Anyone else get grumpy when dieting???

I can't be the only one that gets pissy when she wants a coke or a sweet tea and can't have it due to dietary changes??? I crave something sweet and I can't have it because I'm making lifestyle changes... No more junk for me!!;) However I can't seem to find somerhing that curbs that craving in a healthy way and keeps me from getting crabby! Lol Suggestions????

Here is my 2 cents worth: Since I have to do low carb for my diabetic control (accomplished) which means my primary carb sources are non-starchy veggies, zero sugar, zero grains etc... I am very familiar with being "hangry" from frequent blood sugar fluctuations prior to lowering my carbs. "Hangry" affects anyone when their blood glucose fluctuates widely and is a warning sign that all is not well and that you are heading down a metabolic resistant pathway. When eliminating corn syrup, grains, and other glucose spikers in your diet, you will have symptoms like you describe because of withdrawal. It is quite temporary and if you push through it then you will feel tremendously better. That is the insidiousness of high carbohydrate consumption and it affects everyone, diabetic or not. Your body will demand easily digested carbs until you get it all out of your system then you will not want them any longer. Some of these things apply whether you are low carb or not in your dietary preferences. If you want to go that route of low carb then I strongly recommend Volek and Phinney, The Art & & Science of Low Carb Living if you don't already have it. It explains a lot of that including what to expect and how to handle it.

You also need to truly wrap your head around whether these lifestyle changes are a permanent change or a temporary diet. If permanent then you need to bulldoze through it and move on. If you do it gradually it does have the very real possibility of sabotaging you back to your old habits that you now consider unhealthy. Some people say that it is "unrealistic to give up your favorite foods" but I would ask "How have they been working out for you so far? The fact that you are here tells me loud and clear that they don't". Sometimes you just have to find a better substitute for what is really just a habit. I now really enjoy my food choices and consume far more variety than ever before because eating is not a habit any longer- it is a joy.

I have found two things that generally help:
1. Making sure that I get my electrolytes (sodium, potassium and magnesium especially) helps with mood and energy. I use natural Celtic sea salt and you can put a pinch of that in a big glass of water and drink it or you can sip on some home made bone broth (1 tsp salt to each quart of water) or use a commercial bullion cube in water. Dehydration itself can also make you feel tired, grumpy, headachy, hungry among other things so I always go for a big glass of water before anything else. It usually fixes the problem and if not I then try the salt. If not, then I take a nap, a pain reliever or suggestion #2 depending on the symptom. LCHF or anything low carb causes you to excrete sodium so you actually have to replace it. After you get past the initial stages and learn what to do then this very rarely happens.
2. Coconut oil. It gives you energy and goes straight to the liver to be burned for fuel and is not stored as fat by the body. Get a tablespoon in whatever way that you like if you feel grouchy or draggy. I put it in my coffee and whiz it in the blender for Bullet Proof Coffee.

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.

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

Yes, i sometimes get grumpy too.
But, i just end up having a small amount of what i crave.
As long as you work it into your daily cals, no big deal! :0)

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.