Are You Eating Enough?
Are you eating enough? Under eating and overexercising are two major triggers for things like weight loss resistance, thyroid & adrenal issues, hair loss, fatigue, moodiness, poor sleep, period problems, and infertility.
And here’s the tricky part, if your metabolism has been suppressed for awhile, you might not really feel hungry.
The body is ducking* smart
Here’s the thing. You can’t out smart biology so if you’re doing hacks in an attempt to improve health but you’re consuming less energy than your body needs (and you do this for months or years), your body will accommodate. P.S- I’m not talking about short term fasts here.
If consistently under eating, the body is not getting enough energy or fuel, therefore your thyroid and hormone production all starts to slow down. This ultimately makes you tired and moody AF as well as many other things you’re probably struggling with. Hunger cues may decline- but that’s not always a good thing (remember, hunger and cravings are different).
So, are you eating enough?
Let’s jump into some symptoms:
Low energy levels
Hair loss
Inability to get pregnant
Sleep issues
Irritability
Feeling cold all the time
Constipation
Anxiety
Dizziness
Brain fog
Feeling like your metabolism is broken
These are just a few to name! Do you relate to any of them? If there’s something abnormal happening with your body, make sure to check-in.
Snacks to boost your energy
If you suspect you may be under eating, here's a starting place. Bulk up your meals a bit more or dd some snacks to boost your energy & calorie intake. If you're nervous about weight changes, trust me your metabolism needs fuel here! Bump intake slowly to revv that metabolism back up. This is a concept termed "reverse dieting."
Examples of foods to incorporate include:
Bananas
Fatty fish
Brown rice
Sweet potatoes
Eggs
Apples
Strawberries
Oranges
Goji Berries
Dark chocolate (yay!)
Quinoa
Oatmeal
Yogurt
Hummus
Edamame
Lentils
Avocados
Seeds
Beans
Nuts
Leafy green vegetables
Beets
Unintentional under eating is something I'm seeing more and more of with clients. This is the place we have to start. I believe that yes, there may still be some other things going on with your body like inflammation, gut issues, etc, but a practical and foundational starting place for your health is by fueling your body with enough energy it needs to serve you well.
This pattern is particularly noticeable in women following longer term keto plans or intermittent fasting without ensuring enough total calories. Fat is just more satiating so you’re naturally hungry less on higher fat plans but you still have to eat enough (I challenge you to eat more, ladies).
You slowlyyyyyy need to increase your calorie intake over the amount of weeks and weeks (your metabolism didn’t get to this place overnight, so you gotta keep expectations real and give the body TIME to adjust). The good news is, you can feel changes pretty darn quickly especially with upping your energy, which results in a better mood, and sleep. All the good things! 💕
If you still aren’t sure if you’re eating enough- let's chat. You can also find some guidance over at Her Hormones Academy. If you have unexplained fatigue, weight loss resistance, suspect thyroid or hormone issues that have you fed up, Energy Upgrade bootcamp was designed for you! Check out a free class here or join the next bootcamp here!
Xoxo
~Robyn