Could Undereating be the Cause of Your Weight Gain?
Would you be shocked to learn that undereating is among the common 'fat loss tips' that can be causing you to gain weight? Seems impossible huh? If you've tried everything to lose that last 5-15 pounds with little to no result, then this training is for you.
As a seasoned coach and former Figure competitor, I know a little about undereating and overtraining. (Note the sarcasm)
So often I work closely with women that are trying desperately to lose weight and despite their best efforts their bodies hold tight and often gain weight.
I affectionately named the undereating personalities I come in contact with. Which of these can you relate to?
- Busy 'Cerebral' Beaver: So busy crushing your To-Do list at work or home that you're not even connected to any cues from your body's hunger level and they forget to eat.
- The Low Down, Slow Down Sloth: You've been low calorie for so long that every system has shifted into low gear, including your brain, your appetite, workouts and you've been wondering for years who walked off with your sex drive.
- The Werewolf/Nocturnal Nightmare: 6am-6pm you're textbook perfect and then the sun goes down and your body goes into overdrive to make up for missing calories. It's like the freaks come out at night!
- Yo-Yo Joe: You're hardcore (undereating) until you're starving and then anything not tied down goes in your mouth. You bounce between under and overeating.
There are others but these seem to be the most frequent styles of under-eaters.
In today's episode, I'm going to share with you a few common symptoms of undereating and how you can check to see if undereating is causing you to gain weight or preventing you from losing weight.
Our bodies require baseline or maintenance calories on a daily basis to maintain normal endocrine function without loss of health or change in body composition.
Biologically as females, ALL our bodies are set up to keep us alive and to maintain hormone balance for reproduction. Our bodies make executive decisions that are not based on abs showing or the pants to zip and easier.
If we start on a path of undereating our bodies become starved for calories and nutrients.
When this happens, our bodies determine that "Sally" is unfit for pregnancy. Our system makes adjustments, lowering and changing hormone levels. Lack of calories for a period of time results in lower thyroid function, no sex drive, irregular cycles, and even infertility.
Remember our bodies need food and nutrients to make our hormones. As if that's not enough, throw in a giant slice of mood instability just to erode your relationships while you're already feeling crudy.
Another system correction example of not eating enough is manifested in gaining body fat so it can keep us alive. Our thyroid shifts into low gear to preserve body fat needed.
If protein intake is low your body will opt to repair vital tissues (heart, lungs, etc.) versus keeping your hair healthy, shiny, and long.
Ever complained of feeling skinny fat? We have to check in on our food intake to find the answers.
Undereating - Common Signs & Symptoms:
- Brain Fog
- Weight gain
- Inability to lose weight
- Zero sex drive
- Poor mood/ Low mood/ Mood swings
- Low energy
- Body composition change
- Poor sleep
- Thyroid problems
- Constipation
- Trouble gaining muscle or increasing strength
Isn't it funny how we expect our bodies to run like a high-performance sports car, yet we're putting not enough/or cheap fuel in, and getting angry when the engine doesn't function.
Feel the need to check-in?
Download a calorie tracking app and log everything you eat for 3-5 days.
Take the average of the days you tracked and compare that info to the calories suggested in the TDEE calculator. The TDEE is not the end all be all but it is a solid source and good place to start.
If you find you're drastically undereating or realize your protein/fats/and carb numbers are off I suggest working with a coach. If personal coaching isn't an option for you then slowly add 75-100 calories daily for 2 weeks, then adjust up again until goal is reached.
Finding these nutrition tips beneficial? My ebook "All the Things" Women Want is your step by step guide to live happy and healthy in a body you love! It provides nutritional info, fat loss tips, and food plans based on calories and more! Click the button below to learn more.
If you grabbed value here, make sure you share it and I'll see you next week.
SHOW NOTES
"All the Things" Women Want ebook is your step-by-step guide to live happy and healthy in a body you love! It provides nutritional info, fat loss tips, and food plans based on calories and more! ~ CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
TDEE Calculator
Use the TDEE calculator to learn your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, a measure of how many calories you burn per day. This calorie calculator will also display your BMI, BMR, Macros & many other useful statistics! ~ CHECK IT OUT HERE