I've always wondered, because of homeostasis, your body should increase its metabolism to counter the fact that it is cold. Due to this more energy is expended, and more calories are used. As a calorie deficit, you'd expect to lose weight if you eat the same amount as you did when the weather wasn't so chafingly cold.

Conversely, it is in your body's best interest to maintain the layer of fat in your skin as it acts as an insulator. Thereby reducing the amount of work it has to do to keep your body at a survivable temperature.

How does the cold affect your fat loss, and does the human body have a mechanism to either more readily uptake fat when it is cold, or be more stubborn at losing it? Does it use muscle protein instead?

Or the ideal solution, does the fact that I feel more hungry during colder times mean that my brain is telling me that I should eat more, because it is using more energy keeping me warm? And therefore fatloss should occur if I don't do as it says?

I've always wondered, because of homeostasis, your body should increase its metabolism to counter the fact that it is cold. Due to this more energy is expended, and more calories are used. As a calorie deficit, you'd expect to lose weight if you eat the same amount as you did when the weather wasn't so chafingly cold.

.Or the ideal solution, does the fact that I feel more hungry during colder times mean that my brain is telling me that I should eat more, because it is using more energy keeping me warm? And therefore fatloss should occur if I don't do as it says?

I buy into the fact that winter in modern society offers an oportunity for the body to turn up the heat and burn more calories. We can help by our actions, that we might burn at least the calories spent in 40 min of cardio:

Suggestions:

Sleep cool with light covers and termostat on 65.

Wear as light a coat or jacket as possible.

Work out in a room with a temp in 60s.

wear short sleeves more often.

Go bearfoot at home.

avoid sauna, steam and whrilpool baths or any heat buildup.

Drink iced water and drinks.


Every little bit counts.

I saw a show about the arctic the other night. Well it was about divers who explore the icebergs and stuff.

The narrator said that the divers get exhausted after being in the water for an hour & half b/c it's so cold, the body has to crank up the energy to keep it warm.

Eh, just a thought.

I know that eskimos wear HUGE amounts of clothes, and eat a huge amount of fat. I doubt cardio and weight loss is their first priority though...

I know that eskimos wear HUGE amounts of clothes, and eat a huge amount of fat. I doubt cardio and weight loss is their first priority though...
In modern society, we don't live on ice, few work outside for a living. Most consider a house cold at 65 degrees. But the way I understand it, even eskimos take off those clothes in their home and sleep cool. Weam yourself off the heat, a little at a time.

I do stay cool... my poor worrying mother worries when after a 30 minute run in 0degrees and shower, I walk around the house in just a t shirt and jeans. " You'll catch your death" etc etc.
I overheat quite alot, so I don't seem to need much heating for the house. Which is quite good for my uni house in reducing gas bills :D

What the point of this thread really was, was whether I should account for the extra work done by the body for maintaining body temperature into my cutting plan. Can it be quantified? If I lose more than 2 pounds in a week, is that just an extra fat burn caused by the cold and just a bonus, or should I cut back? etc.

(i'm aiming for 1.5 pounds a week)

Can it be quantified? If I lose more than 2 pounds in a week, is that just an extra fat burn caused by the cold and just a bonus, or should I cut back? etc.

It probally accounts for 100 calories a day or less. Really just static in the big picture. If might add up to 1 lb every 6 weeks, or it might make up for your meat being a little bigger on your plate.

And Remember your arms show up better in a short sleeve shirt, anyway.

I've just read that intense shivering can burn up to 400 calories an HOUR!
However, such would only be caused by dunking yourself in an ice bath. Which is hazardous to your health.

Suggestions:

Sleep cool with light covers and termostat on 65.

Wear as light a coat or jacket as possible.

Work out in a room with a temp in 60s.

wear short sleeves more often.

Go bearfoot at home.

avoid sauna, steam and whrilpool baths or any heat buildup.

Drink iced water and drinks.


Every little bit counts.
That sounds like the worst possible misery I could possibly imagine. Most people feel a house is cool at 65? I feel a house is cool at 70. Even moreso now that my body fat is lower. My hands get ice cold and I do start to shiver at 65 degrees. I've spoken to several doctors about it, but they haven't suggested anything to help me out. Just don't take away my hot showers every morning.

Incidentally, when we were looking at new homes, there was one home we looked at that was freezing. Our real estate agent said "It must be an older guy living here. They like it cool." I can hardly wait till I hit menopause. I'll enjoy all those hot flashes.

Incidentally, when we were looking at new homes, there was one home we looked at that was freezing. Our real estate agent said "It must be an older guy living here. They like it cool." I can hardly wait till I hit menopause. I'll enjoy all those hot flashes.

Age discrimination, give me his name. We have had the air conditioner on here since a little after Xmas. We have a tight house and it has been in 70s. I don't think it is our age. ;)

That sounds like the worst possible misery I could possibly imagine. Most people feel a house is cool at 65? I feel a house is cool at 70. Even moreso now that my body fat is lower.

Rats there went any hope I had of staying warmer as my metabolism increases :lol:

Man, am I glad I live in FLA. It's never colder than about 72~73 in my house unless outdoor temps go below 50-degrees. I start to get that cold/numb feeling in fingers/toes around that temperature. I find I'm physically cold if it's cooler than 75-degrees inside since losing my weight.

Before losing weight, I could sustain temperatures below 70-degrees with no problem. My old boss was an ex-football player, who'd "bulked up" over the years (6'6", I'd say in the area of 400-lbs) and the t-stat in the office regularly kept temperatures around 65 degrees in the building. Since the t-stat was outside the boss' office, you didn't dare touch it (he had fits when it got turned up).

Boy has my blood thinned since leaving New York.

-R

When I was bigger I was always too hot. Now that I've lost the weight, my insulation, I'm always cold. This isn't a good thing when you live in Canada :)

Layers are my friend.

Tell me about it. I never knew how warm 80lbs of fat could actually be.

My dad and I used to give my mom grief over the fact that she's always cold. Now that I'm a hell of a lot thinner, my mom and I are always complaining how it's never warm enough in the house...

When I was bigger I was always too hot. Now that I've lost the weight, my insulation, I'm always cold. This isn't a good thing when you live in Canada :)

Layers are my friend.