Living in cold weather, better than hawaii, if you learn to use the right clothes

 I wish someone taught me this when I was young, I could have saved lots of money, and not suffered from being cold most of the time.

If you learn how to dress in layers with the right materials, even if it's freezing temperature outside, with icy wind chill, but the sun is out, you'll be as warm as if you were on the beach in hawaii.

I eat a lacto ovo vegetarian diet, more veganish most of the time, so I wear more layers than most people would.

Upper body:

1. cotton t-shirt

2. cotton dress shirt (cotton is most breathable material)

3. if really cold, another long sleeve cotton t shirt

4. important part here: wool stretchy sweater snug fitting body. that keeps the heat in. if you have baggy layers, cold air gets inside and you start losing body heat.

5. jacket #1, usually a cotton polyester blend hoodie

6. jacket #2, a thicker jacket, some kind of blend.

If I use a down jacket, then it's quite warm and I have to get rid of most of the layers.

make sure to use a scarf or a neck gaiter if it's cold.

head:

1. thin merino wool beanie for normal cold

2. wind breaking beanie if needed, can layer with wool beanie.

hands:

1. wool gloves for moderate cold

2. superinsulated gloves if real cold

bottom half of body in layers too.

1. cotton sweats

2. wool thermal long sweats, snug fitting

3. normal pants if I'm going outside and encounter people, otherwise I wrap a wool shawl around the legs like monks robes.

If it's really cold outside, I can throw a fleece pair of sweats on top of that.

for feet,

1. cotton socks

2. wool socks on top of that

If that's not enough, then another layer of cotton socks or wool socks. 

Secret weapon is enough cardio

Because if you don't cardio, parts of your body that are weak and cold, will still be weak and cold while your outside where you're dressed warm gets too hot. So cardio will crack all the icy frozen parts of your insides and distribute all the warmth evenly.

Now the real secret weapon is sufficient daily cardiovascular aerobic exercise (many sessions as needed throughout the day), such as my preferred shake and bake 🏃👨‍🍳🥧 (<- link). when I wake up, I do about 20 minutes of it, and then another 30-40 min. of alternating a few minutes of S&B with stretches. Every 2 or 3 hours I do 10 min. of s+b to homogenize the warmth again. I've gotten more resistant to cold the more s+b I do throughout the day. 

Natural materials close to skin, synthetics only on outer layers and wind breakers

Windbreaking layers is important if there's wind. Wind and cold air will cut right through wool and cotton, it feels like you might as well be standing naked.

Nylon shell jacket that you use just for windy days is good, down jackets usually have thin outer nylon layer  

For down jackets, try to buy a reputable brand. I got an Eddy Bauer (they have life time warranty on their product) jacket on sale this year from costco for 40$, 650 down fill, performs like a 150$ jacket. Although my jacket is a lemon in the sense that it smells bad, like farm animals who need to bathe. But if it bothers me enough, I can go to an eddy bauer store and get an exchange for same or similar product without smell.  

Costco will often have overstocked and discounted quality brand clothes, so just keep your eye on it from time to time. 

Summary of important points

1. shake and bake 🏃👨‍🍳🥧 (<- link) or equivalent level of cardio

2. layers close to skin use natural materials. Synthetics like polyester make you feel hot dry, skin suffocating and getting itchy. But they are ok on an outer layer, especially nylon jacket shells and nylon blend pants that have wind breaking power. 

I actually moved to Hawaii and lived there for a few years because I couldn't take the cold weather in the continental USA (veganish diet big contributor). If I had known about down jackets, wool layers, I could have saved lots of money from not moving to Hawaii.

With my knowledge of how to dress warmly and comfortably, even if I'm in the himalayan mountains (lower altitudes) in the winter, it feels as warm as hawaii. Even better, because there are no mosquitoes, and no extra high cost of living expenses from living in a desirable place.