The stress caused by a drastic diet is not just a question of willpower, frustration, fear of straying. There are also physiological reasons for this stress (physical and mental) experienced by anyone who diets. A restrictive program leads to nutritional deficiencies in vitamins, trace elements and minerals which undermine the biochemistry of the brain. “The regimes which completely or almost completely eliminate carbohydrates, like the high protein diets, are the most stressful physiologically, adds the dietician. Without carbohydrates, the body cannot secrete serotonin from tryptophan. Only the amino acids tyrosine and phenylamine will be transformed into dopamine and norepinephrine. The body will therefore be in a state of stress continued. “Hence the sweet urges, because the body knows that it needs serotonin to regain a little serenity. “Not only does this type of diet stress the body and the mind, but in addition, it is often accompanied by a rebound effect afterwards, because the body keeps the memory of this lack of serotonin and will tend to move towards the sweet. “
Reconnect with your food sensations
Because food cannot be reduced to a count of calories and because overweight always has a psychological component, more and more nutritionists (doctors Jean-Philippe Zermati and Gérard Apfeldorfer as leaders) are taking this into account. psycho-behavioral aspect in the management of overweight, banishing the concept of diet. Their credo: learn to better manage negative emotions, and in particular stress, at the origin of food impulses. A job that requires knowing how to recognize food sensations, and in particular to distinguish between hunger and emotions.
