To ask how you survive this cold as an office worker?

[ColdToesandWarmHeart]

I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I am freezing. Down to my bones. I have a heating pad under my jumper and a blanket on me and I finally feel warm for the first time this week.

I have ordered a hot water bottle but I don’t know what else I can do. I’m freezing. I’m on Mounjaro so I think it’s that, but I’m just so miserable.

Not particularly. It was freezing in there and I felt the cold as soon as I stopped moving

Because I’m at work? I can’t get up from my desk every hour to just run up and down the stairs quickly

Why not? You shouldn't be sitting without moving for more than an hour at a time as a regular way of working. Its really unhealthy.

I work for the NHS and our heating is on as normal, as it has been any other NHS building I’ve worked in.

Food. What do you eat for breakfast and lunch. Your body needs proteins and fats to keep warm. Salad or weigh watchers won't do. Try a chunky home made soup in a flask, with wholemeal bread.

Clothes. You need proper winter office clothes. Look for lambswool or lambswool mix tops, with a thermal t-shirt underneath. Wool trousers or skirt and cotton based thick tights. Viscose has literally no warmth in it.

It happens when you lose weight, especially if you’re in a large calorie deficit. I remember how freezing I was constantly a couple of years ago when I was running pretty much daily and definitely not eating anywhere near enough calories. Sitting outside waiting for a train one day when it was about 2 degrees, despite being wrapped up well, my heart rate dropped to 38 and I was terrified.

I've never taken weight loss meds but often naturally, run cold. I find lots of thinner layers work - some thermal, keeping wrist/ankles covered (thin wrist warmers, higher socks or legwarmers, cashmere or merino), wearing a hat if possible, warm drinks, regular movements (move as much as possible, on your breaks, wriggle toes while sitting etc). Presumably you'll feel more cold as you lose padding (weight) - I'm happy to carry a couple of extra pounds in colder weather.

Again, I am at work 😂 I can’t just take a break every hour.

Thermal socks and boots

Ours hasn’t been on at all! And if it is on, it’s barely working

Fingerless gloves with a mitten bit, I also used to wear a matching fur hat and full length coat in my old office 😂 and also had an under desk heater. We were technically meant to have this checked, but luckily my manager was also a cold person and had one herself so never bothered. Think you can also get like desk top heater things now which are less noticeable. But yes, winter in the office as a cold person is miserable! Also get your iron/B12 checked, as I found mine was low which made it worse

You can move properly as much as you can on your breaks, and do small movements while sitting - wriggling toes/feet, circling ankles, bending knees, wiggling hips, rotation of shoulders, circling wrists, dancing fingers. You might get some odd looks but you'll be warmer. 😬

Fortunately our office has air conditioning for summer, which you can also use to heat, plus a wall heater. So the temperature is always as we prefer.
I can't stand being cold. I refuse to be. I'm saddened to hear of all these people that are. I wear normal clothes, slip a cardigan on and off throughout the day. Reading of people wearing wrist warmers etc, too cold to type etc, makes me wonder how anyone can think that this is acceptable in this day and age.

I only get a half hour lunch. I try to go out for a walk (mainly because it’s so sunny, it’s nice to feel that on my face), but I feel like I’m coming back colder than I started

For me, I work for the NHS. Yes it’s uncomfortable being cold but I’d rather the money went to the patients to be honest.

Wear leggings under your trousers and a thermal fleece underlay top.
I'm always cold. I don't break a sweat in the summer, fleece leggings and top's underneath are amazing.
My body nearly went into shock yesterday with the cold, you'll get used to it.

Uniqlo Heattech do some good value items that work and are smart enough for the office. You can layer them up which helps keep the earth in. Go for wool or cashmere jumpers if you can afford it onto.
I lost weight last year and I really felt the cold last winter. Fat is an insulator after all.

If you’ve lost weight you’re probably noticing it more. I work in a cold classroom but wear layers. Yesterday I wore a thermal base layer that is thick and has a roll neck under a jumper. I wear shoes with platform ( smartish trainers) and that stops the playground chilling me to my bones.

Also re my house - yes, it’s cold. I live with my parents and my dad refuses to use the central heating. It will be on for half an hour this morning and half an hour this evening to avoid a frozen pipe, but that’s it. He won’t use it any more. There’s no point me even arguing it, because it won’t make a world of difference.

Electric heated throw is amazing!

Thermals under clothes work well.

have you reported it to maintenance an an emergency? I can’t imagine just happily sitting in a building with broken heating

So many jumpers are acrylic, I only wear a jumper with a decent wool content( many in charity shops if cost an issue) and cotton layers.

I don’t have that authority. My manager seems to think it’s quite normal, so I’m just letting it be. I’d rather be cold than kick up a stink just to be told it’s normal 😅

you sound quite naive OP. You sitting in freezing cold doesn’t mean patients get more money?! You’ll get sick and miserable sitting in the cold all day.