Feeling angry and depressed

[lauranarvett]

I'm feeling very depressed and angry. Is this a withdrawal symptom from, perhaps, alcohol or sugar or both?

[ShannonM816]

It might be. It might be that you've gone much lower in carbs than you're used to, and some people feel anxious or depressed when they do that. Be sure you're eating enough in general, but definitely try for at least one serving each day of starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, root vegetables like beets, carrots, parsnips, or rutabaga, or winter squashes like butternut, acorn, or kabocha squash.

Sometimes people also find that they've been using food as a coping mechanism, eating to avoid dealing with issues, and during Whole30 they can’t do that anymore. If you feel like that might be part of this, try talking to a counselor or close friend, or Journaling about your feelings.

[SaraJaneBrook]

Laura, I am on week 2 and have just gotten over the hump of fatigue, aches and emotionality. It was pretty wretched. But I have a friend who coached me thru that so I expected it all. Suffering all that actually confirmed for me the diet changes were working! 
Hang in there and stay focused on your goals! 

[J9J]

I woke up feeling soooo depressed -- first time since I started on February 17.  I haven't noticed any outward body changes:  my clothes are still tight and my tummy looks like I may be pregnant although I'm 68 years old.  I have lost my sweet tooth, which is great and I'm waking up REALLY alert every morning which is also great, but today I feel no energy to do anything -- don't want to grocery shop for week, don't want to cook, don't want to talk to anyone -- really feeling down.

I had hoped that I would be experiencing the tiger blood I read about, but so far from it.  

Anyone else hit a low like this?

 

 

[SugarcubeOD]

 @J9J - I answered your last thread so maybe in that thread if you want to list out a few days of what you've been eating and the portion sizes, we can see if anything stands out? Additionally, let us know if you're drinking enough water (1/2oz per pound of body weight) and salting your food.

[J9J]

Thank you!  I have been eating turkey meatballs with ratatouille, one pot chili, chicken thighs (cacciatore), cauliflower rice with hamburger patty - all prepared using the recipes in the Whole30 book.  I'm drinking 6 glasses (8 oz) every day.  I make salads with butter lettuce and toss in cut up chicken breast and a hard boiled egg with Primal Kitchen Whole 30 approved salad dressing.  I'm stumped!  My starting weight was 130 and my optimal weight for my age is 115.  Thank you for your help!  This is not hard for me now that I don't have a sweet tooth (thank you Whole 30!!), but I really had hoped for that tiger blood.

[SugarcubeOD]

It's hard to tell from the way that you've written this out but are your meals matching the template?  Salads can be great but they usually have to be huge given how greens chew down to almost nothing. My guess is that you're not actually eating enough and that you've not got enough fat in your meals as the only one you mention fat in is the dressing of the salad.

You're a bit short on your water intake too so you can try increasing that as well.  Try and take your mind off weight and just nourish your body. I know it's hard but the idea of your age dictating your optimal weight based on nothing else is problematic.