If you’ve recently been trying to lose weight and find yourself feeling colder than before (need to wear extra layers, shivering in air conditioning), this is a fairly common experience. In most cases, feeling cold during weight loss is a natural bodily reaction.
Body fat acts as a natural insulator. As fat reserves decrease, the body also loses some of its ability to retain heat. In other words, you’re not only losing weight, but also losing the “insulating layer” that helps the body maintain a stable temperature.
This phenomenon is often more pronounced when weight loss is rapid, diets are drastically reduced, or body composition goals are set lower than physiologically necessary.
Why do you often feel cold after losing weight?
Feeling cold after weight loss doesn’t stem from a single cause, but is usually the result of several simultaneous changes in the body.
Here are three common reasons:
1. When body fat decreases, the ability to retain heat also decreases.
Fat is often seen as something to be eliminated, but in reality, it is an essential tissue. Fat helps protect internal organs, aids in vitamin absorption, and plays a crucial role in regulating body temperature.
A certain amount of fat is necessary to maintain basic functions. When fat levels drop too low, the body’s natural insulation thins, making you more sensitive to ambient temperatures. At the same time, fat cells also participate in heat generation when the body is exposed to cold. When the number of fat cells decreases, this ability becomes less effective.
2. Nutritional deficiencies make it difficult for the body to retain heat.
Weight loss is often accompanied by eating less. If this reduction is not balanced, you may inadvertently lack important micronutrients such as iron, B vitamins, or folate.
Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, impairing the body’s ability to transport oxygen. When tissues and organs don’t receive enough oxygen, thermogenesis is also affected. This can be accompanied by feelings of fatigue, feeling cold easily, mood swings, headaches, or weak nails.
In this case, feeling cold isn’t a matter of willpower, but a signal that the body is deficient and needs attention. If the condition persists, a health check and blood tests are necessary.
3. Excessive calorie reduction can disrupt metabolism
Eating fewer calories can aid weight loss, but if cut back too quickly or for too long, the body may react by slowing down its metabolism. One consequence is a change in the activity of hormones involved in thermoregulation.
When these hormones are depleted, you may feel constantly cold, even when the surrounding environment isn’t cold. Skipping meals, drastically cutting carbohydrates, or having irregular eating habits can also disrupt the body’s energy balance.
Additionally, when energy intake is too low, the body tends to break down muscle to maintain activity. This decrease in muscle mass slows metabolism, and this makes the feeling of cold even more pronounced.
What should you do when you always feel cold?
Wearing extra layers of clothing is only a temporary solution. More importantly, review your approach to weight loss.
Instead of focusing solely on calorie count, prioritize food quality. A diet rich in protein, nutrients, vegetables, and essential micronutrients helps the body maintain temperature and recover better. In some cases, a suitable multivitamin supplement may be helpful, but it should be based on your body’s actual needs.
You should also pay attention to when you feel cold. Many people feel cold immediately after exercising, especially outdoors, due to rapid heat loss. In this case, warm drinks and staying warm after exercise can help the body regain its balance.
If the feeling of cold persists or is accompanied by other unusual symptoms, a general health checkup is crucial to rule out any underlying causes.
Ultimately, feeling cold while losing weight doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing something wrong. However, it could be a sign that your body needs a slower, more balanced approach that respects its natural physiology. Sustainable weight loss isn’t just about changing your physique; it’s about learning to listen to and care for your body properly.
