Headache After Starting a Diet? Here’s What Your Body’s Trying to Tell You

A healthy diet is a must when you’re trying to lose weight. But what if your eating plan is giving you a headache?

Common weight-loss tactics can sometimes leave your head throbbing, particularly if you’re not eating or drinking enough.

“Headaches can be a side effect of trying to lose weight, especially during crash weight-loss methods,” says David Nazarian, MD, medical director of My Concierge MD, a weight-loss clinic in Beverly Hills, California. And it’s hard to stick with healthy habits (like exercising and cooking wholesome meals) when your head hearts.

One bright spot: It’s usually easy to figure out what dietary changes might be triggering your headaches. Here are five of the most common culprits and what you can do to feel better while still staying on track with your weight-loss goal.