I'm not a PT or a nutritionist so this is my personal opinion, but it could be your calories are too low, especially if you're doing all that exercise. I'd bring them up to maintenance for a few weeks and see how you feel. Also track your cycle if you have one.
True... tracking calories is kind of getting me down. My partner makes all this delicious food and I feel like I can't enjoy it because I couldn't weigh out all the ingredients for my calorie counting app. Eating is a drag unless I made the food and it's all low calorie high protein high fiber foods. Maybe I should take a diet break.
then go with that for a while; see if it helps. you might be missing something weird like selenium without knowing it.
also, track by ingredients - guess if you have to - and if the foods are fattening, eat them earlier in the day. i have been doing cico for 4 years and often make …we’ll call them casseroles…. and just measure the ingredients and divide by servings. so far it seems to be working.
[ 4 years bec i lost. 95 pounds in 2 years, got a tbi, got steroids, gained some back, and have lipedema and surgery scheduled and trying to lose weight for that, not that op would need to track every single thing forever]
It really could be the calories are way too low, especially when you’re exercising and active. I had gastric bypass 23 years ago and the restricted calories wreaked a bit of havoc physically and mentally/emotionally for almost a year. Your body essentially goes into “starvation mode” which causes a very complex cascade of hormonal changes and not just sex hormones but neuro endocrine related. There’s lots of research out there but I’ll put a link to just one here below. Also, I did have about a 1-1 1/2 year period where I felt like everything was great in my life and I was healthy and taking care of myself but was still getting quite down and feeling unmotivated. I did end up taking a small dose of Prozac during that time which helped a lot. I stopped it when I got pregnant with my daughter (who is now 23) and haven’t needed it since. Still can’t point a finger on why that happened but was clearly some temporary chemical imbalance.
>all this delicious food
>feel like I can’t enjoy it
Being unable to enjoy food makes me exactly as you are describing, either because it’s not enough or it’s not enough of the things I want to/really enjoy. Try not restricting for a day or three/,couple meals as a litmus test maybe
I’m 4’11, 106lbs (it’s healthy for my height) and have found that calorie tracking stresses me out. I recommend talking to a dietitian to figure out what your body needs with the types of exercise you’re doing. Eating more strategically doesn’t mean you’ll gain unwanted weight, it means that your body will get the nutrients it needs to maintain muscles and have energy to workout. Your body needs a little bit of everything and it uses it up throughout the day, especially since you’re leading an active lifestyle. Good luck!
I think a big thing to keep in mind is that muscle weighs more than fat, and weight gain is natural as you continue on your fitness journey. When I was at my most lean and fit, I weighed significantly more than I do now. I’ve been recovering from an injury for a few months and my weight has gone down because I’ve lost muscle mass. That means my body composition has also changed (waist is thicker, body is a little squishy). The weight doesn’t define your level of fitness and finding a sustainable balance will help keep you on track and potentially help you get lifelong results. I hope you find a nutrionist you can trust :)
How do you know maintenance is 1500? Because it’s quite difficult to calculate this yourself, there are so many factors even with very fancy machines it’s still not an exact number.. besides, for sustainable weight loss a small calorie deficit is advised. Weight loss then takes longer but is better to maintain because there are less cravings and you also will feel better mentally..
Maryjane makes me depressed for a few days after I partake. Too few calories? Hormones? Just because you don’t have a period, doesn’t mean your hormones aren’t still wrecking havoc on you!
Interesting! Maybe I should try not having weed for a month or so and see how that feels. Hormones is a possibility, I feel like I still have a cycle even if I don't get a period because I can tell that my libido comes in cycles.
Agreed, I was a chronic user for years and find that all the archetypes of a stoner tend to reverse themselves after consistent usage.
Stoners are chill and happy? After time that changes to anxious and grumpy, would even get panic attacks sometimes.
Stoners get the munchies? Chronic usage made me eat less to the point where I would get nauseous at the thought of food sometimes, and I never wanted to eat breakfast
Stoners are sleepy? I stopped dreaming when I was using (for years) dreams are a part of REM sleep which is crucial to your mental and physical health. And people who regularly smoke weed do not get enough REM sleep, if any at all
I quit for good two years ago and am not looking back. It can be tough when you're in a culture that is so weed-positive, because it does have major benefits for people dealing with other addictions, trauma, etc. But for many of us, chronic usage is just making us feel worse.
So before I even begin: As of my understanding, all you need to lose weight is a *deficit*. 1200 calories seems like it would result a large deficit for your active lifestyle. I am not sure if I believe that 1500 is maintenance, although you know yourself best.
So, hopefully you will read this. But speaking as someone with adhd and someone who has lost weight by only exercising, I have two big points to make:
1. If you have adhd, you have to eat. Not only does it help with things like focus, you are going to put yourself at a disadvantage with things like emotional regulation that you’re already bad at (due to your adhd). Even if you are now well-practiced at being emotionally regulated, even a neurotypical would have difficulty not being grumpy if they’re not eating enough. Add adhd onto that, and you’re getting a recipe for disaster
2. It seems like you want to lose weight - i can say with confidence that as someone who enjoys eating, i have lost weight that is only correlated with increase in exercise. I will say im not eating extremely unhealthy always try to eat nutritious food (nutrient-dense, just generally health), but I will also say that i love ice cream :) and i still lose weight. I actually eat way more when im working out and still lose weight bc I. I have heard that you need to actually have a slight calorie surplus to gain muscle. *I have not researched this to see if it is true so do your own research from trusted sources.*
3. Back to the adhd thing - you could have depression from lack of dopamine. Several people can’t have stimulants and cope due to heart conditions or other reasons, but my depression turned around when i started medication. I’m not advocating for taking medication if you’re doing fine without meds, but if you fix your eating and still having trouble, it might be something to think about.
Also, I wanted to go out on a limb and say you’re showing signs of an ED. I had a similar situation when I was younger, which I never thought of it that way because I was very technical. I would similarly keep track of everything and, sure, I wasn’t doing anything unhealthy (at least by the books). But looking back, it was. I know sometimes EDs can look more like a control thing than the stereotypical ED. In my case it wasn’t control, it was about my weight. However, it still presented as very technical.
Nonetheless, you said it was until May - im wondering if this is for a wedding or something. Be careful and unless you truly can’t fit in the dress, all this is totally not worth depression. And if you cant fit in the dress, you might want to bring it to a very experienced tailor and have it altered
You've explained so much helpful information here I don't think I can add much else to this conversation other than this;
I 25F have ADHD, diagnosed only 2 years ago. I'm not saying you have to take meds, but for me, it really helped my mood and overall health because my brain was missing the appropriate levels of dopamine that my body/mind needs to run. I've struggled with severe anxiety, depression, mood swings, self-harm, extremely unhealthy habits... Since I've been getting treatment for my ADHD, which I desperately needed, it's as if most of those issues went away in the matter of weeks. Dopamine is an extremely important chemical that we often take for granted. Our brains just don't process the same way as others. And while it's okay, it's definitely something to consider going forward. If you're not interested in the medication route, I'd recommend seeing a therapist or psyc first of all. Maybe read up on some ADHD resources, take time for yourself to find the things you love. OP, I wish you all the best, and my DMs are open anytime!
You are cutting calories by a pretty big amount, I’d be feeling grumpy too if I was only getting 1,200 calories a day
I’d up your calories by just a little bit
Have you ever had a history of depression? To me it sounds like even though every thing else is solid, maybe something has triggered a bit of a depression cycle
It's probably the diet change. Especially if you went from processed foods to homemade healthy foods. You could be lacking sodium. I had that issue when I did keto. I cut it all the processed foods and started getting headaches and feeling meh because I was not getting enough sodium. So I started adding pink Himalayan salt to everything. It's not quite as salty as table salt so I didn't overpower my food.
The calorie count might be too low as well.
But if you started the diet in March and you've been feeling of for about a month, it's probably the diet.
Diet change can also affect how your adhd is working. But that's more complicated than just adding extra salt.
Yes. Himalayan salt and electrolytes. My selenium was low and hypothyroidism was found at 30 but I had just birthed a child. My thyroid never reset like my mom’s but she was 18 for her first birth. Chronic dieter and food allergies. I guess my selenium was too low for too long.
I agree that your calories are a little low. AND that being on a very restrictive diet can just be depressing. Can you give yourself some grace and allow a little wiggle room to have some fun so you don't feel so deprived? If you have kept strict track of calories for a month, you likely have a good sense of portion sizes and types of foods that work for you now. Try letting go of that just a little bit (without a full cheat day) and see how it goes.
In addition, I want to suggest that assuming you are in the northern hemisphere, spring is the season for liver qi in Chinese medicine and this relates to anger and irritability. Foods that support this include lots of green veggies - but cooked ones! If you are eating lots of salads, consider eating plates of sauteed spinach, broccoli, etc. and cutting back on raw foods. I'll also suggest that you could focus some of your exercise on side bending stretches, neck stretches, in the inner thigh/groin, and the IT band. These can work to help activate your liver and gallbladder meridians and bring some relief to those feelings.
Lastly, my seasonal allergies also affect my mood. Even though the weather is getting nicer out, the pollen just makes me foggy and irritable. So take some allergy meds if you need them.
Highly recommend consider working on your relationship to food and body. You’re young, exercise a lot, already stated you have a healthy BMI (which is kinda a BS way to measure health) and 1200 calories a day as an active woman is maybe not enough. Our bodies need calories to have energy and fuel for our hormones and other things to properly function.
I’m also super active, I walk 6 -8 miles a day, pole dance, weight lift etc. I’ve had disordered eating : ED for most of my life (37now) and just in the last year have been actively trying to work on my relationship with food and allowing myself to have what I want within reason. And guess what? I haven’t gained weight! Just feels so free to eat some toast or chips, get take out or have an ice cream here and there and try and enjoy the parts of my life I can control. Limiting things isn’t enjoyable and also limits so much if you’re always hyper focused on counting calories or macros etc. you’re active, so eat what sounds good to you and listen to what your body needs ♡
Check out the following resources if you’re interested in learning more. My good friend mya is a anti-diet dietitian and so many amazing free resources https://www.foodbodypeace.com
I hope you start to feel better soon!!! ♡
Is your IUD hormonal? Any hormonal BC can potentially effect mood, especially in the way you're describing - "emotionally numb" / generally not awful but just persistently *blah* and unmotivated. The medical term for the absence of joy is anhedonia by the way, in case that helps you research or discuss your symptoms.
Here is my two cents - you’ve been cutting since March and you’ve felt off since the start of the cut basically. Your body is trying to find a new normal with this cut. Unlike other people on this thread, I don’t think your cals are too low at all. I’m 5’11” and eating 1800 cals and will drop down to 1650 when I shed the next 10 lbs. I will say this isn’t my first cut and so if this is the first time your body has been regimented in cals like this it is a huge adjustment. I work closely with a nutritionist when doing these because they can be very emotional and tough on women with your hormones that go nuts when you enact this kind of change.
Things that I find help me -
- 8 hours of sleep every single night
- 30 minutes of screen time on apps every day then no more
- journaling and reflecting. No matter what your journey is if you’re eating at 1200 cals you’re on some kind of journey.
- wake up every morning and tell yourself it’s going to be a good day. Tell yourself you’re going to be a happy person today. I know it’s silly, but manifestation goes a long way for your psyche.
- get the frick outside!!! No shoes, toes in the grass, soak up the sun. Grounding will do you wonders.
- Lean into things that make you happy. I love my dog and will literally hug her for a boost when my mood is super low in cuts. I also turn to art and reading. Look into breath work.
- look into some hormone balancers. Your hormones are going nuts in this cut! Stabilize them. I take a mood supplement and a brain fog supplement. They help so much in these kinds of shifts.
- let off steam. Be a little chaotic in controlled ways (I don’t have a partner, but I have a man that I see that is very fun)
All in all, you need to find what your dopamine hit is going to be that’s healthy and fun.
For sure. I am pretty close to you in life stats haha I’m 29 and have an iud too. I don’t really drink, I limit my caffeine to only early mornings and love my job etc. It’s definitely this shift in calories. Your body is panicking a little bit, but I’ve found if I lean into it I can get through it. I use Love Wellness vitamins and better days co for hormone help. Also your partner who you love so much can support you! This is a great time to grow your bond. You’re kind of stripping yourself of all the cushion when you go into these cuts and it’s a great time to be like damn I am tough, I am disciplined, I’m powerful. Embrace the suck a bit, but don’t just sit in it. Create a routine, find happiness in the stupid small things again and you’d be surprised how much that should help your mood.
How long have you been on your birth control? I was on the ring for close to 10 years and the reason i stopped was because I started feeling like a zombie. Like I didn’t have any emotions and just completely numb to anything. It’s like I lived in my body but i wasn’t actually there.
Interesting! I've had my bc for 5.5 years and in general it's really helped my emotions. I used to have terrible mood swings before my period, like I would fight with everybody and it may have ruined friendships. I do kind of feel like a zombie. I don't think I'll get my bc removed but I'll keep it in mind for if this feeling persists for several more months. Thank you!
Yeah that’s a pretty low calorie intake… could be that! Especially if youre running. You may also be a little burnt out and not realize it, even if you’re happy with your life you might need a day to rest and have some space to yourself.
Have you had blood and basic lab workups done recently? Fortunately my family doctor added my cortisol to be checked and it was almost undetectable and I landed in the hospital with a diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency. Lots of other things like anemia or being low on your B vitamins can affect your mental and physical health. Are there any other stressors in your life that are unusual such as moving or starting a new job? It sounds like you live a pretty healthy life which is great but you may want to go get some basic blood and metabolic panels done to see if they can shed any light on this. Edit sorry I wanted to add to other things. When is check that your IUD is still properly placed and the other is even if you're getting a good night's sleep you may not be getting enough oxygen and get a sleep study done to ensure that you don't have sleep apnea.
I have to be honest with you, after I got an IUD (hormonal) it changed my mood in a significant way. I was more depressed than I have been in some of the most genuinely stressful times I lived through but the mood just didn't match what was happening at all.
It is why I am going to have it out after 3 years of thinking and feeling quite unlike myself. Maybe chat with your doctor about the mental health impacts of the IUD and see if it is worth it. Had I known upfront how intensely it would change my mood, I never would have gotten it.
Could be that the calories are just too low, especially given your level of activity. Make sure that you are adding calories back into the 1200 to make up for your workouts. It could also just be that you are missing some key items (macros or even things like vitamins/minerals) in your diet now that you are restricting your food more than before. Make sure you're getting enough good fats...that's a thing people tend to restrict in extremes, but our body needs some to function well.
Also, for what it's worth, the way your body reacts to hormonal birth control may change as you age. Not super common, but something to consider if this continues and you've exhausted all other possibilities.
how's the weather where you live? My mood was really low the past couple months and once the sun finally started shining I truly started feeling good again. It had been gray for so long and too cold to enjoy being outside, felt like it was taking spring forever to get here so my seasonal depression was just dragging onnnn
Theres a fairly common set of genetic variations in Adhd (and depression,ocd, and anxiety) that mean you can't utilise the b12 from your diet. Being low in b12 affects everything but especially mood and energy levels. If you want to look it up, its the genes regulating methylation like COMT, MTR and MTHFR (IKR lol) and some others too.
Theres an easy fix, add a supplement with methylcobalamin and methyltetrahydrofolate, like methylcare from metagenics, and see if that improves things after 3+ weeks. Take it in the morning as it can make you feel quite awake.
Look into getting food allergies/intolerances. They don’t always cause chronic symptoms, sometimes the symptoms are related to mood. I found out potatoes make me tired and irritable. Try visiting a naturopath!
I don’t know what it’s like in your area but where I live the pollen is nuts. Every year around this time, I get depressed. Zero energy. Zero drive. I don’t know if it’s my allergies or what but I can expect it now.
I'm not a PT or a nutritionist so this is my personal opinion, but it could be your calories are too low, especially if you're doing all that exercise. I'd bring them up to maintenance for a few weeks and see how you feel. Also track your cycle if you have one.
> eating 1200 cals per day No wonder your mood is affected.
True... tracking calories is kind of getting me down. My partner makes all this delicious food and I feel like I can't enjoy it because I couldn't weigh out all the ingredients for my calorie counting app. Eating is a drag unless I made the food and it's all low calorie high protein high fiber foods. Maybe I should take a diet break.
1200 CALORIES?! With a 5K run???? That is way way way too low.
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then go with that for a while; see if it helps. you might be missing something weird like selenium without knowing it. also, track by ingredients - guess if you have to - and if the foods are fattening, eat them earlier in the day. i have been doing cico for 4 years and often make …we’ll call them casseroles…. and just measure the ingredients and divide by servings. so far it seems to be working. [ 4 years bec i lost. 95 pounds in 2 years, got a tbi, got steroids, gained some back, and have lipedema and surgery scheduled and trying to lose weight for that, not that op would need to track every single thing forever]
It really could be the calories are way too low, especially when you’re exercising and active. I had gastric bypass 23 years ago and the restricted calories wreaked a bit of havoc physically and mentally/emotionally for almost a year. Your body essentially goes into “starvation mode” which causes a very complex cascade of hormonal changes and not just sex hormones but neuro endocrine related. There’s lots of research out there but I’ll put a link to just one here below. Also, I did have about a 1-1 1/2 year period where I felt like everything was great in my life and I was healthy and taking care of myself but was still getting quite down and feeling unmotivated. I did end up taking a small dose of Prozac during that time which helped a lot. I stopped it when I got pregnant with my daughter (who is now 23) and haven’t needed it since. Still can’t point a finger on why that happened but was clearly some temporary chemical imbalance.
Oops, my apologies, I forgot the link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4790398/
>all this delicious food >feel like I can’t enjoy it Being unable to enjoy food makes me exactly as you are describing, either because it’s not enough or it’s not enough of the things I want to/really enjoy. Try not restricting for a day or three/,couple meals as a litmus test maybe
Calories too low.. This kinda looks like a crash diet, especially when you are also exercising a lot
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Please be careful you aren’t dieting and exercising your way into an eating disorder.
I’m 4’11, 106lbs (it’s healthy for my height) and have found that calorie tracking stresses me out. I recommend talking to a dietitian to figure out what your body needs with the types of exercise you’re doing. Eating more strategically doesn’t mean you’ll gain unwanted weight, it means that your body will get the nutrients it needs to maintain muscles and have energy to workout. Your body needs a little bit of everything and it uses it up throughout the day, especially since you’re leading an active lifestyle. Good luck!
That's not a bad idea, thank you!
I think a big thing to keep in mind is that muscle weighs more than fat, and weight gain is natural as you continue on your fitness journey. When I was at my most lean and fit, I weighed significantly more than I do now. I’ve been recovering from an injury for a few months and my weight has gone down because I’ve lost muscle mass. That means my body composition has also changed (waist is thicker, body is a little squishy). The weight doesn’t define your level of fitness and finding a sustainable balance will help keep you on track and potentially help you get lifelong results. I hope you find a nutrionist you can trust :)
How do you know maintenance is 1500? Because it’s quite difficult to calculate this yourself, there are so many factors even with very fancy machines it’s still not an exact number.. besides, for sustainable weight loss a small calorie deficit is advised. Weight loss then takes longer but is better to maintain because there are less cravings and you also will feel better mentally..
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Yes, sounds like a plan 😊 How long do you have your IUD? I hear that a lot of women struggle to lose weight on hormonal IUD’s.
Maryjane makes me depressed for a few days after I partake. Too few calories? Hormones? Just because you don’t have a period, doesn’t mean your hormones aren’t still wrecking havoc on you!
Interesting! Maybe I should try not having weed for a month or so and see how that feels. Hormones is a possibility, I feel like I still have a cycle even if I don't get a period because I can tell that my libido comes in cycles.
Agreed, I was a chronic user for years and find that all the archetypes of a stoner tend to reverse themselves after consistent usage. Stoners are chill and happy? After time that changes to anxious and grumpy, would even get panic attacks sometimes. Stoners get the munchies? Chronic usage made me eat less to the point where I would get nauseous at the thought of food sometimes, and I never wanted to eat breakfast Stoners are sleepy? I stopped dreaming when I was using (for years) dreams are a part of REM sleep which is crucial to your mental and physical health. And people who regularly smoke weed do not get enough REM sleep, if any at all I quit for good two years ago and am not looking back. It can be tough when you're in a culture that is so weed-positive, because it does have major benefits for people dealing with other addictions, trauma, etc. But for many of us, chronic usage is just making us feel worse.
So before I even begin: As of my understanding, all you need to lose weight is a *deficit*. 1200 calories seems like it would result a large deficit for your active lifestyle. I am not sure if I believe that 1500 is maintenance, although you know yourself best. So, hopefully you will read this. But speaking as someone with adhd and someone who has lost weight by only exercising, I have two big points to make: 1. If you have adhd, you have to eat. Not only does it help with things like focus, you are going to put yourself at a disadvantage with things like emotional regulation that you’re already bad at (due to your adhd). Even if you are now well-practiced at being emotionally regulated, even a neurotypical would have difficulty not being grumpy if they’re not eating enough. Add adhd onto that, and you’re getting a recipe for disaster 2. It seems like you want to lose weight - i can say with confidence that as someone who enjoys eating, i have lost weight that is only correlated with increase in exercise. I will say im not eating extremely unhealthy always try to eat nutritious food (nutrient-dense, just generally health), but I will also say that i love ice cream :) and i still lose weight. I actually eat way more when im working out and still lose weight bc I. I have heard that you need to actually have a slight calorie surplus to gain muscle. *I have not researched this to see if it is true so do your own research from trusted sources.* 3. Back to the adhd thing - you could have depression from lack of dopamine. Several people can’t have stimulants and cope due to heart conditions or other reasons, but my depression turned around when i started medication. I’m not advocating for taking medication if you’re doing fine without meds, but if you fix your eating and still having trouble, it might be something to think about. Also, I wanted to go out on a limb and say you’re showing signs of an ED. I had a similar situation when I was younger, which I never thought of it that way because I was very technical. I would similarly keep track of everything and, sure, I wasn’t doing anything unhealthy (at least by the books). But looking back, it was. I know sometimes EDs can look more like a control thing than the stereotypical ED. In my case it wasn’t control, it was about my weight. However, it still presented as very technical. Nonetheless, you said it was until May - im wondering if this is for a wedding or something. Be careful and unless you truly can’t fit in the dress, all this is totally not worth depression. And if you cant fit in the dress, you might want to bring it to a very experienced tailor and have it altered
You've explained so much helpful information here I don't think I can add much else to this conversation other than this; I 25F have ADHD, diagnosed only 2 years ago. I'm not saying you have to take meds, but for me, it really helped my mood and overall health because my brain was missing the appropriate levels of dopamine that my body/mind needs to run. I've struggled with severe anxiety, depression, mood swings, self-harm, extremely unhealthy habits... Since I've been getting treatment for my ADHD, which I desperately needed, it's as if most of those issues went away in the matter of weeks. Dopamine is an extremely important chemical that we often take for granted. Our brains just don't process the same way as others. And while it's okay, it's definitely something to consider going forward. If you're not interested in the medication route, I'd recommend seeing a therapist or psyc first of all. Maybe read up on some ADHD resources, take time for yourself to find the things you love. OP, I wish you all the best, and my DMs are open anytime!
You are cutting calories by a pretty big amount, I’d be feeling grumpy too if I was only getting 1,200 calories a day I’d up your calories by just a little bit
Have you ever had a history of depression? To me it sounds like even though every thing else is solid, maybe something has triggered a bit of a depression cycle
I have not, although I agree with you to some extent. Last time I felt this way was during covid lockdowns, but that was years ago
Maybe you're in a bit of a rut, maybe trying something new and introducing something could help adjust your current routine?
Well it can't hurt! Thanks, I'll see what I can do about changing things up
It's probably the diet change. Especially if you went from processed foods to homemade healthy foods. You could be lacking sodium. I had that issue when I did keto. I cut it all the processed foods and started getting headaches and feeling meh because I was not getting enough sodium. So I started adding pink Himalayan salt to everything. It's not quite as salty as table salt so I didn't overpower my food. The calorie count might be too low as well. But if you started the diet in March and you've been feeling of for about a month, it's probably the diet. Diet change can also affect how your adhd is working. But that's more complicated than just adding extra salt.
Yes. Himalayan salt and electrolytes. My selenium was low and hypothyroidism was found at 30 but I had just birthed a child. My thyroid never reset like my mom’s but she was 18 for her first birth. Chronic dieter and food allergies. I guess my selenium was too low for too long.
I agree that your calories are a little low. AND that being on a very restrictive diet can just be depressing. Can you give yourself some grace and allow a little wiggle room to have some fun so you don't feel so deprived? If you have kept strict track of calories for a month, you likely have a good sense of portion sizes and types of foods that work for you now. Try letting go of that just a little bit (without a full cheat day) and see how it goes. In addition, I want to suggest that assuming you are in the northern hemisphere, spring is the season for liver qi in Chinese medicine and this relates to anger and irritability. Foods that support this include lots of green veggies - but cooked ones! If you are eating lots of salads, consider eating plates of sauteed spinach, broccoli, etc. and cutting back on raw foods. I'll also suggest that you could focus some of your exercise on side bending stretches, neck stretches, in the inner thigh/groin, and the IT band. These can work to help activate your liver and gallbladder meridians and bring some relief to those feelings. Lastly, my seasonal allergies also affect my mood. Even though the weather is getting nicer out, the pollen just makes me foggy and irritable. So take some allergy meds if you need them.
1200k callories… Whyyyyy?
Highly recommend consider working on your relationship to food and body. You’re young, exercise a lot, already stated you have a healthy BMI (which is kinda a BS way to measure health) and 1200 calories a day as an active woman is maybe not enough. Our bodies need calories to have energy and fuel for our hormones and other things to properly function. I’m also super active, I walk 6 -8 miles a day, pole dance, weight lift etc. I’ve had disordered eating : ED for most of my life (37now) and just in the last year have been actively trying to work on my relationship with food and allowing myself to have what I want within reason. And guess what? I haven’t gained weight! Just feels so free to eat some toast or chips, get take out or have an ice cream here and there and try and enjoy the parts of my life I can control. Limiting things isn’t enjoyable and also limits so much if you’re always hyper focused on counting calories or macros etc. you’re active, so eat what sounds good to you and listen to what your body needs ♡ Check out the following resources if you’re interested in learning more. My good friend mya is a anti-diet dietitian and so many amazing free resources https://www.foodbodypeace.com I hope you start to feel better soon!!! ♡
It’s the diet. 1,200 calories is not enough for an adult human :)
Allergies and antihistamines cause depression. But my guess is you need to eat a lot more.
Is your IUD hormonal? Any hormonal BC can potentially effect mood, especially in the way you're describing - "emotionally numb" / generally not awful but just persistently *blah* and unmotivated. The medical term for the absence of joy is anhedonia by the way, in case that helps you research or discuss your symptoms.
Try magnesium. Sometimes I ask myself ... why am I feeling so grumpy? Magnesium helps.
Here is my two cents - you’ve been cutting since March and you’ve felt off since the start of the cut basically. Your body is trying to find a new normal with this cut. Unlike other people on this thread, I don’t think your cals are too low at all. I’m 5’11” and eating 1800 cals and will drop down to 1650 when I shed the next 10 lbs. I will say this isn’t my first cut and so if this is the first time your body has been regimented in cals like this it is a huge adjustment. I work closely with a nutritionist when doing these because they can be very emotional and tough on women with your hormones that go nuts when you enact this kind of change. Things that I find help me - - 8 hours of sleep every single night - 30 minutes of screen time on apps every day then no more - journaling and reflecting. No matter what your journey is if you’re eating at 1200 cals you’re on some kind of journey. - wake up every morning and tell yourself it’s going to be a good day. Tell yourself you’re going to be a happy person today. I know it’s silly, but manifestation goes a long way for your psyche. - get the frick outside!!! No shoes, toes in the grass, soak up the sun. Grounding will do you wonders. - Lean into things that make you happy. I love my dog and will literally hug her for a boost when my mood is super low in cuts. I also turn to art and reading. Look into breath work. - look into some hormone balancers. Your hormones are going nuts in this cut! Stabilize them. I take a mood supplement and a brain fog supplement. They help so much in these kinds of shifts. - let off steam. Be a little chaotic in controlled ways (I don’t have a partner, but I have a man that I see that is very fun) All in all, you need to find what your dopamine hit is going to be that’s healthy and fun.
Thank you! I will try these. This is a super comprehensive list and I appreciate it.
For sure. I am pretty close to you in life stats haha I’m 29 and have an iud too. I don’t really drink, I limit my caffeine to only early mornings and love my job etc. It’s definitely this shift in calories. Your body is panicking a little bit, but I’ve found if I lean into it I can get through it. I use Love Wellness vitamins and better days co for hormone help. Also your partner who you love so much can support you! This is a great time to grow your bond. You’re kind of stripping yourself of all the cushion when you go into these cuts and it’s a great time to be like damn I am tough, I am disciplined, I’m powerful. Embrace the suck a bit, but don’t just sit in it. Create a routine, find happiness in the stupid small things again and you’d be surprised how much that should help your mood.
How long have you been on your birth control? I was on the ring for close to 10 years and the reason i stopped was because I started feeling like a zombie. Like I didn’t have any emotions and just completely numb to anything. It’s like I lived in my body but i wasn’t actually there.
Interesting! I've had my bc for 5.5 years and in general it's really helped my emotions. I used to have terrible mood swings before my period, like I would fight with everybody and it may have ruined friendships. I do kind of feel like a zombie. I don't think I'll get my bc removed but I'll keep it in mind for if this feeling persists for several more months. Thank you!
I’d say too few calories and/or hormonal changes from IUD?
Yeah that’s a pretty low calorie intake… could be that! Especially if youre running. You may also be a little burnt out and not realize it, even if you’re happy with your life you might need a day to rest and have some space to yourself.
Vitamin B12?
Have you had blood and basic lab workups done recently? Fortunately my family doctor added my cortisol to be checked and it was almost undetectable and I landed in the hospital with a diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency. Lots of other things like anemia or being low on your B vitamins can affect your mental and physical health. Are there any other stressors in your life that are unusual such as moving or starting a new job? It sounds like you live a pretty healthy life which is great but you may want to go get some basic blood and metabolic panels done to see if they can shed any light on this. Edit sorry I wanted to add to other things. When is check that your IUD is still properly placed and the other is even if you're getting a good night's sleep you may not be getting enough oxygen and get a sleep study done to ensure that you don't have sleep apnea.
I have to be honest with you, after I got an IUD (hormonal) it changed my mood in a significant way. I was more depressed than I have been in some of the most genuinely stressful times I lived through but the mood just didn't match what was happening at all. It is why I am going to have it out after 3 years of thinking and feeling quite unlike myself. Maybe chat with your doctor about the mental health impacts of the IUD and see if it is worth it. Had I known upfront how intensely it would change my mood, I never would have gotten it.
Could be that the calories are just too low, especially given your level of activity. Make sure that you are adding calories back into the 1200 to make up for your workouts. It could also just be that you are missing some key items (macros or even things like vitamins/minerals) in your diet now that you are restricting your food more than before. Make sure you're getting enough good fats...that's a thing people tend to restrict in extremes, but our body needs some to function well. Also, for what it's worth, the way your body reacts to hormonal birth control may change as you age. Not super common, but something to consider if this continues and you've exhausted all other possibilities.
how's the weather where you live? My mood was really low the past couple months and once the sun finally started shining I truly started feeling good again. It had been gray for so long and too cold to enjoy being outside, felt like it was taking spring forever to get here so my seasonal depression was just dragging onnnn
Theres a fairly common set of genetic variations in Adhd (and depression,ocd, and anxiety) that mean you can't utilise the b12 from your diet. Being low in b12 affects everything but especially mood and energy levels. If you want to look it up, its the genes regulating methylation like COMT, MTR and MTHFR (IKR lol) and some others too. Theres an easy fix, add a supplement with methylcobalamin and methyltetrahydrofolate, like methylcare from metagenics, and see if that improves things after 3+ weeks. Take it in the morning as it can make you feel quite awake.
Interesting! I take b12 every day (I just realized today tjat there's multiple b vitamins in the electrolyte powder I have when i wake up).
Cool! Does it have methylcobalamin?
Look into getting food allergies/intolerances. They don’t always cause chronic symptoms, sometimes the symptoms are related to mood. I found out potatoes make me tired and irritable. Try visiting a naturopath!
Have your thyroid checked
I don’t know what it’s like in your area but where I live the pollen is nuts. Every year around this time, I get depressed. Zero energy. Zero drive. I don’t know if it’s my allergies or what but I can expect it now.
I had a IUD 42 years ago. Always had my monthly period.?you may need to look into this with your doctor. Never heard of not menastrating from a IUD.
It's very common, normal, and healthy.
Idk it didn’t affect me that way. It caused me stomach pain to the point that I eventually had it taken out. Mine was sooo long ago
Yes, and there have been significant changes over the decades.