Gold Lynx is slowly freezing to death.

[GoldLynx]

Fellow Rebels!

 

I am currently counting calories, keeping my intake at around 1400 Calories per day. When I have done this in the past, I get starving and grumpy and turn into the Hulk. But this time, I'm doing it right--high protein, low carb--and I don't have those symptoms any more! Hooray!

 

There's a catch.

 

My body has decided that if I'm cutting calories, it's got to make ends meet somehow. It decided the budget cut was to come from my temperature. Seriously, it can be 70 degrees F and my lips are blue and my hands are stiff and I may as well be frozen in Carbonite. Has anyone else had this problem? Could it be linked to something other than my calorie restrictions? What can I do?

 

Thank you!

[jfreaksho]

People didn't believe me at the time, but I got the same thing when I was really low carb.  You might have to up those just a bit. 

 

We talk a lot about how a calorie is not necessarily a calorie, based on what hormones it stimulates and what your body does with it.  My experience is that a lack of carbs leave me constantly cold, and increasing to a more normal level increases my thermal output.  I don't know the physiology behind this, and would love to hear someone's theory.

[GoldLynx]

Thanks so much. I'm glad I'm not alone. Not sure if I'm willing to increase my carb intake since I'm trying to induce ketosis, but maybe my body will adjust.

[Disil]

I just accepted that, as you said, my body has decided that if I'm cutting calories, it's got to make ends meet somehow. It decided the budget cut was to come from my temperature.

 

Upping calories/carbs might fix it, but I'm too stubborn and rather argue to myself that "hey, the body's working to keep me warmer/shivering, that's great since it burns even more cal".

[Eleanorsbee]

People didn't believe me at the time, but I got the same thing when I was really low carb.  .

 

 

 

the body is a funny thing, I am the complete opposite, as soon as I go really low carb or really low calories, I bake, my temperature goes through the roof. My wife is sat watching tv, wearing a hoody, jeans, curled up in a ball ... and I am sat next to her in shorts and t-shirt with sweaty palms 

 

I assumed, that because I wasn't eating enough my body was going to work trying to break down the fat ....... but I cook on low carb low cal !

[Silo]

I started losing weight in Jan 2014 and through that winter I was cold a lot even though I had always run warm (rarely wore sweaters.) Last winter I was 50 pounds lighter, obviously with less fat/insulation but didn't feel cold as much. However, I was eating at maintenance. I think that calorie restriction can make you colder, no matter your size.

[DerekP]

Caloric cycling can help you get less temperature-swingy. At 290 I used to be a human heater. Now I get cold really easily. I used to take showers to warm up, but I'm trying to stop that habit. What works really well for me when I get chilly is to do some one-handed kettle bell swings for a minute or two. It warms me right up.

[GoldLynx]

Thanks for the advice, fellow rebels! For some stupid reason I stopped getting notifications, so I didn't realize I had more replies. Oh well.

I use herbal tea and blankets now. It seems to work pretty well. Also, Disil mentioned being cold just means you're burning more calories. Great point! Now I can be happy that I'm cold, haha.