I’ve been pondering the study that’s been all over the place in the news the past few days about how lower temperatures may stimulate weight loss. It’s not that it doesn’t sound good- save money on heating! Lose weight! At the same time! It’s just that I have a ready made counter example.

I live in an old farmhouse. The upstairs rooms, with only two exceptions (the bathroom and the room that is currently my sister’s bedroom), are not heated. My room, being right next to the chimney, may once have benefited from radiant heat from the chimney. But we don’t use the fireplace, so I don’t get that happy side effect. These rooms have no radiators, no central heat, none of that. In the winter, my room runs in the low to mid 60s (Fahrenheit. If you want C, 17.5-18.) Today, with outside temperatures just barely in the double digits, it’s 61. (16C.) It’s rather nice for sleeping, but if I spend too long here in the evening, I will need a hot water bottle or gloves to keep my fingers from feeling like small, somewhat flexible blocks of ice.

So if this theory is right, I should be naturally thinner and bikini-ready every year come summer. I’m not. I consistently hit 10-15 pounds above my ideal weight. Sadly, any benefit from my body working harder to stay warm is more than offset by the winter hibernation instinct I have- left to its own devices, my body would happily sleep 10+ hours a day, spend the rest of the time in a semi-torpor, and eat ALL the carbs*. This does not an ideal weight make.

Sorry, America, but if you want to work on your waistline, I suspect it takes more than turning down the heat. Diet and exercise still play a big role.

*If I were solely responsible for stocking the fridge/pantry, this calculation might work out differently. Less processed food, less carbs to consume.