Cold vs. Hot
I am a couple of days shy of being 3 wks post-op and wonder if any of you
have a clue what this means.
Pre-op, I was hot all the time. We set the air at 68 degrees and I’d still
be hot. Simple housework, I’d sweat.When I worked out I would break a sweat
in 3 minutes. One of the reasons I was so glad to get the surgery, was
because I was sick and tired of being hot all the time.
Now with only 16 of my 150lbs gone, I am getting cold all the time. Last
night my husband came home and it was 77 degrees in the house and he said,
“How could you not be hot? It’s sweltering in here?” When he turned on the
air, I had to get under a blanket. When I worked out yesterday for 30
minutes, I barely had to blot my head with my towel. Usually after 30
minutes, I am drenched to my underwear.
I have had numerous thyroid tests (before surgery) and have no thyroid
issues.
I have multiple theories.
1. Change in diet. Could the excessive carbs in my life contributed to my
heat prior to surgery?
2. Is my mind trying to trick my body into conserving energy by telling me
I am cold when I should be hot?
3. I have heard that it takes more energy to keep warm that it does to
cool off–is my “energy” up or down?
In a related matter, I once heard a tv dr. explain why women in particular
really can’t burn many calories swimming. It had to do with the amount of
adipose tissue, body chemistry, and brain signals etc. Can anyone explain
this phenomena?
I am concerned that my chill, it my body/mind effort to halt my weight loss.
Melissa
January 30th, 2004 at 2:27 am
I do not have an explanation for you regarding this, sorry. But, I *can*
tell you that it is almost universal in its occurrence. I have heard from
longer out posties who say that the phenomenon doesn’t last forever, but it
quite marked the first year or two. I have been a freezing FOOL since
surgery… *hated* the winter… had tons of blankets, flannel sheets, and
a comforter on my bed and was still cold. In El Paso, spring had arrived
right before I left last week. Spring in El Paso is 80+ degree
temperatures… I was in HEAVEN! I could wear shorts and regular shirts
and not be freezing. But, I *always* carry a sweater with me (and gloves)
because inside any building with air conditioning, I am again frozen. Now
that I am back in San Diego, I am freezing again until summer arrives. *sigh*
Some will say it is related to iron or B12 (usually, anemics are freezing),
but it doesn’t seem to be the case for many posties. My iron and B12 are
absolutely normal, yet here I sit with sweats, socks, and a sweater on in a
heated house!
I get barked at a lot for my discussion of swimming for weight loss and it
not being an effective exercise, but since you asked….
Let me preface this with I have been a swimmer since I was 6 years old. I
swam on swim teams (even fat), taught swim classes for years (LOVE teaching
adult non-swimmers), was a (fat) lifeguard, and only swam for exercise when
I was on Phen-Fen because I was unable to walk (ankle disability) and lost
111 pounds in 19 months. That said, women carry so much extra fat on their
bodies that they literally *float* in the water while doing laps or water
aerobics. Floating does not allow for work. African-origined folks have
the hardest time swimming… men especially… because of the lack of fat
on their bodies. They struggle to keep afloat… therefore, work *hard* to
swim. Competitive swimmers have almost no fat on their bodies and work
*hard* to swim, too. The less fat, the more work… that is a given.
Now, swimming (and I include water aerobics in this) is wonderful for those
who have been immobile for years/decades. Swimming is a wonderful new
post-op way to begin movement. Swimming is beautiful for lengthening
muscles and toning. Swimming is a godsend for those who have arthritis or
other immobility issues. But swimming, after the first couple of months,
is *not* the best way to burn calories/lose weight/get aerobically healthy.
UNLESS… when you swim or do your aerobics you are huffing and puffing and
sweating and red-faced for *many* minutes after your work-out. Red faces
and sweating should last about 15 minutes (or more!) after getting out of
the pool. This lets you know that you *have* worked out aerobically.
Once you have lost enough weight that you can move out of the water
virtually pain-free, walking/biking/etc. become more of an aerobic work-out
(unless you push yourself harder and harder in the water).
I am able now to walk 10 miles without stopping… without pain… with
minimal fatigue. I cannot walk faster and do not want to jog or run, so
Sarah and I bought bikes (and a zillion dollars worth of accoutrements that
go with them!) because I am at my aerobic limit walking wise. It is time
to step things up. I want to be *healthier*… to be able to *do* more
stuff… to *see* more things… and I am hoping a bike will get me there.
*donning asbestos suit*
Hope that helps!
Barbara Herrera
San Diego, CA - 41 years old
Open RNY April 5, 2001
Dr. Julie Ellner, Alvarado Hospital, San Diego, CA
04/05/01: 344# / BMI: 63/ Body Fat%: 75%
04/05/02: 172# / BMI: 31.6/ Body Fat%: 28%
04/16/02: 165#/ BMI: 30.2
One Year Re-Birth Day: healed of ALL co-morbs, mobile beyond every
expectation, every pre-op dream surpassed a million-fold, and smaller than
any memory.
January 31st, 2004 at 2:06 pm
So what does that mean for someone that is ALREADY always freezing???? I am
always so cold. My husband is always yelling at me cuz I have the heat up too
high, or too many blankets on at night! I don’t want to know how cold I will be
post-op! lol
Lori