Does dieting make you cranky? Does it sap your spunk and leave you pining for chocolate-chip cookies?

“Most diets are inherently depressing – you feel lousy, you have no energy and your cravings are out of control,� says Seattle nutritionist Susan Kleiner, Ph.D., coauthor of a new book, The Good Mood Diet: Feel Great While You Lose Weight.

“The diets cause chemical changes in the brain that make the dieter feel depressed.� To keep your mood up and your weight down, Kleiner advises eating every two to three hours and getting plenty of sunlight.

The body converts sunlight to vitamin D, which increases serotonin levels (a mood-boosting brain chemical). The Good Mood diet recommends consuming 30% of your calories from protein, 40% from carbohydrates and 30% from healthy fats.

Among the “feel-great� foods are some of mine favorites: Turkey, salmon, cocoa powder, eggs, fish, lean pork, lean beef, blueberries, oranges, olive oil, sunflower seeds, spinach, nuts and strawberries. [source: Looking Good magazine]