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I am trying to lose a little weight .

But I have noticed every time I try to diet I

start to experience anxiety after about a week.

Has anyone else experienced anxiety when

dieting.

Is there anything I can do to avoid the anxiety?

(((Emotionalhell))) What is it specifically about dieting that sparks the anxiety? Do you feel anxious when you are thinking about food? Thinking about things you "can't" have? Worrying about progress/success/failure?

Or is it more generalized?

nowiknow

It is more generalized anxiety.

It's like I feel every emotion / thought more intensely .

Could it be that when not dieting and you feel these feelings, you eat? Does eating calm you? Numbs feelings or fills thoughts in your head? Without being conscious about what you're doing, eating calms the anxiety and if you're dieting, you are forced to "feel" those feelings?

Sometimes eating is nothing more than a learned response or habit. And breaking a habit causes feeling to come to the surface that you have to learn to manage in a different way.

Or maybe when you are dieting you are missing out on some important nutrients.

Rather than 'dieting', you might find it more productive and get better results by making a series of smaller, healthy changes in your eating habits. And it you're not already, try to throw some type of exercise into the mix.

How do you diet? For me, planning food in advance is the only way I can diet without feeling totally crazy. A lot of times I tell myself I will just try to make "healthier" choices but I end up obsessing instead. The only time I was successful at long term dieting and actually lost weight, I planned out, made and packaged an entire week's worth of meals every Sunday. Then that was all I ate. It took away a lot of the anxiety because I only had to think about food/dieting once a week, and I knew I was getting the calories and nutrients I needed.

If you're trying to lose a 'little' weight, try this way of thinking--just try to not gain weight. Make healthy choices and don't over eat. Don't clean your plate--leave a few bites. Walk rather than drive whenever you can. Take the stairs if possible.

Take the word 'diet' out of your vocabulary.

Nothing freaks me out more than when I commit to a structured diet.

If I just eat better on my own - no problem. But if I join any sort of structured program (done WW, NutriSystem, etc)....I am filled with anxiety. I am able to continue on the programs but the sense it fills me with is overwhelming.

In my case, I attribute it to either (or both) two things:

Being controlled - which I know is stupid because ultimately I have control over eating (or not).

Security of the weight - I do not like attention. When I lose weight and receive male attention; I am uncomfortable (think cat-calls from construction guys, etc). My weight is my protector.

[This message edited by EvenKeel at 11:05 AM, January 22nd (Wednesday)]

Are you sure it's anxiety? Are you strictly limiting carbs? Could your blood sugar be low?

I second that question. People who try to suddenly go low carb/Adkins/south beach diets feel BAD the first few weeks. And I don't mean just physically but mentally too. The brain likes sugar! When you put yourself in to Ketoacidosis your brain is not happy.

Yes I am going low carb. I'm also avoiding sugar or anything that will promote yeast growth. Trying to detox.

In my second week of the diet. Hopefully the anxiety

passes soon.

Thank you to all that have responded.

Yes I am going low carb. I'm also avoiding sugar or anything that will promote yeast growth. Trying to detox.

In my second week of the diet. Hopefully the anxiety

passes soon.

Thank you to all that have responded.

[This message edited by Emotionalhell at 11:39 AM, January 11th (Saturday)]

I used to have panic attacks that would lead to eating binges whenever I would try to diet. I actually had an EMDR session that really helped me.