Sadness and fatigue from diet

Yeah - agreed with Rose my cause was too high a deficit and needing to play with protein/fat levels so I wasn't Hangry.

Just remember that dieting does by its very nature cause the body a bit of stress...if you have introduced exercise as well you may be feeling the effects of extra tiredness from the new activity levels, this will pass as your strength and endurance increase.

If it doesn't resolve quickly maybe reassessing the amount you are aiming to lose each week and drop it back so you have more calories. Most people here start out aiming for the 2 lb per week loss rate due to, well impatience (that's perfectly natural) but depending on how much you need to lose the rate should be altered.

This can be a long road and I think people have better chances of success long term if they eat as much as they can while still losing weight at a steady rate. This way you are less likely to burn out and give up.

I would agree. You need a certain amount of protein and fats to keep you feeling full, and your brain needs both Omega-3's (whether from plant source, like flax or from fish--salmon is best), as well as a certain amount of carbohydrates. Many people cut back on things like the white potatoes when they're starting a healthier lifestyle (I despise the word "diet" when it's used in its typical deprivation sense), and while this is seen as a wise move, especially if they know they've not been portioning things out, potatoes carry trace minerals, particularly lithium, which helps mental health (and this may keep you from feeling down and out to begin with).

There is a caveat: if you choose to include white potatoes in your food choice list, make sure you eat the potato with the skin included (if in french fry or mashed form), or in baked form, because it's the skin that contains those minerals, and the rest is just starch. Also, the skin just plain adds flavor. :-) Of course, you do want to watch your portions and account for the potato's presence in your calorie allotment. :-)

Also, if you're a female still in your menstruation years, you'll want to be sure to get the kinds of healthy foods in your diet that promote mental health during that time of the month, anyway, and yes, you can include a square or two of dark chocolate, if choco is your BFF for a week. ;-)

Just my hints, anyway.

Blessings,
Kat ^.^

It's usually a combination of withdraw from high carbs and process foods and/or sugars etc. Also need to make sure you're getting enough healthy fats and some carbs with still eating enough calories. Bragg's Apple Cider Vin. 2 tbsp mixed with alot of water, ice, and drink with a straw once a day helps keep my natural energy up.....and helps with debloating (and detoxing) so I'm not withdrawing from the crap I ate as long...it helps!~ Just know it gets better!!

Speaking of potatoes: I found at Wal-Mart bags of fingerling potatoes. They are about 50 grams each, in a wide variety of textures and colors. I regard them as perfectly sized for my food plan. I went months without potatoes before finding these.

Neanbean13 wrote: »

If u like chocolate have it everyday I say as lomg as it fits! I found a bit of my depression n stress from 'dieting' was because I thought I couldn't eat what I wanted and was restricted to lean chicken salad for rest of life. Now I have what I want as long as it's counted. That gave me energy and psychological energy and stopped binges

Yes - this! If I try to be too extreme and cut out foods completely I find I am more prone to fail (give up). If I allow myself, in moderation, to eat everything AND track it while staying in my calorie goal then I have a better chance at success. My weight loss challenge is mental...it begins and ends in my mind.