How Come When You Lose Weight You Feel Cold?

Some people express feeling cold during or after weight loss. This phenomenon may be due to a variety of contributing factors. Common causes include lost fat tissue, body preservation, a slowed metabolism and anemia. However, consulting with your doctor or a nutritionist is the best way to determine why this may be happening to you.

Lost Fat Layer

Fat has two main purposes: to store energy and to protect your vital organs. It also provides some warmth and insulation to your body. However, scientists disagree on how much a layer of fat contributes to core body temperature. As Claire Ainsworth, a writer from "New Scientist" magazine, explains, "fat is a fairly good insulator and might help to keep us warm, although some researchers argue that in humans it is not specifically adapted for this purpose."

Calorie Conservation

If you quickly reduce your caloric intake, the body often responds negatively by going into conservation mode. As a result, instead of using stored calories to keep you warm as it would under normal circumstances, your body will start to ration them off for more vital needs. Berger Mitchell, a nutrition consultant, explains that "having cold hands and feet all the time is a sign that the body is conserving calories rather than burning them."

Slow Metabolism

Feeling chronically cold can also be a symptom of a slowed metabolism. When your body goes into conservation-mode due to restricted caloric intake, it turns down your metabolism, as well. As June Rogers from "Chatelaine" magazine elucidates, "fat cells hoard their stores of energy as long as possible, forcing your body to turn down its metabolism, the calorie-burning furnace."

Other symptoms of a slow metabolism include fatigue, dry skin, constipation, a slow pulse and low blood pressure.

Anemia

Iron deficiency anemia is common in women during childbearing years, and feeling cold is a frequent symptom of this condition. Additional symptoms include extreme fatigue, pale skin, weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness, irritability, brittle nails and restless leg syndrome according to MayoClinic.com. Although you can usually easily treat anemia with an iron supplement or multivitamin, be sure to consult your doctor first. Overdosing on iron can damage your liver.

Expert Insight

Victoria Shanta Retelny, R.D., L.D., is a nutrition therapist, media spokesperson and wellness coach. To stay warm while losing weight, she recommends eating frequently and consuming at least 1,200 calories each day. She suggests three balanced, healthy meals and two snacks daily. "Warm socks and woolly mittens help too," she says.