Are You Eating Enough?
/Are you eating enough?
I know this is the last question you expect a Dietitian to ask!
Many of the problems that stemmed from my last post about being Hangry can be tied back to not eating enough.
If your day looks like this …..
….. I am here help!
Let’s review some of the fixable mistakes in this scenario.
1st Mistake: You’re not eating enough.
Why on God’s green Earth would you only eat 900 calories during the day and expect that your body wouldn’t be hungry. That is not even enough calories to support the basic functions of a 90 year old. Stop and think about that what I just said. 900 calories won’t even make a 90 year old full. How much more do you move than a 90 year old?
The younger you are the more energy your body needs to perform basic functions like breathing, circulating blood, walking, and digesting food. If you don’t consume enough calories to fuel these functions your body WILL scream it’s hungry, overriding any ability to resist temptation without a strong mental fight on your end. Not eating enough during the day encourages you to overeating at night, leaving your feeling guilty and with an unnecessary sense of failure.
ALSO Consuming under 1300 calories in a day without understanding the negative metabolic effects down the road is a dangerous game. ESPECIALLY for women who have reached menopause. By consuming too little calories you will slow down your metabolism even more, making it even harder to lose weight.
2nd Mistake: You’re setting yourself up for failure.
The average person needs significantly more than 900 calories. By starting the day eating too little your body is going to be in a constant state of hunger. Food will consistently be on your mind and you will feel like a tiger looking at it’s prey every time you walk past the vending machine.
Think about it, when starting a new eating plan food is already on your mind. By not eating enough in the morning you have doubled the amount your brain is thinking about food by making it have to signal to you “HEY! I’m HUNGRY!”
Now you are forcing yourself to battle your natural hunger cues while trying to form a new habit. Which one do you think is going to win? Your hunger cues or your new eating plan? Most likely your hunger cues, making you feel a lack of self-control when you eat something “off your plan.” BUT, do you think you set yourself up for success? No, which leads us to will power.
3rd Mistake: You’re relying on willpower.
The concept of willpower has been a hot topic in the past few years. What scientists have discovered is that we only have a limited amount of willpower during the day and then we in essence run out. After this we switch into habit/routine mode. However, a person’s amount of willpower can be greatly influenced by their own beliefs about their self-control. This isn’t a problem, but something to take into consideration if your trying to make a change.
Willpower is an exhaustible resource, but if we believe that we have the ability to resist temptations we are more likely to be successful when making changes.
So let's review a real life situation. If you know that you will be tempted by the box of mini doughnuts in the break room, make sure that you have a large enough breakfast, pack a snack, and feel full before going to work. You will be less inclined to eat the doughnut if you are already full and have a snack you truly want waiting back at your desk.
With one willpower moment averted it is easier to save our willpower for unforseeable temptations, like when your work day is almost over and you pass the candy bowl. Now you will have enough willpower to say “no thank you”, instead of blindly accepting them without even remembering your new eating plan.
Remember! The more willpower you BELIEVE you have, the more research says you DO HAVE!
It’s important to keep in mind that EVERY person’s caloric needs are different. A person’s age, gender, physical activity level, and medical condition are all key factors in determining daily energy needs.
If you are interested in understanding more about your needs and determining a healthy and successful eating plan, schedule an appointment with me today!