (1500-1800 cals/day) after I had lost enough weight to feel okay I ended up gaining a lot of weight back...

So do not go down the path of eating less than 1200 calories a day..it will only hurt you in the long run. Seriously.

mayness · 11-12-2009, 11:14 AM

I do find that I'm colder when I'm losing weight than when I'm maintaining... so I'm sure it's due to the decrease in calorie intake.

Feeling weak, however, isn't normal. I agree with the others that 800-1000 is quite low - you may lose weight at a nice rate, but it's difficult (if not impossible) to get all the vitamins, minerals, fat, etc. that you need each day from that few calories, no matter how well you plan. That's probably why you feel weak.

eilla05 · 11-12-2009, 11:35 PM

As the other ladies said your calories are way to low. At your weight you should be eating about 1500 maybe more. Your body is cold because you are basically becoming Anorexic. Your starving your body and so its shutting down and trying to conserve energy by not keeping you warm.

You really should up your calories and see what happens. I bet you will lose weight quicker and healthier than you do now.

Esofia · 05-22-2011, 12:28 PM

Resurrecting this thread to ask about the common problem with feeling cold. I started dieting five weeks ago and quickly became chilly all the time. It can't have been from losing insulation that early! After a couple of weeks of shivering and wearing extra socks and sleeping under umpteen layers, I started taking ginger. Originally I was on 1g a day of the capsules, but I thought that ginger tincture would taste nice put in my morning water bottle and ordered 100ml of the stuff. It doesn't, but I'm going to try to use it up before going back to the capsules. It's stopped the feeling cold business dead in its tracks, unless it's random coincidence; I might try a few days without ginger to see. I chart my basal temperature as part of FAM, and that's gone up about 0.2 C from my usual range as well, to the point where I'm having trouble working out ovulation this cycle (presumably All Will Be Made Clear once I get a proper thermal shift). Ginger's meant to be good for circulation and various things including pain, so I'm fairly keen to stick with it.

The rule about not going below 1200 calories - surely that's not absolutely universal and will depend on height and activity levels? I'm 4'11, thoroughly inactive due to disability (I burn about 1500 calories at best), and 135lb. I've been aiming for around 1100 calories, since I'm guessing that the traditional 500 calorie deficit is too much for someone my size. I only got the scales a few days ago, so I can't tell you how much weight I've lost, but I think it's a little as my trousers and bras are getting looser. I'm getting about 26% fat, if that's relevant in any way. It's a nice nutritious diet and I take multivitamins etc. just to be on the safe side. Am I endangering myself here?

Kit in AZ · 05-22-2011, 05:32 PM

"The idea that your body goes into “starvation mode” after a few hours without food is invalid. The available science demonstrates that any effects of meal pattern (frequent meals versus infrequent meals) on the regulation of body weight are likely to be the result of a behavioral adaptation -- The person is eating less because their controlled snacking prevents them from becoming too hungry – and not metabolic adaptation."

National Academy of Sports Medicine