5 Ways to Ditch Dieting-Related Mood Swings

Lauren Krouse
byLauren Krouse
Share it:
5 Ways to Ditch Dieting-Related Mood Swings

Taking the initiative to make dietary and lifestyle changes to shed pounds and become a healthier you is a significant first step. At the beginning, you’re likely very motivated toadopt healthy new habitslikedrinking more water,meal preppingandadding more movementto your day. You might feel you’re doing everything right, but notice you feel prone to mood swings and sometimes take it out on your family, friends and even yourself.

If you’re feeling low, easily annoyed or quick to anger, know that it’s not all in your head. “There are several physiological and psychological reasons this may happen,” confirmsKatie Rickel博士,注册临床心理学家和首席执行官Structure House, a residential weight-management program in Durham, North Carolina. This is especially true if you start a little more aggressively (i.e. drastic changes to your diet and exercise routines) instead of easing into a diet.

The good news is, there are ways to lose weight without the mood swings. Here’s everything you need to know toget back on track.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND WEIGHT LOSS AND MOOD SWINGS

You know the basicweight-loss equationpretty well: Consume fewer calories than you burn. But, when you create a calorie deficit by burning more calories than you consume, your body perceives that downtick in expendable energy as stress. Hormones and blood sugar levels get out of whack, which can lead to dips in your mood and energy levels. Similarly, lifestyle changes made to shed pounds, likespacing meals further apartor eating imbalanced meals (Think: Veggie-only salads without protein or fat), could lower your blood sugar levels — another source of increased irritability and a low mood.

Finally, theemotional challenges of a weight-loss journeycan take a toll. For some, obsessing over calorie counting and weighing every single gram of food increases cortisol levels (aka the ‘stress hormone’) and makes you feel morestressed out, according to astudy in Psychosomatic Medicine. “When you’re going too hard, too fast, you’re even more prone to mood swings,” says Rickel. Aiming for acalorie deficit that is too steep,cutting out entire food groups, restricting yourself tovery narrow eating windows, or avoiding social situations that involve food can make you feel deprived, edgy and low on self-esteem. When it becomes too difficult to stick with such an impossible program, you inevitably violate your own rules, and painfulfeelings of guilt and shameoften follow,leading to cycles of yo-yo dietingand weight gain over time.

If this sounds familiar, take a deep breath. Then, read on for five ways to rescue your mood.

HOW TO DITCH MOOD SWINGS WHEN LOSING WEIGHT

1

START SMALL

“When you’re first trying to lose weight, it can be tempting to make drastic changes to your eating or exercise plan, but you’re setting yourself up for failure because you can’t possibly stick with it,” says Rickel. To keep your hormones and mood in check, it’s best to makesmall, sustainable changes. Rather than setting a lofty, weight-loss goal, which can be discouraging and make you feel like a failure if you aren’t hitting the number quickly, “aim tolose a healthy amount of weightper week,” says Rickel. On average, that’s about 1–2 pounds per week or a total of 4–8 pounds per month.

2

FOCUS ON ADDING INSTEAD OF SUBTRACTING

“To avoid the deprivation and FOMO [fear of missing out] that can accompany a weight-loss attempt, it is important to focus on what additions you’re making to your life, not what you’re giving up,” says Rickel. Nutrition-wise, that means filling your plate with fiber-richfruitsandvegetables, fillingwhole grains,lean proteinsandhealthy fats, all of which can help support your weight-loss efforts. Tokeep stress levels low, put pleasant and energizing activities on your calendar, likefun new workouts. Think of it this way: “If you’re spending less time focused on food, you can turn that focus to new pastimes and experiences,” says Rickel.

3

SCHEDULE MEALS AND SNACKS

Eating well-balanced meals at regular intervalsthroughout the day can help with blood sugar management which also helps stabilize mood,” saysAlida Iacobellis, RD. Avoid going more than four hours between meals and snacks byscheduling themin existing windows of opportunity, suggests Iacobellis. For example, can you piggybacksnack timeon top of another habit, like before or after yoga, a workout class or a break at work? To stabilize your blood sugar (andavoid a sugar high and crash), choose asatiating snack that combines protein and fatinstead of reaching for a cookie. Try Greek yogurt and berries, rye crackers and cheese, a turkey and hummus sandwich on whole-grain bread, or an apple and peanut butter.

4

DON’T CUT TOO MANY CARBS

Whilecarbsare often viewed as the bad guy in the dieting world, onestudy published in the Archives of Internal Medicinefound following a low-carb diet can increase anger, brain fog and feelings of depression and dejection. This may be becausetoo few carbscan make it harder for your brain to synthesize serotonin, a known mood-booster. The fix: “Make sure you’re getting45–65% of your total energy from carbohydrateseach day and avoid large calorie deficits,” says Iacobellis. Here, an app likeMyFitnessPalcan help you make sure you’re hitting a healthy calorie goal with the optimal balance ofmacronutrients(aka carbs, protein and fat) to support weight loss. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, milk, yogurt, fruit, beans, plantains, wheat, barley, oats and rye are all great sources of mood-stabilizing carbs, says Iacobellis.

5

REST

Finally, make sure you’re getting 7–9 hours of sleep each night. “Weight loss and reduced calorie intake are almost always an added stress on your body, so it’s crucial to make sure that more rest and recovery are built into your lifestyle,” says Rickel.Sleep deprivationcan also knock your mood and energy, making weight-loss related mood swings even worse. To ensure you’re getting adequate zzz’s,establish a consistent evening routinean hour before bed.Cut off screen timeto reduce blue light exposure andtransform your bedroom into a sleep sanctuarythat’s quiet, cool and relaxing.

Unlock an experience that’s like having a dietitian, trainer and coach — right at your fingertips.Go Premiumfor expert guidance and exclusive tools that will help you reach your personal health goals.

About the Author

Lauren Krouse
Lauren Krouse

Lauren Krouse is a freelance writer who covers health, domestic violence, and self-advocacy. Her work appears inWomen’s Health, Men’s Health, Prevention, Self, HuffPost,and elsewhere. When she’s not writing, you can find her trying to meditate more, weightlifting, or walking in the woods with her partner and black lab.

Related

Never Miss a Post!

Turn on MyFitnessPal desktop notifications and stay up to date on the latest health and fitness advice.

Great!

Click the 'Allow' Button Above

Awesome!

You're all set.

You’re taking control of your fitness and wellness journey, so take control of your data, too.Learn moreabout your rights and options. Orclick hereto opt-out of certain cookies.