Losing tolerance to winter cold

[jessmarimba]

I have a coworker who is continually preaching about how technical gear is just overpriced crap, unnecessary, REI is the devil, etc etc etc...

Well he earned some gift cards to REI this year because of a work incentive and his fiancee convinced him to buy a down jacket to ski. Boy, it's amazing how quickly he changed his tune...

(he still complains about the price, but he seems to see that there might be a reason for it!)

[tealtreak]

Overall, in over the decades, I'm losing my resistance to really cold weather. And it varies, each season.

Right now, I could have worn a fall cycling jacket and layered up since temp. above freezin'. But no, I felt best with a winter gortex below hip jacket that I go snowshoeing, but I cycled now whenever I do it during these winter months. I wasn't sorry either with today's wind in my face...even though I sweated slightly as soon as I stepped indoors at home.

I can't beat myself too much for being whimpier at nearly 53 yrs. At least, I feel warmer just so that I can cycle around and be comfortable outdoors.

Unbelievable that I used to walk around in a dress with a knee length winter coat, pantyhose and dress shoes over 30 yrs. ago for same just above freezin' temperatures and no snow.
Are you losing your winter cold resistance much as years roll by?

yeah menopause!!! My cold tolerance has greatly decreased because after a hot flash that leaves me drenched I then get chilled- hoping to age out of it!!!!!!!!!!! (:

[shootingstar]

Today, we are at a place in the mountains where it's -23 degrees C. Not far from the Continental Divide. Really, I have no desire to snowshoe in wilderness when it's this cold. Having a sore foot and wondering if I can do the trek, is a bit of a disincentive.

[Crankin]

I know how you feel. I've x country skied and snow shoed in those temperatures. Or at least, it was that cold when we started. If it's sunny, and I have lots of wool and chemical warmers, I'm OK.
But a sore foot would stop me.

[fonda1212]

According to me, it all depends on your health and being fit. If you eat healthy and do regular exercises can help you to cope up with this issue. Weak peoples normally experience this since i have come across many such individuals. Age is not a matter in this.

[Reesha]

My body is really strange. If I'm inside and the temperature is below 80 degrees, there is a good probability that I am freezing.

I am always good at thermoregulating outside though. Maybe it's my body telling me to get OUT OUT OUT and play.

I do tend to keep my house really cold in the winter (around 60 degrees) and hot in the summer (85 or so) so I am acclimated better to the outside. It totally works!

[goldfinch]

I have really lost my tolerance to cold for a couple of reasons. First of all, I bug out in the winter time so my adaptation has more or less disappeared. But even more importantly, since losing 1/3 of my body weight I am much, much colder than I was. I think that my metabolism took a big hit.

[Catrin]

I have really lost my tolerance to cold for a couple of reasons. First of all, I bug out in the winter time so my adaptation has more or less disappeared. But even more importantly, since losing 1/3 of my body weight I am much, much colder than I was. I think that my metabolism took a big hit.

My metabolism isn't slow at all (it was just recently tested) but I AM much colder than I was 80 pounds ago...I try to ride in at least temps >freezing in the winter, but with cold-air induced asthma I have to be careful. If I didn't ride solo most of the time I would likely try to push it but I allow wisdom to guide me at this at least.

[Reesha]

Catrin, you have cold air induced asthma too? Ok, maybe I am weird but have you ever induced an asthma attack from eating ice cream or something frozen? My first experience with it was eating a Wendy's frosty too quickly. Instant asthma attack! Bizarro!

[Catrin]

Catrin, you have cold air induced asthma too? Ok, maybe I am weird but have you ever induced an asthma attack from eating ice cream or something frozen? My first experience with it was eating a Wendy's frosty too quickly. Instant asthma attack! Bizarro!

No, just get the "cold induced" intense pinpoint headache - oy I hate that!

[shootingstar]

Certainly my tolerance to winter cold in past few years, has been, um, "fine-tuned". If I keep moving and there isn't a strong wind, not much ice/snow and dressed warmly, I can cycle/snowshoe to -20C for an hr. or so. This is from being acclimatized to prairie cold. But I wasn't like this living in Vancouver. I got "soft" with balmier winters. It does help to have grown up in Ontario.

Now I've noticed with our extreme temperature changes which can be a up to 40 degree F difference between early morning to early afternoon, it's been harder for me to toughen up within 1 day.

But as the cycling season warms up from cold winter, I can cycle in longer shorts from 10 degrees C onward for an hr. before it gets warmer.

I would like to comment on being slimmer and feeling "colder". For many years, certainly I've noticed with shaking hands with other people, yes, my handshake is cooler or shaking hands with other people who are slimmer.

But then this all varies. But for myself, hovering at 100 lbs. or less, I will affirm that I'm a medium warmth dresser, overall My partner who is a more medium weight for his build, feels his legs alot colder than I ever do.

Usually when I wear 1 pair tights comfortably, he needs to wear tights plus wind pants.

For winter, it is the wind strength and ice that bugs me more now as I get older.

But today I cannot wear a sleeveless tank top comfortably like today for some women I saw, where it's around 14-18 degrees F ...that translates in the 70's F. For me, I need to have 80-85 degree F heat to go sleeveless. Still on the Pacific coast at that temperature, I find that edge of cool requires me to wear short-sleeved jerseys.

Humidex @90-100 plus heat @80 degrees F and above, is definitely quite hot for me. My tolerance for hot humidity most definitely is dropping off with age.

It's my hands in past few years, I have Reynauld's condition where my fingers feel freezingly cold at just barely freezing temperatures.