The thoughts of self-hatred and believing you lack willpower can make you feel like a failure and make you feel depressed, like something is wrong with you. Soto added, "Plus the restriction of calories also does a number on your mental health, as shown in the Minnesota starvation study.
The important takeaways to highlight from this study are that after the 'semi-starvation' period of six months where the 36 men ate 1,570 calories per day (3,200 calories a day was normal), the participants reported experiencing depression, apathy, decreased sex drive, decreased strength and stamina, as well as reduced body temperature and heart rate.
They also displayed symptoms of obsession with food: dreaming and fantasizing about food, reading about food, reading cookbooks, talking about food, and savoring their meals with ritual-style eating that prolonged mealtime. This is what dieting does to us!