5 Warning Signs You’re Not Eating Enough

One of the main problems I see with my clients is that they’re not eating enough.  This is simply because of the way society has taught us to “diet”….and that way is usually by counting calories or going low carb or all together, no carb.

Ask yourself is that way of dieting working for you or is it keeping you trapped on the weight loss/weight gain roller coaster?

I mean really… you know one definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again with the same results.

Something has to give friends.  It’s time to break the mold and make the change.  It’s not about ‘cutting back’.  By eating less, you’re not providing your body with the fuel it needs for even a sedentary lifestyle, much less if you’re at all active.

Eating less also causes your body to store fat, your metabolism will suffer and your energy level will fall.

Here are my top 5 warning signs that you’re not eating enough.

1.  No energy.  If you’re suffering from chronic fatigue and continuous low energy, you may need to evaluate what you’re eating everyday.  Your body stores carbohydrates in the form of glycogen (or sugar) for energy.  When we’re not sufficiently fueling or replacing those energy stores, your body will find that energy elsewhere….usually from protein and muscle.  When this happens, you’ll not only lose muscle mass, but in a compound effect, you’ll see a significant drop in your overall energy as well.
2.  Hair, skin and nail issues.  As a result of losing protein stores or not consuming enough protein in general, you may see extra handfuls of hair in the shower drain than you’re used to seeing.  Also, not taking in the appropriate vitamins and minerals can cause dry, flaky skin, as well as, thin, brittle nails, too.
3.  Constipation and other digestive issues.  When your body and metabolism slows down in an attempt to preserve it’s energy supply, your digestion will also slow down as well.  Just think of your intestines as a muscle and it requires work to become stronger.  The less work it has to do (in the form of digestion), can cause it to become weaker resulting in constipation and other digestive issues such as heartburn and bloating.
4.  Difficulty getting through your workout.  This goes along with chronic low energy.  Your muscles require energy for use and food is it’s fuel.  When you don’t supply those muscles with the proper fuel, they’re simply going to run out of gas and won’t work effectively.
5.  Weight gain or weight loss plateau.  As a result of not eating enough, following calorie restrictive or no carb, low carb diets, along with not fueling your muscles adequately, your metabolism will also suffer.  Muscle fuel metabolism and without properly fueling your muscles, your metabolism will also drop pretty significantly causing a weight loss plateau or even weight gain.  Ikr!  All from not eating enough!