If you've ever struggled to lose and maintain weight on a diet, you know that mood swings can be a real problem. Many people who diet also suffer from emotional instability, which can be a significant obstacle to losing weight and keeping it off. This post will briefly discuss why mood swings often accompany a diet regime and how to eliminate them so that you can focus on losing weight.
Weight Loss And Psychological Health: What's The Connection?
Dieting can cause mood swings in many ways, and before identifying the methods to reduce this effect, it is crucial to understand why mood swings may occur. Dieting can cause hormone and blood sugar levels to fluctuate, resulting in mood and energy swings.
Similarly, making drastic lifestyle adjustments to lose weight, such as scheduling meals too far apart or eating an unbalanced diet, can further lower blood sugar levels , leading to irritation and depression. Furthermore, if you partake in what are commonly referred to as "fad diets," you might deprive your body of essential nutrients necessary to maintain an equilibrium.
These mood fluctuations can severely compromise your desire to lose weight and cause you to revert to unhealthy eating habits or even the dreaded yo-yo weight cycle. With this in mind, what can you do to maintain your diet routine but reduce and ultimately eliminate the undesirable mood swings you may be experiencing?
The Best Way To Prevent Mood Swings During Losing Weight
Weight loss does not have to mean cutting out everything you love to pursue your weight-loss goals. You will, however, need to modify your mindset and think of your menu changes less as a diet and more as a lifestyle change. Some people resort to diet pills that promise to both make you lose weight and improve your mood .
While these can be an excellent option for some people, they should only be used as part of a balanced diet after consulting with a doctor. The most important thing to keep in mind is that your goal is to lose weight to become healthier, and that it’s a gradual process not something that will show instant effects.
Small Steps Lead To Big Results
Some causes of mood swings are not related to anything specific like hormone imbalances; instead, they are caused by a perceived lack of progress. Some people find weight loss frustrating and depressing, especially when they have not lost much weight even after all their efforts. You may be setting yourself up for failure if you make radical changes to your diet or workout routine, and set unrealistic goals. The key is to break the process down into smaller and more manageable steps. Write down the weight you would like to lose over an extended, manageable period, such as losing two to four kilograms a month.
Focus On Adding Rather Than Subtracting
You should look at weight loss and diet as a lifestyle change rather than a weight loss routine. Once you have changed your mindset, you can begin to see the bigger picture. As an example, instead of believing that losing weight means taking away food from your plate, you should instead strive to add more nutrient-rich foods to your diet that will help you feel full longer and give you energy throughout the day. These foods include, but aren’t limited to:
- Cereals
- Bananas
- Brown rice
- Eggs
- Quinoa
- Oats
- Probiotic yogurts
Make A Meal And Snack Schedule
Part of the reason mood swings are associated with dieting is that dieters let their blood sugar levels dip too much throughout the day. By setting up a meal and snack schedule, you should be able to avoid these dips and keep your energy levels high. Additionally, including healthy snacks like nuts and vegetables will keep you full and energised between meals.
Exercise Can Boost Your Mood
Although this point isn't directly related to dieting, it is related to losing weight and keeping your spirits high. It is a well-known fact that exercise can boost your mood, most notably via the release of endorphins. Exercise causes a shift in brain chemistry that makes you feel better, and the results are virtually instantaneous. Furthermore, exercise is the perfect accompaniment in your quest to lose weight, as it will enable you to burn more calories, something essential for the weight loss process.
Don't Cut Too Many Carbs
While carbohydrates are frequently considered the boogeyman for dieting, one study found that eating a low-carb diet might lead to increased irritability, cognitive fog, and feelings of sadness and melancholy. It is believed that dramatically cutting carbs from your diet may make it more difficult for your brain to produce serotonin, a well-known mood enhancer. What this means in practice is that you should attempt to create a balanced diet that includes a mixture of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. It would be best to steer clear of what are known as simple carbs and introduce more complex carbs into your diet that will release their energy slowly throughout the day, thereby reducing errant hunger pangs. These can include:
- Barley
- Oats
- Pulses and legumes
- Chickpeas
- Sweet potatoes
- Whole wheat bread
- Lentils
Nevertheless, moderation is key when it comes to dieting, so you should include these carbohydrates in balance.
Get Plenty Of Sleep
It is crucial for people who want to lose weight or avoid gaining weight to ensure they get enough sleep every night. Weight reduction and calorie restriction are nearly always stressful on your body, so it's critical to incorporate more rest and recuperation into your routine.
Don't Fear The Fats!
Fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines and tuna, are high in protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, and essential minerals, making them excellent additions to your diet. Vitamin B12 interacts with folate to create red blood cells and improve iron absorption.
Before embarking on any diet or lifestyle change, you should first consult with a doctor to help formulate a weight loss plan or ensure that the diet you are looking to adopt is right for you. If you need to schedule an appointment with a doctor , the fastest and easiest way to search for and bok healthcare appointments online is with MyHealth1st.