I lost weight, now I feel the cold....

[fishplate42]

Last Friday, I had one of the most uncomfortable day's fishing so far in my fishing journey. It was cold and wet in the afternoon, but it was not that cold. I have not fished much during the cold weather, this past few months, and when I have it has been sunny and reasonably 'warm'. Last year, and previous years, I went fishing and just wrapped up - no problem.

Since then, on doctor's orders, I have made a big effort to lose weight. This I did and in under a year have lost a considerable amount of weight and six inches off my waist line. From a health point of view, I am much happier and the Doctor is full of praise. I am not sure why, as I only did what he advised me to do - seems that a lot of people don't! That aside, the big down side is I now feel the cold much more than I ever did before. I got so cold on Friday, it spoilt my day and I packed it in early.

Has anybody else found this happen to them? Do you slimmer guys feel to cold more, or is it just me? I was well wrapped up, wearing far more cloths than I have done in the past. It really was not that cold, but I was really feeling it.

The fishing was not great, either and if you are interested, you can read the story of the day on my blog. I think I will have to stay away from sitting on the bank for hours on end in future and stick to short sessions or roving the rivers.

Ralph.

 

[103841]

I feel the cold more now than I have in the past and that’s without shedding any weight, it just getting older!

I was only saying to my better half a few days back, maybe it was Friday, that even though the temp. gauge was showing 10 degrees I felt colder than when we had the really cold snap earlier in the year, it’s that blooming wind that gets right into your bones.

I’m guessing your dramatic loss of insulation Ralph is a major reason but this wind chill isn’t nice at all. Also your body is most probably not taking nicely to the stress you are currently experiencing with your pending house move.

Soon be Summer.

 

[rich66]

Hi Ralph
I’ve always been a skinny bloke, and I rarely felt the cold. Turns out I have an overactive thyroid so that keeps my temperature up. I’m now on meds’ that make me normal and do feel the cold more now but still not as much as others around me.
I do hate draughts though drive me nuts

 

[Molehill]

I would certainly expect you to feel the cold more, I don't know if you are still dieting but a lack of food doesn't help keep the body warm through the day.
On the bright side, you will probably feel and cope a lot better when the hot weather returns.
Optimistically hoping it does this year!

 

[stillwater blue]

I used to be quite a chunk and I was hot in the summer and never cold in the winter. I then lost a lot of weight and now I'm not hot in summer but cold in the winter. Seems you can't have everything.

 

[nottskev]

I've never weighed more than 11st, and I've always felt the cold. More so since I started using multiple meds for blood pressure including aspirin. And earlier than that, the onset of a kind of rheumatoid arthritis made the cold feel worse. What feels worst depends on the type of weather as well as the temperature - the more moisture in the air, the more I'll get that "cold in the bones" feeling. The folk wisdom about rheumatic conditions and damp is not wrong. When I first visited Russia in winter, I was apprehensive to say the least. But it was easier to protect against their dry cold than against our damp cold. When I saw a woman clear snow from the car at -15c with a couple of sweeps of a soft brush, where we'd have been chipping ice off the windscreen, the penny dropped.

The answer, as far as I'm concerned, has been to get some decent weatherproof gear and layer up properly. Eg, on top I have a couple of thermal long sleeves, a long sleeve light down jacket, a down gilet and a windproof smock over those. The stuff is light, and not bulky, but does the trick. Little details like sweatbands on your wrists to cover the bits that stick out when you extend your arms, and one of those neckwarmer things make a big difference, I've found. For all that, if I don't feel up for it, or the fishing seems unlikely to be worth the candle, I give it a miss.

 

[S-Kippy]

No doubt in my mind whatsoever that as you get older you feel the cold more.....especially the windchill. And its always a bit colder by water and we do spend most of our time sat still.

Proper gear and layering helps enormously. I tend to over layer on the basis that if I get too warm I can take something off whereas if I've left a layer at home then I'm stuffed. Every one of my bags has its own wooly hat and neck gaiter too. That way I cant forget them or leave them in the wrong bag.

Well done on losing the weight too. I've just taken the Christmas overindulgence stone off but out of vanity more than necessity though many,many years ago I shed 5 stone in not very long at all. That was hard but it never went back on.

 

[mikench]

Dry heat and cold I can cope with but wet and cold or very humid I can't! Your extremities ie hands and feet will always feel the cold but if you have sufficient layers on your inner core suitable stoked up will keep you warm! Well that's my excuse!

I have found wearing a hoodie as a layer and ensuring the hood is up over my cap really makes a difference. I can feel the heat on my head! Sitting in a chill wind doesn't do anybody any good!

After all that pontification I shall pack the car for a fishing trip tomorrow regardless of the weather and go.

 

[bracket]

I've never had a problem with the cold, fortunately with today's weather gear you can be warm and dry without looking like a Mitchellin Man. Weight is a different issue. I am 6ft 1in and since my 40's have always come in around 13st 8lb. Since retiring 18 years ago, I went up to 14st 5lb and felt uncomfortable. So supported by my Lady, I went on a portion driven diet and got down to 12st 10lb, which sounds great but in truth, while I looked lean and mean I was absolutely knackered and had no strength at all. I have now took the middle road on dieting and whilst eating wisely and healthy I do not deny myself and now scale between 13st 4lb to 13st 8lb , dependent on how much ale I get through and feel right with myself. So it's a good thing to be conscious of your wieght but don't get obsessed about it. You ain't parading on no catwalk. Pete

 

[barbelboi]

If I'm reasonably static during the cold months I'd look no further than Skee-Tex Moon Boots. I've been using them for some 15 years now and, being guaranteed to -50C, they keep your feet very warm without extra socks etc. With sensible layers the only thing adversely affected by the cold is my hands which (unlike your feet) you can place in your pockets whenever the need where a warm 'Hot Hands' , or similar, is waiting...

 

[tigger]

I find keeping your head warm, as Mike has already said wearing a hoody and to keep the draft off your neck and haveing a beanie hat on under it helps massively in keeping your body temp' up. I think your head is were you loose most of your body heat.
I don't think there's much to stop your feet and hands from feeling cold as your blood naturally protects your core in cold temp's. I've been sweating and really hot when exercising in cold wether and my hands have still been cold.

 

[103841]

An important point that hasn’t been mentioned yet as far as I can see, when spending the day seated in a chair, make a conscious effort to get out of your chair every 15/30 minutes and take a short walk, even if walking on the spot for fear of missing a bite, keeping the circulation going has big benefits.

 

[tigger]

An important point that hasn’t been mentioned yet as far as I can see, when spending the day seated in a chair, make a conscious effort to get out of your chair every 15/30 minutes and take a short walk, even if walking on the spot for fear of missing a bite, keeping the circulation going has big benefits.

Fifteen to thirty min's, my backs reckin'me after 10 minuites!.... plus the boredom hits me after 30 seconds anyhow.

 

[steve2]

Without a doubt you do feel the cold when you get older.
Talking of cold weather can some tell why 14 degrees in the winter feels warm but 14 degrees in the summer feels cold?

 

[fishplate42]

Thanks for all the replies.

The shock to me was that I had not expected to feel so cold all of a sudden. Last year (and for years before that) I was happy with just a few warm cloths. What really took me by surprise was just how cold I got even though I was wrapped up with far more clothes on than I have ever worn before, and it was not that cold on the day I went fishing.

I had several layers on, including thermal long pants, socks and t shirt under jogger bottoms and padded B&B trousers with a sweatshirt, hoodie, padded shirt AND a fishing jacket. I also had a thermal beanie under the hoody and hood of my coat!

Inactivity may have been a factor, but I was not sitting down all the time.

As far as food goes, I had eaten my hot baked beans and ravioli mixture that I always take, as well as a couple of filled rolls. I also had lots of hot coffee with me.

Age may be a factor (okay it is!) but I am less than a year older than I was last time it was cold and I did not feel it anywhere near as much as I did last week.

As Far as the weight loss is concerned, I am not on a 'diet' as such. I have changed my diet (there is a big difference) I now have a totally different life-style to what it was a year ago. I do eat differently, in as much as I have cut out the excesses and I now eat a sensible amount at each meal - portion control. But the biggest factor is exercise. A year ago, I could spend a couple of weeks without leaving the house. I was just sitting at a desk working during the day and sitting about all evening. Now I walk virtually every day for at leat a couple of hours.

I have no intention (or craving) for all the sweet things I used to consume in quantity. I do not stop myself eating anything. I still eat chocolate, biscuits, cake and puddings, just in much smaller quantities. I do eat a lot more of the things that I could not be bothered with before and enjoy them. This may sound daft, but now if I feel peckish in the evening, instead of heading for a packet of biscuits or the like, I grab a celery stick and munch on that. The funny thing is that I enjoy it too! Apparently, and I am not expert on nutrition, there is something in celery that subdues the feeling of hunger. Whether there is anything in that or not, it seems to work for me.

Ralph.

 

[mikench]

I had several layers on, including thermal long pants, socks and t shirt under jogger bottoms and padded B&B trousers with a sweatshirt, hoodie, padded shirt AND a fishing jacket. I also had a thermal beanie under the hoody and hood of my coat!

Despite all that slimming Ralph,ironically, you still didn't look super slim! I know you didn't do so for that reason and I hope you are happy and healthier. Armani don't do fishing attire.

 

[Mark Wintle]

I've never been overweight - still spot on for my height - but since having to take heart drugs definitely feel the cold more. What I do now though is have a brunch before fishing in winter and that sets me up for the day and gives my body vital fuel.

One thing that does happen with the weather if it's a day of showers is that behind each shower is a pocket of quite cold air so that first you get wet then cold. Many years ago when I took a thermometer with me on such a day the temperature varied from 48 F just before the shower, 46 in the shower then 42 just afterwards for about 30 minutes before slowly warming again. Similarly if a cold front goes through as one did this week it can be quite cold behind the rain.

 

[fishplate42]

Despite all that slimming Ralph,ironically, you still didn't look super slim! I know you didn't do so for that reason and I hope you are happy and healthier. Armani don't do fishing attire.

mg: I may not look that different in the photographs you have seen of me, but everyone I meet who has not seen me for a while bang on about not needing to lose any more weight.

I had not intended to get to "super slim" at 5ft 9in tall and 11 stone, that puts me at the higher end of the "normal" weight for my height scale. That is fine for me, I have no intention of becoming a skinny stack of skin and bone. Besides, if losing more weight means I will feel the cold any more, I will never go fishing!

I feel so much better, generally, now, I just have to get used to being cold in the winter

Ralph.

 

[fishplate42]

I've never been overweight - still spot on for my height - but since having to take heart drugs definitely feel the cold more. What I do now though is have a brunch before fishing in winter and that sets me up for the day and gives my body vital fuel.

You are spot on there, one thing I have discovered is that it is far better to eat earlier in the day and burn it off. I take something hot worth me to eat once I have set up and then top it up during the day with rolls or sandwiches as I am usually out for ten to twelve hours, when I do go fishing.

Ralph.

 

[tigger]

Your body may just need time to adjust after a weight loss. No idea if you have used exercise in conjunction with your diet to loose weight. If you haven't, it would be well worth you starting a workout routine which will help to get your body back on track.