If you have been dieting or restricting for most of your life, then truth is you probably have been under eating for awhile. What do I mean by under eating? Under-eating means that you are consuming fewer calories than your body needs to correctly function. Not only are fewer calories a concern, but so are fewer nutrients. Under-eating can have major effects on our bodies, such as decreased energy, fatigue, loss of your menstrual cycle, headaches, and decreased metabolism. 

We live in a culture that puts an emphasis on “less is more” in the sense of food. We are so diet-obsessed that dieting and restriction is almost normal. Dieting to achieve weight loss and “fix” our bodies is praised, but is it really worth our physical and mental health? In my opinion, NO! 

Working with a dietitian to help break the diet-binge cycle and decrease your stress around food can help improve your metabolism even after years of dieting and restricting. So, here are 3 signs that you may be under eating.

You’re thinking about food all the time!

If you can’t seem to concentrate on what you’re doing throughout the day because you’re thinking about food, then you probably aren’t getting enough of it. Thinking about food 24/7 isn’t normal. So, if this resonates with you, I recommend starting your day off with a big breakfast. When I ate a truly filling breakfast, I thought about my next snack or meal less often. It can seem overwhelming or scary to increase your food intake, but you are not alone!

You don’t have hunger cues.

Often times people are very routine and wait to eat lunch at 12 and dinner at 6. Having a strict schedule leaves room for hunger pangs to take place and if we ignore those hunger pangs long enough, eventually they lessen. This means that your appetite stimulant, ghrelin, and your appetite suppressant, leptin, are out of whack. Lack of calories and restriction can cause this imbalance. If you want to know more about getting in touch with your hunger cues, check out this blog post in answering how to honor your hunger.

You’re following the calorie counter.

Do you use MyFitnessPal? Did it suggest you consume a crazy low amount of calories a day, like 1200? Did you know that it is recommended for a toddler to consume 1200 calories/day? Crazy right?!

Calorie counters aren’t the end-all be-all. It doesn’t know your genetics, it doesn’t know your physically activity level, and it doesn’t know your body type. It is a generic software program that underestimates your daily calories needed to lose weight. So if you have been keeping your calorie intake around 1200 calories, you may be under-eating.

I had to track my calories for my sports nutrition class and when I was severely under-eating while training for my half marathon. At the time, I remember being proud of myself like, “Wow, I am so active that I can’t even consume as much food as I need.” Now, I look back and think how silly I sounded. Of course I could increase my caloric intake with calorically dense meals, smoothies, or milkshakes. Let’s just say, I was very hungry during that time and suppressed those hunger pangs with copious amounts of coffee. 

We all deserve to be happy and healthy! Our bodies work best when they are fed with nutrients and energy. We a hardwired due to our DNA to maintain a set point weight. This is the weight that our bodies work best at, and trying to fight DNA take a lot of effort, ultimately leading to imbalance. If you allow yourself to eat without fear and guilt and move your body in a way that brings joy, then you are on your way to food freedom and finding that set point weight. 

If you are tired and hungry and want to know more about finding food freedom, email me or fill out my intake form! I’d love to talk with you. This is why I started Appetite For Balance.