Mood and meal timing

fcanad
fcanad Posts: 48 Member
edited December 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I’m eating about 1300 calories a day, loosing 1.5-3 lbs per week, about 20% carbs, 35% fat, 40 % protein (variation occurs). I’m usually trying to go about 12-14 hours between dinner-breakfast.
Lately, I’ve been at an emotional crash from around my first cup of coffee at about 7 until about an hour after my first solid meal (I usually eat something around 10). Has anyone else run into similar problems?

Replies

  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    Perhaps you can try eating earlier in the morning to see if that helps. Everyone's situation is different, so all you can really do is try different things to see if they help. It's possible it's not related to eating, as well.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    What do you mean by an "emotional crash"?

    I delay breakfast until 9:30 or 10:00 and haven't noticed any issues. Sometimes, I'm hungry before then, and if I am, I just eat.
  • fcanad
    fcanad Posts: 48 Member
    I’m not hungry yet in the morning, but, as I’m getting up and going I’m miserable, unhappy, ready to sit down and start sobbing on the phone, convinced I’m incompetent, convinced my diet won’t work (despite loosing 25+ lbs), and feeling unable to face the day.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    fcanad wrote: »
    I’m not hungry yet in the morning, but, as I’m getting up and going I’m miserable, unhappy, ready to sit down and start sobbing on the phone, convinced I’m incompetent, convinced my diet won’t work (despite loosing 25+ lbs), and feeling unable to face the day.

    Yeah. I definitely have not had that.

    What is your calorie goal? Is it too low for you? Have you seriously cut carbs or caffeine? Any chance it's a hormonal issue?

    I'm 5'9, 44 years old, and losing on 1700 calories per day.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    How long have you been dieting to lose the 25 pounds? Maybe a diet break (eating at maintenance calories) for a few weeks would be helpful.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Maybe you are trying to go too long between the previous dinner and breakfast? Are you trying to IF?
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    How long have you been losing? I ask because you shouldn't have such a large swing in your rate of loss. If you have only been at this for 3 weeks it is more understandable.

    Next how much weight are you trying to lose and how fast are you trying to lose it?

    Sounds like you have chosen to go low carb and increasing your fasting times. Is this a big departure from your normal eating habits? Are you doing more on top of this like only eating "clean", "healthy", "whole foods", etc.?

    I am not sure what you mean by emotional crash but one of the more common mistakes people make is drastically changing their eating habits in a short amount of time. It can be a very unkind thing to do to yourself and it is one of the ways I liked to fail at losing weight in the past.
  • fcanad
    fcanad Posts: 48 Member
    I am usually more stable on low carb (5-70 g) daily, but I’m trying to figure out if I need to eat more fat.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    fcanad wrote: »
    I am usually more stable on low carb (5-70 g) daily, but I’m trying to figure out if I need to eat more fat.

    How low is your fat? Fat is important for hormone stability.
  • fcanad
    fcanad Posts: 48 Member
    About 50 g per day now, mostly from fish, nuts, and dairy. I think I felt better at 60 g a day.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    fcanad wrote: »
    About 50 g per day now, mostly from fish, nuts, and dairy. I think I felt better at 60 g a day.

    That's not abnormally low. But try raising it and see it, it won't hurt anything and you'll have eliminated one variable if that isn't it.

    You didn't say - what is your daily calorie target?
  • fcanad
    fcanad Posts: 48 Member
    I am usually 1200-1300. I’m 5’4” and am 177 down from 206. My goal is to drop to 160 and then move my calories to loose 0.5 lbs/week instead of the set for two.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,749 Member
    Fat can make a surprising difference. When I thruhiked the Appalachian Trail the first time, I hit a point where I was hungry, tired, grumpy and ready to quit. A couple of hikers and I went to a small store and bought a pound of bacon and a dozen eggs, which we cooked up and ate on the spot. My mood was immensely improved and I was able to continue my hike. I learned to increase the amount of fat I was eating and it helped.

    If you are losing 3 pounds a week, that is probably excessive (unless you weigh 300 or more pounds). Your body and mind are both feeling deprived. It isn't healthy and probably isn't sustainable. Set your goal to lose 1 - 1.5 pounds a week and eat the calories. Eat back some or most of your exercise calories.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    fcanad wrote: »
    I am usually 1200-1300. I’m 5’4” and am 177 down from 206. My goal is to drop to 160 and then move my calories to loose 0.5 lbs/week instead of the set for two.

    I seriously suggest a diet break. You're doing awesome, but it seems you are at the breaking point. 2-3 weeks of eating at maintenance may be the thing to keep you from failing.

    Half-Size Me is an awesome podcast that talks about diet breaks a lot.

    There's also a thread here somewhere, "On refeeds and diet breaks" or something like that.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    spiriteagle99 wrote: »
    Fat can make a surprising difference. When I thruhiked the Appalachian Trail the first time, I hit a point where I was hungry, tired, grumpy and ready to quit. A couple of hikers and I went to a small store and bought a pound of bacon and a dozen eggs, which we cooked up and ate on the spot. My mood was immensely improved and I was able to continue my hike. I learned to increase the amount of fat I was eating and it helped.

    If you are losing 3 pounds a week, that is probably excessive (unless you weigh 300 or more pounds). Your body and mind are both feeling deprived. It isn't healthy and probably isn't sustainable. Set your goal to lose 1 - 1.5 pounds a week and eat the calories. Eat back some or most of your exercise calories.

    I missed that. Yeah, 3 pounds a week is much too fast at your current weight. Reset to 1 lb a week.
  • JBanx256
    JBanx256 Posts: 1,479 Member
    I'll cast another vote for a diet break.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    edited April 2019
    I would be willing to bet you are not eating back any exercise calories which explains the weeks where you drop 3 pounds. MFP is designed for you to eat a daily calorie goal plus a portion of any intentional exercise. If you fail to eat back any exercise calories at a 1200-1300 calorie diet you could possibly be starving yourself. One of the symptoms of malnourishment is depression.

    If this is true I think it is time to see your doctor.
  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,594 Member
    Another vote for diet break. Also consider raising your calorie goal. The Half Size Me podcast that someone else mentioned was a game changer for me with mindset.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    spiriteagle99 wrote: »
    Fat can make a surprising difference. When I thruhiked the Appalachian Trail the first time, I hit a point where I was hungry, tired, grumpy and ready to quit. A couple of hikers and I went to a small store and bought a pound of bacon and a dozen eggs, which we cooked up and ate on the spot. My mood was immensely improved and I was able to continue my hike. I learned to increase the amount of fat I was eating and it helped.

    If you are losing 3 pounds a week, that is probably excessive (unless you weigh 300 or more pounds). Your body and mind are both feeling deprived. It isn't healthy and probably isn't sustainable. Set your goal to lose 1 - 1.5 pounds a week and eat the calories. Eat back some or most of your exercise calories.

    Yes, she's 177 pounds so losing 3 and also 2 pounds per week created too aggressive a deficit and is the likely culprit of the crashes.

    OP - what's your goal weight?

    9kjwnia17qv9.jpg

  • fcanad
    fcanad Posts: 48 Member
    edited April 2019
    My goal is 160. I want to stay there at maintenance for at least 3 months before trying to loose more. My ultimate goal is to hit 145 and be at the highest point of healthy for BMI.
    I am eating back some exercise calories.
    If changing the percentage of fat I’m eating up doesn’t fix the low mood in the am, I’ll likely try for a maintenance week.
  • 1BlueAurora
    1BlueAurora Posts: 439 Member
    Do you combine protein and fat together at meal times? My favorite go-to when I was getting too low on fat might be 2 scrambled eggs with 1 ounce of cheddar cheese and half an avocado. My energy level was stable. Honestly, though, if your mood is so low that you want to cry all the time, I'd consider calling your doctor soon. There might be a food intake connection, but there are so many other possibilities (hormone imbalance, thyroid issue, depression in all its forms) that it might be good to have a sit-down with a professional. We're all friendly and helpful here on the forums, but not all of us are medical professionals.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    fcanad wrote: »
    I’m eating about 1300 calories a day, loosing 1.5-3 lbs per week, about 20% carbs, 35% fat, 40 % protein (variation occurs). I’m usually trying to go about 12-14 hours between dinner-breakfast.
    Lately, I’ve been at an emotional crash from around my first cup of coffee at about 7 until about an hour after my first solid meal (I usually eat something around 10). Has anyone else run into similar problems?

    Even if someone else has had a similar experience, it wouldn't necessarily mean that their underlying problem is the same or that what worked for them would work for you. And it sounds like you already know what works for you: having a solid meal.

    There's nothing magical about meal timing for weight loss, and unless you're severely or morbidly obese, three pounds a week is generally too aggressive a goal. Add 200 to 300 calories with your first cup of coffee, and don't cut elsewhere in the day, and see how you feel. If it helps, but doesn't completely resolve the problem, add another hundred calories. You're running a 750 to 1500 calories a day deficit, so you've got plenty to spare.

    Really, is losing weight a little faster worth spending the first three hours you're awake every day in sobbing misery (plus whatever anxiety you're inflicting on whoever you're on the phone with -- not to be mean, but that's actually kind of selfish when you know what the solution is).
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