Sometimes, doing good things in life can often make you feel bad, but why? Every time you think of improving your diet or start a healthy diet, you start to feel bad. Even though you are trying to maintain the change for a better and healthier life, you don’t feel so great about it. The first stages of diets can be the hardest. There are many reasons associated with this feeling. Some of them have been explained below.
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Withdrawal Symptoms
Sometimes, when you suddenly change a certain habit, there can be drastic effects. If you are one of those who habitually eat unhealthy food frequently, changing your diet might make you feel terrible initially. This means that you are not yet ready to accept the change, even if it is good for you. You will crave sweets and carbs, and you will be tempted to cheat on your diet.
Your Brain’s Functionality
When you switch from an unhealthy diet to a healthy one, your brain automatically sends signals to your body to force it to go back to the previous routine. This is because your brain perceived your previous diet as a normal diet for you. If you suddenly cut down on the extra calories and processed food, you will receive these signals from your brain telling you that something is wrong.
The Change Is Too Sudden
A sudden change is never recommended. Experts suggest that you should switch from an unhealthy diet to a healthy one slowly and gradually. It is like learning how to quit smoking. You don’t just stop smoking in one day. The change is always gradual, especially when it comes to something as big as this.
The New Diet Is Boring
There are many different diet plans out there. You don’t have to stick to just one plan. If you go for a strict no carbs diet, your food might look unappetizing and quite boring. This will cause you to miss your old diet and will make you crave more food.
Your Appetite is Adjusting
When you introduce a new food into your life or when you want to avoid certain foods, it takes a toll on your appetite. You are probably not used to the new routine, and you secretly wish you could cheat on your new diet. However, you don’t need to worry too much at this point; your appetite will adjust eventually.
You feel uncomfortable
When you change your diet to lose weight, your body automatically reacts. Your brain perceives this as starvation, so your body immediately starts to store extra fat. This results in bloating and laziness, which can be very uncomfortable during the initial stages.
What Should You Do?
The brain regulates body weight, and if you adopt a diet for weight loss, your brain and body will fight against it. This is because the brain will think that the body is starving. Here are some things you can do to get through the initial stages of a diet.
Be Consistent
No matter how tempted you are to cheat on your diet, it would help if you remained consistent. The feeling of ditching healthy food and eating all that junk again will eventually subside. This is only for a couple of days, after which you get more used to the healthier routine. A point might come when you start to hate junk food, and you will wonder how you even used to consume it in the first place.
Don’t Have Cheat Days
A diet without cheat days is the most effective one. If you continue allowing yourself to eat unhealthy for a day or two, you might never be able to get used to the new routine.
Don’t Rush Into It
If you have decided to start a new diet, you should take it slow. Don’t change the way you eat all of a sudden. This can have negative effects. It is always advisable to start changing one meal per day. For example, if you skip breakfast, you can start having something as light as cereal or fruit in the morning. You will eventually get in the habit of eating breakfast.
Eat Healthy Snacks
If you start to crave junk or processed food, you can substitute that with some healthy snacks between each meal. For example, you can have fruit between breakfast and lunch. This not only makes you feel full but also distracts you from eating food that can ruin your goals.
Exercise
Go for a walk, run, jog, or do some yoga. This will not only relax your body and mind; it will further motivate you to stick to a healthy diet routine. You can work out for 30 minutes every day, which is sufficient. Your workout routine does not have to be too intense since you are already on a diet; you can go for a mild to normal work out.
Don’t Forget This
A positive change in your eating habits can be extremely beneficial for you. Even though you might feel terrible at first and might even be tempted to give up, this should not stop you from maintaining consistency. As long as you follow a proper healthy and nutritious diet, you will notice the positive long-term effects it can have.
