march 20 2014151 intro constant hunger pangs arent the only tipoff that your weightloss plan has crossed over into potentially dangerous territory if youve recently started a diet check out these signs that you could be harming your health or setting yourself up for a weightloss fail how to keep the pounds offfor good quicklist 1category signs your diet is too extremetitle your energy level is circling the drainurltext its a tipoff that your calorie intake is way too low says nancy clark ms rd a bostonbased sports nutritionist and author of nancy clarks sports nutrition guidebook you have no fuel so youre tired all the time as a general rule of thumb most women need at least 1200 to 1400 calories a day just to sustain healthy metabolic functionbut some may need more than that says clark so if youre seriously dragging its a sign that you may need to up your caloric intake quicklist 2category signs your diet is too extremetitle you think about what youre eating 247urltext if you keep a running tally of your calorie intake in your head and constantly ruminate over meals youve had or plan to eat youre unhealthily obsessed says clark a diet should be a lifestyle change that makes you more mindful sure but it shouldnt be a mental energy suck or anything that causes you to engage in obsessive behavior decode your food cravings quicklist 3category signs your diet is too extremetitle youve cut out an entire food groupurltext banning carbs or another category of food will probably help the number on the scale go down sure problem is youre also ditching entire categories of crucial nutrientsfor example complex carbs for energy or b vitamins to keep your mood steady without them your health suffersand you also begin to feel bored and deprived says clark quicklist 4category signs your diet is too extremetitle you cant sleepurltext its not just that a growling stomach keeps you from catching zzzs at night says clark a tooextreme diet also lacks nutrients that help you get a good nights sleep so you toss and turn instead quicklist 5category signs your diet is too extremetitle youve overhauled your social scheduleurltext a healthy weightloss plan is one you can stick to in almost any circumstancewhether youre at home eating out at a restaurant with friends or heading to a party where you know a buffet table will be waiting avoiding outings that involve eating is a sign your diet is too restrictiveand bound to backfire once you finally do venture out to a buffet or barbecue 5 fatty foods that make you skinny quicklist 5category signs your diet is too extremetitle your moods are swinging all over the placeurltext we all know what its like to be hungry but even if your appetite is in check for the time being restricting calories too much wreaks havoc on brain chemicals and that in turn can throw you into any combination of depressed anxious and edgy crazy