Now, this may or may not be something you agree with. And I am not a doctor, so remember I am just really talking about what I am doing or plan to do. But I remember reading something a while back that talked about the importance of vitamins when you go on a restricted calorie diet. So let’s discuss.
I am looking for the article but haven’t found it yet. What I did find was this one: http://www.livestrong.com/article/393663-vitamins-to-take-when-dieting/
One of the things I remember the article pointed out was that your body needs certain vitamins and minerals. When we diet we limit what foods we are eating and sometimes, maybe, some of us might spend a week eating huge salads with tuna and cottage cheese and wonderful amounts of protein and just the right amount of calories and…. Limited nutrients! (hhmm…. Like me??? ) If we do this for short term – no problem. On a long term, say 7months to a year, then we might have a little problem with those missing nutrients.
Now in the USA, most of our processed foods supplemented making harmful deficiencies rare. And there is such a thing as getting sick from taking too many vitamin supplements. We don’t want that!
But there is some evidence that being low in just one or two vitamins could cause your body to crave food. And lots of it, if it’s not a food that contains the particular vitamin! Isn’t that interesting! I found a couple of articles on this:
http://livewell.jillianmichaels.com/weight-gain-vitamin-deficiency-5407.html
http://www.nationalbariatrics.com/nutrient-deficiencies-and-overeating
This one is interesting and you don’t even have to buy Vitamin D – just go outside 15 minutes a day!
http://creativebioscience.com/blog/vitamin-d-deficiency-can-be-hindering-your-weight-loss/
So I am not telling you to take vitamins. I personally take a Flintstones chewable. ;-) I figure it’s a little something without too much, because I think I eat pretty good. If you are eating your 5 vegetables every day you probably have all your vitamins. But it is something to think about? Maybe read up on. Talk to your doctor about. Just a thought. After all, if you are like me, you are eating a lot of lettuce an celery these days… but are you putting enough variety on your plate with it?