Anyone else get grumpy when dieting???

shakeology has helped me tremediously with the cravings. Weight Watchers told me to change my goal weight because it was vanity pounds that I was after. I have been the same weight for months and gave up. Then I tried shakeology and now I am shredding the last 5 pounds that I didn't think were possible. Again WW told me I'd never be 120 pounds again like when I was 22!

Congratz on finding a calorie deficit through a shake.

You could've also lost the weight eating anything in a deficit

Sure I know that, it just makes it easier for me. I dont crave the naughty things as much anymore. I didn't say it was a miracle shake. Just that it's helping me to reach my goals. I would have to eat 1200-1400 calories per day inorder to lose weight so it's much harder with your last 5!

I'm not even three weeks in, so listen to the ones who have made far greater inroads and further down the journey.

I expect a massive sugar withdrawal as ive cut back so much. At the moment im too focused and determined. If I want sweet stuff I have scope to have it, but at the moment ive decided I want to lose weight more. I've started with small amounts of sweet/savoury things if I get bored, but I chew and enjoy them ten times as much to make the most.

Keep focused on why you are doing this and the benefits. Imo the grumpiness is a bit wasted as you are trying to right a situation that was self inflicted. Sooner you sort it out then the sooner you can move into that nirvana branch on the forums about people who need to maintain or gain weight. Nobody said it was easy, but you know why its worthwhile.

30 mins cardio will get you a Mars bar at the moment the cardio reminds me how hard you have to work, so its easy to say no.

I cut way back on my soda almost by accident. I read through several sources that you are supposed to drink half your body weight in water in ounces every day (can you think of a better reason to lose??) to be hydrated. And your whole body weight in ounces to lose weight. I just go with having full water bottles rather than partial amounts of them. I lost two pounds the first week doing this and feel better and cooler (since its the hottest summer in the PNW on record). I usually drank Coke when I got home, but noticed I really wasn't drinking that much of it once I started drinking the water. I would force myself to finish a can, so as not to be wasteful, but finally I just switched to a little cup of sweet iced tea (3 oz) and found that was plenty. Because this is a lifestyle change I can still have it if I want to, but only after I drink my water. I find that if I use bottles it works better because then I can stop when I'm done rather than feeling like I have to finish the can. I would say if you want to be able to have soda or other things in your life, either do the portion control or cut out something else so that you have the calories available. I find I am the worst when I try and give up something because its the only thing I can think of. I totally agree with all the advice that says be mindful when you are enjoying your treat though. If you are going to mindlessly snack on anything make it something like celery.
My mom periodically goes on a no sugar diet and I can tell you she gets very grumpy and angry until she's through the withdrawal.

Eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle does not mean you have to give up everything you love. The key is moderation. I allow myself a small dessert once or twice a week (not every day like in the past). I also try to plan my day's meals and log in everything in the morning so I know how many calories I am eating and can make adjustments if necessary.

If you call it "dieting" and put yourself into a constant state of resentment, you will not last. As others have said, the most successful people, those who really manage to make a "lifestyle change" are those who either still eat in moderation all the foods they love or those who completely fall in love with their new food plan, whatever that is.

Pick one of those routes because otherwise you will be miserable and unsuccessful.

Cut caffeine out slowly.

I was going to say not to abstain from it completely, but if that is your ultimate goal.. (and face it, it's not necessarily a bad one - this coming from a HEAVY diet coke and coffee drinker), it is better to start slowly. Withdrawal from caffeine will make you grumpy.

That said, it is better (for your mind, anyway) to not completely cut out things that you enjoy. Doing so will often lead to failure or binges.

I haven't cut anything fully out of my diet... I just eat/drink in moderation. Of all things right now I've been craving Icee's. If I know that I want something as a treat, I'll try to do a smaller portion of it but then also plan ahead. This usually means low calorie veggies or fruits throughout the day so I don't go over my calorie limit. If there is something that I'm craving I try to first eat some fruit. The natural sugar sometimes does the trick and for the most part satisfies my sugar craving.

I did when I started and thought I had to eat 1200 calories worth of carrot sticks and unsweetened almond milk and kill myself with cardio to lose weight and get fit.

Now, I make this about sustainability and not about demonizing foods. It alleviates the thought process of cave> binge> relapse that seems to happen all too often to people that get that dieting mindset.

I ate around 1900 TDEE for a majority of my weight loss. Wasn't hungry or deprived. I met my nutrient needs and then had some ice cream to finish off my day

After all, the only hindrance to my progress was the girl in the mirror staring back at me.

^^This. All of this for me. Week one for me was stupidly eating "clean"/fat free/raw veggie snacks/etc. at 1200 calories. Sucked. Hard. Promptly gave up.

Found MFP a few weeks later and a good TDEE calculator. I lost 18 pounds while averaging 1650-1750 calories of whatever I want (yeah, lots of chicken and yogurt and veggies--but pizza and burgers and ice cream, too). Only that low because I'm a lazy slug compared to Bombshell

My last 5-10 pounds will be lost in the same manner. Slow, steady, and sanely. All while eating all the things.:drinker: No hangry witches tolerated in my house (speaking for me and my family).

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On a temporary diet, without enough calories, or restricting foods that I really love and enjoy? Yeah, I get grumpy.

Which is why I don't do those things. :drinker: No way I'm giving up burgers, pizza, wine, beer, margaritas, ice cream, pie, cake, cookies - any of that stuff - for life, so I make it fit into my goals.

Make sure you're eating the right amount of cals for you and your activity level. You don't want to over eat, but you don't want to under eat either, which leads to being hangry for one thing, and can lead to binging, feeling guilty if you do indulge, yo yo dieting and so on.