I know I’ve already mentioned it a few times on this blog: I’m quite sensitive to cold and to changes of temperature. Losing weight has not contributed to improving that in the slightest. On the contrary: I’m of those people who are still at ease with long sleeves and a cardigan in a room heated at 26°C (and my thyroid is alright, it’s not the problem). I’m just, well… easily cold. That’s all.
So why couldn’t I realize sooner that not turning on the heater since November could only cause me problems?!
Granted, all I have is an electrical heater, and using it will make my bill bigger. It’s already hard enough as it is–my salary allows me to survive, but I can’t afford many things for myself, nor can I really save money every month–so I preferred being careful about that. I haven’t caught a cold or whatever due to that, thanks goodness, because I have lots of clothes to pile on, and blankets, and a tiny heater under my desk that I turns on sometimes; besides, between work, studies and being at the library, I’m not that much at home. Nevertheless, when I am, like I was these past Christmas holidays to revise for my exams, it was hard. Very hard.
Now, considering that being cold tends to make me very hungry, is it a wonder that I’ve had binge episodes throughout these two months? Heh.
(By the way, I’m still unsure whether I should call these ‘binges’ or not. I don’t eat to forget sadness or solitude, I’m not particularly ashamed of myself, and save for the huge caloric intake in a short amount of time, my ‘episodes’ don’t fit the classical definition of a binge eating disorder. But for want of another word, let’s use this one, unless someone can suggest a better one to me.)
Because, come to think of it… When I overeat, I’m warm. I don’t mean “I’m feeling warm inside” or something like that in a psychological way. No, I’m just warm. Physically warm. Perhaps my body having to digest all that useless fuel makes it produce more warmth? I don’t know. It works even better when I eat warm foods, which is logical enough, I suppose.
This past week-end, I gave in. I turned the heater on. Oddly enough, since that moment, I haven’t had any urge to overeat. I may be hungry before going to bed, but it doesn’t bother me. And after a meal, I’m able to put the fork down without immediately grabbing for more.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed. If this was a reason to that odd behaviour of mine, if not being so cold can help me in solving the problem, then, tough it up, I’ll accept a higher electricity bill at the end of the month. It will be hard; but it can’t be harder, in fact, than spending more money than needed due to emptying my whole cupboard and then having to buy everything again, can it?
January 9th, 2008 at 07:26
That’s a really interesting trigger. I’ve honestly never heard of someone overeating because they’re cold. Different strokes for different folks, right? As long as you know what triggers you, that means you can try to stop it!
January 9th, 2008 at 09:07
I’ve never heard of it either, so it’s probably why I didn’t think of it at first. It’s true that it sounds a little… weird. The kind of stupid thing nobody would consider because they’re so stupid. Oh well.
January 9th, 2008 at 21:07
Interesting! I don’t think I have the same pattern (cold = trigger to overeat because it warms me), but I’m going to start paying attention just out of curiosity.
I read in Mindless Eating (by Brian Wansink) that if you drink ice cold water, it burns approximately 1 calorie per ounce. Your body has to use energy to warm the water.
Maybe you’ve been burning calories by being cold. Hmmmm.
January 10th, 2008 at 19:05
I had an issue last year where I got ridiculously cold sometimes. Like, I was on the floor in a ball trying to get warm by compressing my body as tightly as possible, while shivering violently. On one occasion, I even blacked out - scary. I went to a bunch of doctors and no one could figure out what was wrong with me (though my favorite was the nutritionist who told me it was a classic sympton of anorexia, and wouldn’t believe me when I showed her food logs of what I ate). They never did figure out what it was, but on my own I noticed that drinking fluids seemed to make me cold, even if they were room temperature. It’s gotten better in the last year and I haven’t had any major episodes like I used to, but still on days, when I up my water intake, I’m colder than usual.
All this is just to say I totally believe you even if no one else does
January 10th, 2008 at 21:05
Happy - I haven’t ’studied’ that matter yet, so I’m not sure, but I think the contrary pattern might be true for me as well (if it’s cold and I don’t eat a lot, things become hard).
Funnily enough, I’ve started reading Wansink’s book again. I had forgotten what an interesting read it was.
January 10th, 2008 at 21:07
Laura - That sure must have been something scary, all the more because it was so unexplained. I don’t think drinking fluids tend to make me cold, unless they’re very cold, but since I don’t try to drink anything very cold when I’m already cold, well… Anyway, it’s a good thing that those episodes have gotten better for you.
January 13th, 2008 at 02:27
The weirdest part was, it was any fluids, regardless of temperature. SO glad that’s cleared up, though I do still get cold a bit more easily than most.
January 14th, 2008 at 15:02
Uh, yes… Definitely most strange!