Cold belly after riding???



Maybe this belongs in rec.bicycles.anatomical.weirdness instead. But:

When I get in after a ride, my belly is cold. Specifically, the skin
at the center of my abdomen, roughly a 6" diameter circle at and below
my solar plexus, feels cold to the touch. My wife confirms that it
feels cold, and we've noticed this for years. It doesn't seem to
happen to her belly.

Just now, after a short (17 mile) ride, I took out my new toy, an
infra-red surface thermometer. Checking my skin temperatures at my
quadriceps, my sides, my neck and my forehead all gave readings within
a degree of 83 degrees F. But my belly was 72.8 F. I was riding in a
thin long sleeved jersey and tights. It was about 65 degrees F
outside.

Anybody know what gives?

- Frank Krygowski
 
On Jan 7, 2:44 pm, [email protected] wrote:
> Checking my skin temperatures at my
> quadriceps, my sides, my neck and my forehead all gave readings within
> a degree of 83 degrees F.  But my belly was 72.8 F.  I was riding in a
> thin long sleeved jersey and tights.  It was about 65 degrees F
> outside.
>
> Anybody know what gives?


Fat, or lack of blood supply.

Those are really the only two answers that make reasonable sense.

E.P.
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:a4fa7d23-0a80-45c4-9fe6-17ad3fc92d0d@i72g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
> Maybe this belongs in rec.bicycles.anatomical.weirdness instead. But:
>
> When I get in after a ride, my belly is cold. Specifically, the skin
> at the center of my abdomen, roughly a 6" diameter circle at and below
> my solar plexus, feels cold to the touch. My wife confirms that it
> feels cold, and we've noticed this for years. It doesn't seem to
> happen to her belly.
>
> Just now, after a short (17 mile) ride, I took out my new toy, an
> infra-red surface thermometer. Checking my skin temperatures at my
> quadriceps, my sides, my neck and my forehead all gave readings within
> a degree of 83 degrees F. But my belly was 72.8 F. I was riding in a
> thin long sleeved jersey and tights. It was about 65 degrees F
> outside.
>
> Anybody know what gives?
>
> - Frank Krygowski
>

I think you are way, way to concerned about it.

I have little things that jus' ain't right with my body, but I can't find
the warranty card.

J.
 
I get the same thing wherever there is a bit of fat on me (I'm quite
lean). Localised vasoconstriction or just insulation from the fat
while the rest of me heats up I don't know. I haven't really tried to
work out what it is.
 
Could this be the path to renewed research cold fusion? :)

Suspect it's a combination of fat insulation that part of the skin
from body heat combined with the cooling effect of sweat evaporating.
 
On Jan 7, 7:34 pm, [email protected] wrote:
> Could this be the path to renewed research cold fusion? :)
>
> Suspect it's a combination of fat insulation that part of the skin
> from body heat combined with the cooling effect of sweat evaporating.


I originally thought it had to do with a layer of fat (although I'm
not very fat). But one of the places I measured for direct comparison
was my sides, AKA "love handles."

There's quite a bit more fat there than on my belly, yet the
temperature there is higher.

Oh, and Jay: I'm not worried about it at all. Just curious.

- Frank Krygowski
 
On Jan 7, 6:52 pm, [email protected] wrote:
> On Jan 7, 7:34 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>
> > Could this be the path to renewed research cold fusion? :)

>
> > Suspect it's a combination of fat insulation that part of the skin
> > from body heat combined with the cooling effect of sweat evaporating.

>
> I originally thought it had to do with a layer of fat (although I'm
> not very fat). But one of the places I measured for direct comparison
> was my sides, AKA "love handles."
>
> There's quite a bit more fat there than on my belly, yet the
> temperature there is higher.
>
> Oh, and Jay: I'm not worried about it at all. Just curious.
>

Btw Kraft vest seems to have been designed for pregnant people of
either gender:
i'd recommend it, it's well krafted. Though i could see how I could
grow a belly,
on top of it i don't think I'd ever have a set of double Ds, and,
being a straight guy,
I don't think silicone would look right up there and be of any value
to the opposite sex.
The swiss people have strange ideas about american riders unless I'm
the only
guy who thought of buying a Kraft vest. Is it unmanly to have a belly
of the same
temperature as the rest of your body? I like all of my bits warm.
And no, that vest was not in the women's section of the Kraft catalog
and no,
I don't think I have a cross dressing streak.
 
"Jay" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:a4fa7d23-0a80-45c4-9fe6-17ad3fc92d0d@i72g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
>> Maybe this belongs in rec.bicycles.anatomical.weirdness instead. But:
>>
>> When I get in after a ride, my belly is cold. Specifically, the skin
>> at the center of my abdomen, roughly a 6" diameter circle at and below
>> my solar plexus, feels cold to the touch. My wife confirms that it
>> feels cold, and we've noticed this for years. It doesn't seem to
>> happen to her belly.
>>
>> Just now, after a short (17 mile) ride, I took out my new toy, an
>> infra-red surface thermometer. Checking my skin temperatures at my
>> quadriceps, my sides, my neck and my forehead all gave readings within
>> a degree of 83 degrees F. But my belly was 72.8 F. I was riding in a
>> thin long sleeved jersey and tights. It was about 65 degrees F
>> outside.
>>
>> Anybody know what gives?
>>
>> - Frank Krygowski
>>

> I think you are way, way to concerned about it.
>
>

obviously, that should have read '...way tooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
concerned...'

....I need to speak with my proofreading staff...
J.
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:40b0e014-9ecf-4e77-a23f-ec83563f5f35@n20g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> On Jan 7, 7:34 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>> Could this be the path to renewed research cold fusion? :)
>>
>> Suspect it's a combination of fat insulation that part of the skin
>> from body heat combined with the cooling effect of sweat evaporating.

>
> I originally thought it had to do with a layer of fat (although I'm
> not very fat). But one of the places I measured for direct comparison
> was my sides, AKA "love handles."
>
> There's quite a bit more fat there than on my belly, yet the
> temperature there is higher.
>
> Oh, and Jay: I'm not worried about it at all. Just curious.
>
> - Frank Krygowski
>

I was immediately drawn to this thread, thinking RBT had figured out the
'cold fusion' thing.

I guess I'll go back to pondering dark matter, quarks, stuff like that.

But it makes my head spin!

J.
 
"Jay" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:40b0e014-9ecf-4e77-a23f-ec83563f5f35@n20g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
>> On Jan 7, 7:34 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>>> Could this be the path to renewed research cold fusion? :)
>>>
>>> Suspect it's a combination of fat insulation that part of the skin
>>> from body heat combined with the cooling effect of sweat evaporating.

>>
>> I originally thought it had to do with a layer of fat (although I'm
>> not very fat). But one of the places I measured for direct comparison
>> was my sides, AKA "love handles."
>>
>> There's quite a bit more fat there than on my belly, yet the
>> temperature there is higher.
>>
>> Oh, and Jay: I'm not worried about it at all. Just curious.
>>
>> - Frank Krygowski
>>

> I was immediately drawn to this thread, thinking RBT had figured out the
> 'cold fusion' thing.
>
> I guess I'll go back to pondering dark matter, quarks, stuff like that.
>
> But it makes my head spin!
>
> J.

How long does it take to get back to pre performance temperatures?
reminds me of the saying having cold hands means you have a warm heart,
in that case it would be good. right
Except yours seems to be the reverse. maybe it means you are a greedy
glutten for punishment. hohoho
 
On Mon, 7 Jan 2008 14:44:36 -0800 (PST), [email protected] wrote:

>Maybe this belongs in rec.bicycles.anatomical.weirdness instead. But:
>
>When I get in after a ride, my belly is cold. Specifically, the skin
>at the center of my abdomen, roughly a 6" diameter circle at and below
>my solar plexus, feels cold to the touch. My wife confirms that it
>feels cold, and we've noticed this for years. It doesn't seem to
>happen to her belly.
>
>Just now, after a short (17 mile) ride, I took out my new toy, an
>infra-red surface thermometer. Checking my skin temperatures at my
>quadriceps, my sides, my neck and my forehead all gave readings within
>a degree of 83 degrees F. But my belly was 72.8 F. I was riding in a
>thin long sleeved jersey and tights. It was about 65 degrees F
>outside.
>
>Anybody know what gives?
>
>- Frank Krygowski


Dear Frank,

A) Your underlying stomach muscles don't do much when you bicycle, so
they don't warm up through exercise.

B) The stomach muscles that aren't doing much in the first place are
separated from the cold belly skin by a pad of fat, which is poorly
vacularized and makes a great insulator.

C) The belly skin separated by insulating fat from idle muscles is
getting direct air cooling, so it chills down nicely.

In contrast, your head and neck skin stay warm, even though they're
out in the wind blast, because there's little insulating fat and
because they get all the blood that they can handle. We lose heat so
quickly from our over-vascularized, under-insulated heads that hats
make a huge difference in staying warm. The enthusiastic blood supply
is why even superficial head and neck wounds bleed profusely. (In
contrast, fat bleeds very little.)

The skin over your quads has little insulating fat to keep it chilled
and it's warmed by the muscles working, so being in the wind blast
doesn't chill your thighs nearly as much as it chills your belly.

The sides usually have less fat than the belly pad, even with love
handles. In any case, the side aren't as directly exposed to the wind
blast and the muscles on the sides are used much more than the
abdominals when you bicycle.

For fun, use the remote thermometer to check the difference between
the palm and the back of your hand when you're just sitting at a
computer. The palm side has thicker skin and more blood supply and
will be noticeably warmer.

Years ago, I accidentally touched the top of a doctor's computer
monitor in a cramped space with the inside of my forearm. It was much
hotter than a monitor should have been, so I made a fuss and began
checking things, but the monitor mysteriously cooled down as I
examined it. The doctor listened to my puzzled explanation about his
strangely hot monitor magically cooling off and pointed out that the
skin on the forearm is actuallly much thinner and therefore more
sensitive than the thick pads on the palm--things feel hotter on your
toughened, calloused hand, even though you'd think that it was
delicate.

The effect is exaggerated by the fact that the palm of the hand is
already a few degrees warmer than the forearm.

For what it's worth, my dog's belly is about 72F, the top of his head
is about 80F, so are his sides, and his paw pads are around 90F. He's
just lying on his side, not bicycling, no windstream.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel
 
>For what it's worth, my dog's belly is about 72F,
>the top of his head is about 80F, so are
>his sides, and his paw pads are around 90F. He's
>just lying on his side, not bicycling, no windstream.
>Cheers,
>Carl Fogel


...hey mister, does your dog "bike"?...

Best Regards - Mike Baldwin
 
Frank wrote:
When I get in after a ride, my belly is cold.
What gives?

Hey Frank, I thought I saw some jerseys at Performance that were
advertised as "double-front".
I remember thinking it was kind of overkill, but maybe other people
experience this same phenom.
Don't bike racers put magazines inside the fronts of their jersey on
cold, fast descents?
A TV Guide ought to just about cover that spot.
At any rate, we can seriously say, Frank, you're a curious guy :)

ABS
 
On Jan 7, 5:44 pm, [email protected] wrote:
> Maybe this belongs in rec.bicycles.anatomical.weirdness instead. But:
>
> When I get in after a ride, my belly is cold. Specifically, the skin
> at the center of my abdomen, roughly a 6" diameter circle at and below
> my solar plexus, feels cold to the touch. My wife confirms that it
> feels cold, and we've noticed this for years. It doesn't seem to
> happen to her belly.
>
> Just now, after a short (17 mile) ride, I took out my new toy, an
> infra-red surface thermometer. Checking my skin temperatures at my
> quadriceps, my sides, my neck and my forehead all gave readings within
> a degree of 83 degrees F. But my belly was 72.8 F. I was riding in a
> thin long sleeved jersey and tights. It was about 65 degrees F
> outside.
>
> Anybody know what gives?
>
> - Frank Krygowski


This happens to me all the time, even when it's warm out. I always
figured it had to do with a combination of sweat running down from my
chest and wind. On the bike, that seems that part of the body seems
to get a disproportionate amount of evaporative cooling for the work
it's doing.
 
On Jan 7, 10:21 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>
> The sides usually have less fat than the belly pad, even with love
> handles.


In my case, I don't believe this is true. And as I cycle, those
muscles at the lower sides don't seem to do any more than my abs do.
I'm still puzzled.

> For what it's worth, my dog's belly is about 72F, the top of his head
> is about 80F, so are his sides, and his paw pads are around 90F. He's
> just lying on his side...


.... wondering "What the hell is my owner doing to me _now_???"

- Frank Krygowski
 
On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 08:13:16 -0800 (PST), [email protected] wrote:

>On Jan 7, 10:21 pm, [email protected] wrote:
>>
>> The sides usually have less fat than the belly pad, even with love
>> handles.

>
>In my case, I don't believe this is true. And as I cycle, those
>muscles at the lower sides don't seem to do any more than my abs do.
>I'm still puzzled.
>
>> For what it's worth, my dog's belly is about 72F, the top of his head
>> is about 80F, so are his sides, and his paw pads are around 90F. He's
>> just lying on his side...

>
>... wondering "What the hell is my owner doing to me _now_???"
>
>- Frank Krygowski


Dear Frank,

The fat covering the belly muscle is pretty much the deepest fat and
the last to go.

When you see body builders with six-pack abs, it's because they've
lost enough body fat for the well-developed muscles underneath to
show.

The muscles on the sides keep you from falling over to either side,
while the belly muscle can only do a sit-up--and the sides have far
less wind blast for their area. You could think of it in terms of
radiators mounted on the front and the sides of a car.

In the end, it's a matter of blood supply providing warmth versus
whatever is cooling things off. Belly skin is right in the wind blast,
it's insulated from the muscles by a layer of poorly vascularized fat,
and the muscles underneath aren't doing much to demand hot blood or to
generate heat.

With the hand, the cooler back of the hand has thin skin over
practically nothing but tendons and bone--the blood vessels are mostly
veins, draining blood that already gave up heat on the palm.

As for the dog, he's merely semi-comatose, as usual, with a vaguely
satisfied impression that his servants are indeed constantly attentive
to his every need.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel
 
I'm not sure what gives, but that is obviously the place you should
mount that oil cooler.
 
"DennisTheBald" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:dbca1cb5-b0a8-4dc6-a223-9eab49dfb9c4@j78g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
> I'm not sure what gives, but that is obviously the place you should
> mount that oil cooler.
>


and I would just theorize that the sweat from your head, neck, and chest
ends up there, along with facing the wind would cool it off more than what
the muscles there require so it is below average to the rest of the body.
Secondly, The arms, legs, hands, neck, hips, and back work harder than
your stationery stomach so they get all the blood to work with and also be
warmed up by. do you wear coolmax tops?

Ciao