Have you taken a diet break (stopped altering your calories to achieve a certain goal, e.g., a calorie deficit for weight loss)? Many people avoid taking one as they think it will derail their results. However as studies have shown, taking a diet break comes with several advantages, including improved weight loss, lower stress levels, and better adaptation to your new lifestyle.
Of course, it’s still natural to fight taking a break. However, if your body exhibits signs that you should be on a break, it is time to listen to it. I break down the warning signs you should take a diet break to help you understand if you are due for one.
SIGNS YOU SHOULD BE ON A DIET BREAK
Diets often affect us in many ways, including emotionally and physically. As you’re building muscle or losing weight, your physiological well-being also changes. It is thus normal that your body would exhibit signs that it is time to take a break. Consider the following:
1. You are always thinking about food
Naturally, human beings think about food as it fuels us to go about our day. For example, you may think about what you want for lunch after having breakfast as you want to plan. Or because you want to order from your favorite restaurant. But constantly thinking about food is not normal as it implies obsession which could be your body’s way of telling you that it needs more food. Of course, this ties in with the elevated cortisol levels that result from food restriction, especially on low-calorie diets.
2. Your weight loss has stalled
Let’s paint a picture of the usual weight loss approach. Say you start at eating 1700 calories when your TDEE is 2000. Then you lose weight and your app tells you to start eating 1500 calories. You lose more weight and now the goal is 1300 calories. It keeps lowering your calories until one day, you are no longer losing weight and are thus not lowering your calories anymore. But like most people, you still lower your calorie count to see if this changes the situation.
A weight loss plateau is quite normal. Even if you are tracking your foods right and moving more, it can still happen as calorie restriction can trigger elevated cortisol levels and reduced metabolism levels which can result in weight maintenance or gain. Taking a diet break enables your body to adjust to the standard levels which allows you to embark on more successful dieting.
3. You have low energy
When you have been on a weight loss journey for long, it’s normal for your body to adapt by lowering your resting metabolic rate and elevating your cortisol levels. In such cases, your body goes into energy-preservation mode, leaving you with little energy to embark on tasks. As such, even staying awake or being active becomes an uphill task. Eating more food can help you balance your energy levels such that your body raises its resting metabolic rate which allows you to feel more alive. Of course, the low energy could be a result of other conditions but it’s best to rule out calorie restriction before looking into other possible causes.
4. You feel overwhelmed
Diets are not the same. Some are sustainable and align with your lifestyle. For example, my kind of nutrition plan includes all the foods my clients love eating. So, a client will never come to me and tell me that they miss a certain food (e.g., cookies) because my plans always incorporate all foods. You can have a cookie whenever you want! But some diets are more restrictive – think cabbage juice and grapefruit diets. Such diets take a toll on your mental well-being as you miss out on things you enjoy. You thus spend a lot of time eating things you do not like while battling elevated cortisol levels. It’s not a good place to be in and you will likely need a diet break. But a break is not enough to address the underlying cause – you should also find a diet that aligns with your lifestyle and preferences so you don’t feel pushed to the corner.
5. Your hormones are all over the place
Cortisol is a hormone released by the body in stressful situations. But it’s not the only hormone that will affect your health and fitness journey – others like leptin, ghrelin, and estrogen will also come into play. If you are on a low-calorie diet for a long time, you can expect your hormones to take over, resulting in changes like missed or delayed periods (for women), mood swings, depression, etc. In such cases, you have no option but to take a diet break to enhance normalcy in your system. Failure to do this can have lasting significant effects that are worse than gaining weight. Once your system is back to normal, ensure you adopt a lifestyle that supports healthy hormones – don’t go for fast fad diets.
6. Your sleep has suffered
One of the main reasons people don’t lose weight even on a weight loss plan is lack of enough sleep. And the funny thing is that the diet could be the reason you don’t sleep enough. So it becomes a vicious cycle of insomnia followed by weight maintenance or weight gain. Usually, sleep changes result from elevated hunger and stress levels. So, is a diet break the answer? You might want to first assess your sleeping environment – is it conducive? How about your home environment? Your sleep might have suffered because you’re going through a tough time. If nothing checks this box, you may want to take a diet break and see if this solves the issue.
7. You have digestion issues
Our bodies are so interconnected that small changes can have significant impacts. You might think that your weight loss plan will only result in shedding some pounds. But it can also affect your digestion as it slows everything down. Soon enough, you start getting issues like bloating, water retention, and constipation. Like with sleep, you must check to ensure that your digestion issues relate to your diet. Consider whether you have made any changes that could be causing the issues, e.g., consuming too many fast foods. If nothing seems to be the obvious cause, try taking a diet break and see if this reverses the issue.
8. You are always cold
Some people have had cold limbs for as long as they can remember. But for others, the temperature changes started when they went on a diet. If you fall into the latter category, this could be a sign that your body does not have enough fuel to keep you warm. It usually results from a lower resting metabolic rate owing to the need for the body to conserve the little energy it has left. Instead of wearing more clothes and buying more heaters, eat enough to fuel your body.
9. You’re going through a life change
Diets are not permanent. For example, if you need to go on vacation, will you pack your weighing scale, vegetables, and condiments? Not at all. You will need to adjust to what’s at the destination. This is just one example of a situation where you might have to take a diet break even if your body has not been exhibiting signs you should take one. Other examples include grieving, pregnancy, injuries, sicknesses, and other situations where dieting may not be a priority. Give yourself time to go through these changes and pick up where you can. Of course, in some instances, your break does not have to be long, e.g., a vacation.
10. You have hit your goal
You should never start a diet without a goal in mind. Some people say they want to lose weight but don’t even know how much. So, they keep losing more weight over weeks and months and never know when it’s time to stop. Start with a clear goal so that when you reach it, you can take a break. It’s a great way to learn how to maintain your weight loss. Plus, it helps you learn how to balance your macros better as you won’t have many restrictions.
TAKE A DIET BREAK TODAY
Knowing how to navigate a diet break can be challenging. After all, how do you take one without compromising your results? I follow an intuitive yet science-based approach to help you maintain your weight loss while addressing any negative impacts resulting from your diet. Together, we can create a sustainable lifestyle that incorporates healthy eating and movement while leaving room for all your favorite foods and time with your loved ones. Use the link below to sign up.