Why Do I Feel So Awful When I Start a New Diet?


This is definitely bound to happen for first timers. I can say it is a normal experience that nearly everyone notices whenever they make up their minds to start eating healthy. The brain and the body are a unit that co-ordinates pretty well.

There are brain registers that know every bit of what is happening within and a slight change will trigger them to relay the message that something is terribly wrong somewhere. Feeding your body with refined sugars, salt and other additives for certain duration will of cause tune it to getting used to pleasurable tastes.

What happens when this is suddenly switched to bitter vegetables, salads with no additives and the like? The body will react and complain, resulting go short term discomfort and so, you may experience bloating and discomfort, especially at the abdomen.

Mild headaches, that is on and off can also be experienced as your body continues to complain to the drastic change that is not bound to be taken positively. The other factor is sluggishness, mainly because the body was used to gashing fuel that burns rapidly; rather than the newly introduced one that burns fat slowly and for longer hours.

Extreme diets

Your new diet could be the problem in terms of combination of food groups. Many people tend to think that healthy eating is sticking to fruits and vegetables and probably salads. What about other food groups like proteins and carbohydrates?

Cutting out on calories and carbohydrates will lead you to this state. Once you switch to taking in very few carbohydrates, it will not sustain your needs for the recommended duration. Instead, your body will use its own stored glycogen to keep it going.

As if that is not enough, the body will be pushed to the limit to start generating its own sugars as it burns fat. This would be the beginning of discomfort as the entire system is really busy producing sugars and burning fat.

Any person going through this process will feel exhausted, nausea and awful. Some people also become dehydrated as a result of the body trying to generate and burn some fat. Dehydration happens when one loses sodium and there is no proper replacement.


Processed fats burn very fast and are quick to boost the energy. Processed foods are also prone to speeding up the feel good nature within you. The brain will be tuned to this kind of feel such that if it doesn’t get it for some time, it starts throwing thumb trams. Your body is probably accustomed to eating sugary and high fat foods. Turning the tables around only leads to worse experiences of feeling moody, having withdrawal-like symptoms hence the awful feel which you get on your way to healthy eating.

Your gut has not adjusted

You could be feeling awful for this reason. Probably, you’ve read and want to prove that foods rich in fibre work best. Relax if that is the path you have decided to follow. If you take too much of such, it will overwhelm the body. Instead of helping it, you’ll be making it feel some discomfort. Adjusting will also have something to do with change of food intake. Maybe you were used to taking foods rich in high sugars.

Mind you high sugar foods favour certain types of bacteria within the intestine enabling them to thrive pretty well. When it comes to fruits and veggies, they wouldn’t support the same kind but will enable some other kind of bacteria to flourish instead.  Bacteria also need time to adjust and drastic swift from junks to healthy foodstuffs may cause you to feel awful. It would be better to change gradually as compared to taking a whole lot of plant based proteins like beans.

Do it in bits to allow the favoured bacterial colonies within the intestines to adjust to the new environment. If not, bloating would be the norm, followed by discomforts and awfulness altogether.

Removal of toxins

Even though some people think that this cannot cause one to feel awkward, it can be justifiable. Healthy foods are known majorly for two reasons; they promote blood circulation and are useful in removal of toxins. This by itself can cause a discomfort feeling and headache to some extent.

Reduced stress level

Once you start a healthy plan, your stress level will go to zero but your physical activity will increase especially if you incorporate fibre generating foods. This combination with decreased chemicals which the body was used to may lead to feeling lousy and even getting sick, to some extent.

What can you do to curb these feelings?

Treat cravings by taking a breakfast full of nutritious elements. Incorporate the correct amount of fibre, some proteins and of cause vitamin rich foods. This will make you feel full for the better part of the day thereby eliminating cravings.

Getting enough sleep of between 7 -8 hours is also ideal for anyone entering into healthy food therapy. The body is adjusting itself to elimination of toxins and hence would need adequate rest. The environment is another factor that will help you curb this feeling. One that is free of junks and unhealthy foodstuffs because out of sight, out of mind. We mostly crave for what is within reach but once we decide to totally eliminate them, we would be free forever.

You can also kill this awful feeling by staying hydrated especially if you have cut down on sugar intake and is a poor carbohydrate consumer. Once the body uses up all its sugars, it will have a hard time generating some to be used. It would be better to continue taking lots of water to nourish your system and help the kidney as well.

In the midst of all these, just know that it is for your own good and the awfulness will soon fade away. Continuing with the plan will ensure that you cleanse your body of harmful toxins in the most considerable manner. Don’t let boredom kill you in the process. Venture out several ways of making your healthy diet delicious and tasty to prevent you from going back to unhealthy diets.


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