Is your head booming like a throbbing vulcano, while dieting? In the following paragraphs are a few tips to help you relieve it quickly and easily!
Reason #1: Too Big Caloric deficit (Not eating enough)
The first reason why you are getting a headache is because your body is in a caloric deficit. Your brain is the most energy intense organ in the body. It burns up to 20% of your daily total calories. So if you have a basal metabolic rate (BMR) of 1500 calories your brain may use upwards of 300-400 calories in a day. That is a lot of energy your brain needs. So if you are in a caloric deficit and restricting your calories too much, your brain will not get enough energy, this can make you feel dizzy, light headed and get a big headache.
The recommendation for long-term fat loss success is to eat A LOT, but still be under your caloric needs. This can be done by increasing your fruits and vegetable intake. Green vegetables in particular. Veggies do not contain a lot of calories, so eating more is the way to go if you are experiencing a throbbing headache.
REASON #2: Not Drinking Enough Water
Water, so important for your body!
Your brain is around 73% water. Your body and brain in particular needs a lot of water to function correctly. Some people limit their drinks and food intake when dieting, making it a prime reason for headaches.
Many people do not know about or count the "water" in food in their normal day to day eating. So if you are not hydrating enough through the foods you eat, because your are dieting, you need some extra in the liquid form. At HGR we always recommend PURE WATER, nothing else in the form of liquids.
I know you probably want some healthy alternatives, here are a few good ones to help rehydrate your body:
These will help rehydrate your body, lowering the risk for what I call "dehydration headache". This is the type of headache you get when you are dehydrated. How do you know if you are dehydrated? Your pee is not clear. Your pee should be clear, like water, and fairly odorless.
Water is so important, drink at least 10 glasses per day, totaling at least half a gallon (around 2 liters).
REASON #3: NOT enough SLeep
If you are not sleeping like a baby, it could lead to headache during dieting. You are already placing stress on your body by eating less calories and probably exercising (or at least walking). If your body is not used to this it may need more rest than usual. This means you have to sleep well.
If you do not sleep, your brain will not function at the top of its ability. You will experience not only headaches, but also:
So there are more than one negative effect of bad sleeping habits, especially too little sleep. Make sure you are getting your "famous" 7-8 hours of solid uninterupted sleep each night to help reduce your headaches.
Reason #4: Not enough carbohydrates (Carbs)
Yes! One BIG reason you are getting a headache while "dieting" is that you are not eating enough carbohydrates. Since the big "ketogenic" craze, most people are scared of carbohydrates. And while most doctors and nutrition specialists will tell you about the negative effects of "sugar" in sodas, candy, and fast food, they are rarely saying not to eat vegetables or fruit.
Fruits and veggies are the most nutritious "carbs" (I do not like calling them carbs, because they are REAL FOOD, not carbs). You can eat an almost unlimited amount (by volume, not calories) of fruits and vegetables and still lose weight. They are the easiest foods to eat in order to lose weight quickly. You just have to eat a lot of them.
When losing weight you can eat 3 lbs of watermelon. That will only be around 400 calories (source) as opposed to 3 lbs of cooked pasta which is more like 1,500 calories! What tastes better? The watermelon! It is amazing and sweet, yet helps fight your headache, you'll find very few who say fruit would be a bad choice of foods. The pasta will also help with your headache, but you cannot eat as much of it, in terms of volume.
Watermelon has high "nutrition by volume", while pasta does not.
In conclusion
Eat more good carbs, while drinking water and sleep more! It'll make a world of difference. Try it and let me know the results. If you like the article please help share it, through Facebook, on your blog or anywhere you like! Thanks for the support.
