Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Weight Loss and Cold Weather.

It has been COLD here for the last several weeks and I can really see a difference in trying to lose weight. When the weather is a bit warmer I really do okay, but with this cold snap it’s been very difficult for me. I am hungry all the time and even if I eat protein rich foods till I’m full, I am still craving the carbs. AUGH! I guess having high stress levels at work don’t help – a co-worker resigned and I have to assume his project and still handle my own until a replacement is hired. I hate his projects… :D

Oh well, I just needed to whine and get some support… anyone else battle the cold weather munchies?

Yes, I have really noticed this month. Very few riding days and I've had my first weight regain since I started last May. The forecast is for 50's next week so hopefully I can get back on track soon.

I've been spinning - it's just keeping burn rate > calories! :(

I've lost 10lbs since the first of the year, and have plans on realy dropping them when decent riding weather comes around. The worse problem I face is when it's cold out and I am in a calorie deficet, is that I am freezing all the time!!!! I am just trying to hold my own untill the weather breaks and then realy turn on the heat, if you know what I mean.

Really cold weather, it's very hard to lose weight. Our bodies crave high energy fat and carb loaded food.....we're wired that way. It's a survival thing for nomadic hunter/gatherers and we ain't nomads anymore, so it's turned against us.

Your body burns more calories trying to keep itself warm then it does trying to cool you off:

In the cold weather your body temperature normally drops. Your metabolism increases to warm and humidify the air you breathe and you tend to burn slightly more calories to stay warm. Breathing in cold, dry air forces your body to warm and humidify that air and with each exhalation, you lose significant amounts of water. Winter athletes need to consciously drink more fluids to replace the water that gets lost via respiration.

Get rid of all the snack food in your house and buy rice cakes. I'll bet you loose weight then!

Its pretty rough up here (ontario). It was like a good 10c right up into the end of December, then we got hit with a month straight of -18c lol. Just a little to cold for biking. i had over 300km in december, and only 35km for jan/feb.

Just try filling up on the greens, and of course if you can keep spinning its always good. Another month from now will be mid-Match and we should be getting close to some better temps ;)

Get rid of all the snack food in your house and buy rice cakes. I'll bet you loose weight then!

Man, when I'm on a binge I'll go through a packge of rice cakes like they were Twinkies. :D

Truth is it's not just snacks I'll eat - everything in sight is in danger!

The good thing is tht if I eat toomuch in the evening I get reflux with a vengence. I remember that the next evening...

Thanks all for the replies...

I feel your pain. I live in north Florida and it's been "cold" here for us for all last week. I hate the cold! Anyway, I get the same cravings you do. My only suggestion would to find low carb recipes to make. I'm not plugging it but the south beach book has a few good ones.

I think I remember the groundhog predicted spring was on the way soon, so let's hope the big rat was right!

I feel your pain. I live in north Florida and it's been "cold" here for us for all last week. I hate the cold! Anyway, I get the same cravings you do. My only suggestion would to find low carb recipes to make. I'm not plugging it but the south beach book has a few good ones.

I think I remember the groundhog predicted spring was on the way soon, so let's hope the big rat was right!
TK, you could be living up here in Indiana!
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Blizzard2007031.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Blizzard2007033.jpg

This snowdrift is almost as tall as my wife!

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Blizzard2007035.jpg

Our snow is melting fast, it's going to hit 50 today. Me and a friend got in 29 good miles, it was really sloppy, but it was warm.

I feel better looking at the pics from Indiana You guys had quite a blast.Up here in Ottawa, Ontario it was clear and sunny but a little cold with not much snow. I did 15 miles yesterday at -18C and 24 miles today at -22C ( thats about -12F and -19F They get closer as they head to -40 which is pretty much the same on both scales)The Rideau canal here was very crowded with people skating.No pain No gain Freeze your butt then you can eat and drink everything in sight if you can stay awake When you get home the heat knocks you for a loop You want to join the mutt in front of the fire He's too smart to be outside

I agree, there appears to be a real connection between cold weather and weight gain - my theory is that we are more related to bears than to monkeys...

But, I tell you there is a solution - just move to where it is never cold.

THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY ON THIS PLANET COMBINED TO GET ME TO MOVE TO A PLACE WHERE YOU GET THAT MUCH SNOW!!!!

All I can say is that you guys must have awesome jobs or great families to put up with that year after year.

The cold has frozen their brains - it is pretty obvious in my opinion...

TK, you could be living up here in Indiana! This snowdrift is almost as tall as my wife!

No offense, but if you think you have it bad in Indiana, try living in ALASKA. THIS snowdrift is taller than my sister in law:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Gussick/jansm.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Gussick/trip5.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Gussick/Musa2.jpg

I'm getting cold just looking at the pics. I've got to warm up before my upper 40F ride tonight.:D

cheers to all you guys in the southland I have worked in Alaska including Valdez,Nome, Deadhorse, and Point Barrow all of which are still quite south. Also worked in Spitzbergen 87 North Lat, Tromso Norway and Thules and Sondestrom in Greenland All of which are still quite south. Try Alert Northwest Territories 88N and Eureka NWT or any where up on King Christian Island which is roughly 3000 miles north of Montreal.However changing an aircraft engine on a Douglas DC-3 on the icecap in January when its -45F with a 60 knot wind in the dark season takes about 10 days as I recall. A great spot for mountain bikes in the summer (about 8 weeks) Snow leaves in June returns in August No grid lock No one runs red lights and you can leave your tools out in plain sight for a while at least Old as dirt I've also worked in 61 other countries Prefer the Arctic On the tundra your footprints remain like the moon...forever so do your tire tracks Have fun

No offense, but if you think you have it bad in Indiana, try living in ALASKA. THIS snowdrift is taller than my sister in law:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Gussick/jansm.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Gussick/trip5.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Gussick/Musa2.jpg
I have lived up there! I lived in Deadhorse and Fairbanks. I ran up and down the "Haul Road" (aka the Dalton!)

Wild post.

61 other countries -- wowzer -- and by the sounds of it half of them within a penguin's swim of the Artic Circle!

Good ole' DC-3. . .was the first plane I flew in. Heh heh. Wouldn't be surprised if there were some out there still flying.




cheers to all you guys in the southland I have worked in Alaska including Valdez,Nome, Deadhorse, and Point Barrow all of which are still quite south. Also worked in Spitzbergen 87 North Lat, Tromso Norway and Thules and Sondestrom in Greenland All of which are still quite south. Try Alert Northwest Territories 88N and Eureka NWT or any where up on King Christian Island which is roughly 3000 miles north of Montreal.However changing an aircraft engine on a Douglas DC-3 on the icecap in January when its -45F with a 60 knot wind in the dark season takes about 10 days as I recall. A great spot for mountain bikes in the summer (about 8 weeks) Snow leaves in June returns in August No grid lock No one runs red lights and you can leave your tools out in plain sight for a while at least Old as dirt I've also worked in 61 other countries Prefer the Arctic On the tundra your footprints remain like the moon...forever so do your tire tracks Have fun

Good ole' DC-3. . .was the first plane I flew in. Heh heh. Wouldn't be surprised if there were some out there still flying.

they are, most dropping drugs off the Florida coast. :D

I tend to lose the most weight during the coldest time of the year i.e. now. 5+kg gone in 2 months and it's -25 degrees centigrade outside. I don't ride much when it's this cold, but i still lose weight like nobodys business.

I Bike...I feel for you. I was 225 during the summer time...after the holidays I crept up to 250. Christmas cookies and potato pancakes be damned!

Now I'm back on the low-carb regimen (that works for me) and starting to go back down.

I'm also just going to dress warm enough and get back on the bike. I feel like I've been so sedintary during the cold season and I've had enough. I finally learned that there is no bad weather...only bad clothing. (but I still can't get past riding in the snow...someday I suppose)

Good luck to you.

I have lived up there! I lived in Deadhorse and Fairbanks. I ran up and down the "Haul Road" (aka the Dalton!)

When you say "ran" do you mean truck?

Yeah there are a number of old DC-3s still operating in the Canadian North Their still one of the best a/c for carrying large and bulk loads into ice camps and being ski equipped can land most anywhere. Still a number flying in AK as I recall also. Its a bear to keep them warm in remote areas tho and they require preheating etc in winter ops Fun Fun
A lot like winter cycling Ya gotta warm up good , keep warm while riding and if you stop for more than a couple of minutes, you better drink something hot or warm at least I was out on a long one yesterday about 20 miles at -26C static then you have to add the bikes forward speed a good guess would be -30C including Wind Chill Tough as hell to lose weight in cold weather You gotta fuel too much to handle the cold air. Sleep like a bear when its over but wake up hungry as a horse Can't win, I've gobbled down forty acres of salad since Jan Haven't lost a pound