Almost every person who
has ever been in a drastic weight-loss diet has experienced this: being angry
for being so hungry. Our body reacts to changes in our diet, be it sudden loss
of carbohydrates or protein such as meats. Suddenly, you feel cranky and more
prone to irritation when you’re on a diet. Here are some ways your diet is
messing with your mood.
Low calorie diets
Functioning on a low calorie diet of 1,200-1,500 calories per day can be difficult if you quit your
extra calories cold turkey. Some people who want to lose weight quickly cut
back on the calories instantly. Medical practitioners found that restricting
calorie intake induces the brain to produce more cortisol or what they call the
stress hormone. This creates the perception of stress leading to irritation and
crankiness. Also, when the body is hungry, serotonin or the hormone that
regulates mood fluctuates leading to feelings of anger and irritability. The
solution is to cut back on calories slowly. Don’t do it in one fell swoop so
the body can adjust to lower levels of calories in time.
Low fat diets
There are bad fats and
there are good fats. Bad fats happen when you eat fatty food such as bacon and
ham. Good fats are those found in seafood such as mackerel, sardines, and
salmon fishes. When restricting the fatty foods in your diet, don’t skimp on the good fats; they are good for a
reason. Our body still needs some fat to function. Omega-3 fatty acid
deficiency can lead to anger, hostility, and depression. Some fats can be found
in nuts and seeds such as walnuts, flaxseeds, and soybeans. However, animal
fats are still more abundant than plant fat. So indulge in that baked fish with
cream cheese every once in a while.
Low carb diets
Skimping on carbohydrates
is one surefire way to your body going amok for its daily dose of starch and
sugar. Carbohydrates make up most of our diets, even up to 65 percent. If you
cut back drastically, your body will have serious withdrawal symptoms. Some
experts suggest that limiting carbs will hamper the brain in synthesizing
serotonin, the mood-boosting hormone.
Sugar is also associated with pleasure that’s why you reach for
chocolate or ice cream when you’re sad.
No treats diet
When starting a diet, one
of the first things you tick off are chocolates, ice cream, cake, and candy.
They are seen as temptations that will bring you to the edge of a cliff into
obesity hell. Of course, they are harmful for your health if you consume
copious amounts on a regular basis. Also, by depriving yourself of these
treats, your blood sugar level instantly drops leading to hypoglycemia, which
in turn results to increased crankiness and irritability.
Instead, don’t think of it
as complete deprivation. Replace milk chocolate with dark chocolate, which is
the healthier option. Instead of indulging on ice cream, make some fruit sorbet
by freezing a fruit smoothie. Eat a far smaller slice of cake rather than a whole
slice. Complete deprivation also backfires as it results to binging afterward
to cope with the reduced sugar in your blood.
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