Keeping warm after weightloss surgery

For most of us, the ‘Beast from the East’ has arrived and temperatures are positively Polar! Whilst most of us are feeling cold, some of our patients notice they feel the cold a lot more after having weight loss surgery.

As we have previously said, there are two most likely reasons for this:

‘Firstly, there is the loss of insulation and less energy generation. Fat is a highly effective insulator. After your surgery you have less fat and therefore less insulation, increasing the likelihood of feeling the cold.

The second reason is simply that your body is not working as hard; it takes fewer calories and less energy to maintain and move a smaller body. The less energy used the less heat generated by your body.’

 If you feel colder after your weight loss surgery, you are not alone. With that in mind, here are some tips from past patients:

• Regular hot drinks are a definite. If you have an insulated cup, it will stay warm for longer – this is useful post surgery, as many people take longer to finish drinks.
• Layers of clothes are better than one heavy item. Hats are virtually essential in the winter as a great deal of heat is lost through the head, including the ears. A scarf also insulates the chest and neck and can even be pulled up over the nose to warm up the air before it is breathed in. Body warmers and gilets are fantastic at keeping the core warm: the area of your body that contains vital organs.
• Try to have warm meals whenever and wherever possible. An insulated flask of hot, nourishing soup is very comforting. Heated plates and bowls are also a great way of ensuring your food doesn’t go cold before you can finish it.
• Try to keep moving. This will help your circulation to run smoothly and efficiently. Even if it’s just chair exercises at your desk. A hot water bottle with a cover on (in which you can tuck your toes) makes a great foot warmer and no one will see it!
• Keep mentally active as it can distract you from feeling cold. Maybe you could come up with some new ideas for keeping warm!

Not everyone feels the cold more after weight loss surgery, but in the temperatures, we are experiencing at the moment, it’s likely that everyone will be looking for tips to staying warm. Do you have any to share? We would love to hear them.