For many people who attempt to diet in order to lose weight, there are occasionally and sometimes often mood swings that come with it. During certain times of the day the dieter will feel fine and during other times of the day the dieter will feel tired and unmotivated. Maybe you have even experienced these mood swings if you've ever tried to diet for weight loss.

Well, there is a reason why this happens to many dieters and there are also ways to prevent it from happening. It is hard enough for most people to lose those extra pounds without having to deal with constant rides on the mood rollercoaster.

When mood swings occur during weight loss diets, what is happening is your body's blood sugar levels are going up and down too drastically. When your blood sugar levels are up, you usually feel good and when they fall low, you feel tired and irritable. Sometimes these drastic changes in blood sugar levels are due to the nature of the diet itself.

The fact is, diets that are very calorie restrictive can make your blood sugar levels get too low during the long times between meals. (Have you ever noticed during times when you go a long period without eating something in a certain day; you may begin to feel a little light headed until you eat something?) This is a sign of low blood sugar. Then when you do eat, suddenly you feel great for a while. This is often a repeated pattern of these types of diets.

Also, many people are carbohydrate sensitive. When a carbohydrate sensitive person eats a carbohydrate, they get a rapid increase in their blood sugar causing an over response of insulin into their blood stream. This causes your blood sugar levels to drop very quickly, and these drastic changes in blood sugar and insulin have dramatic affects on your moods.

What foods you eat makes a big difference in how bad these blood sugar and subsequent insulin spikes are. Carbohydrates that are high on the glycemic index cause a rapid rise in blood sugar and insulin levels, while low glycemic carbohydrates release more slowly into your bloodstream producing a more steady level of blood sugar and a smaller insulin response. Eating fiber, protein and fat also slows down the rate of release of sugar into the bloodstream as well as slows down the rate of digestion.

If you want to control these big swings in your mood while dieting to lose weight, it is best to eat five to six smaller meals per day rather than three bigger ones. Always make sure you have a good mix of low glycemic carbohydrates, protein and a small amount of fat with every meal. Avoid any high glycemic carbohydrates, especially items like doughnuts, candy, and most other sugary snacks as these types of items are a major cause of blood sugar and insulin spikes as well as a major cause of failed diet plans.