Are You Eating Enough?

It’s not enough to rely on what the scale says or how your clothes fit. What matters most is how you feel.

Do you have even, consistent energy throughout the day, or do you experience troublesome highs and lows? Chronic under-eating leaves you more susceptible to suffering from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). And low blood sugar can cause symptoms that range from hunger, shakiness, anxiety, and dizziness to sweating, weakness, confusion, and mood swings.

Have you ever heard the term “hangry” before? It’s urban slang used to describe the feelings of anger and irritability that come from being really, really hungry. Even though the term is made up, there’s some hard-core, scientific evidence supporting the validity of this volatile emotional state caused by an insufficient food intake.

The brain depends on a steady supply of glucose to function optimally. When blood sugar levels fall too low, one of the first cognitive processes to suffer is self-control. A lack of self-control can make paying attention, regulating emotions, coping with stress, and refraining from impulsive actions very difficult.

The body can also express its need for more energy in a number of other ways.

Do you have a difficult time losing weight? When faced with an ongoing energy insufficiency, the thyroid and adrenal glands can release hormones that will slow a woman’s metabolism down. The female body has been genetically programmed to protect itself by reducing its energy output when a perceived scarcity (such as a food shortage) threatens its survival. In fact, a chronic energy deficit is one of the primary reasons why women who follow calorie restriction diets often end up gaining—instead of losing—weight.

Are you often constipated? Chronic under-eating may be the culprit as an ongoing energy deficit can negatively impact the health of the thyroid gland, leading to a hormonal imbalance. Constipation is a very common symptom of hypothyroidism or low thyroid function since thyroid hormone controls and directs peristalsis (the wave-like muscular contractions in the intestines that keep the digestive process working smoothly and efficiently). When thyroid hormone levels drop, the entire elimination process slows causing chronic constipation.

Do you sleep well? Insomnia and other sleep-related disturbances are a common complaint among female athletes. But poor sleep is particularly problematic for those who are running on empty. As blood sugar levels naturally decline during the night, the liver must release stored glycogen in order to fuel the body’s basic, physiological functions. If your energy balance is consistently negative, your liver won’t have enough glycogen available to use during sleep. This low blood sugar emergency triggers the release of cortisol and adrenaline (stress hormones) which turn on gluconeogenesis—the creation glycogen from stored energy. If and when the levels of these stress hormones get high enough, they can wake you suddenly from a sound sleep in the middle of the night.

Do you frequently feel cold? An energy deficit can lower your body temperature. Without an adequate supply of energy, the body can’t support thermogenesis—the natural production of body heat. A low insulin level can also lead to reduced thermogenesis and a low body temperature so women who follow a very low- carbohydrate diet may frequently feel cold, too.

Have you experienced unexplained hair loss? Hair loss is one of the first signs of a nutritional deficiency and/or hormonal imbalance created by an energy insufficiency. These imbalances can include a drop in sex hormones like progesterone, testosterone, and estrogen. Hair loss is also a very common symptom of hypothyroidism, which can develop when a woman is struggling with a long-term energy imbalance.

Do you have lots of headaches? Not all women experience hunger in the same way. Instead of a growling stomach, hunger can sometimes surface as a headache. Hunger headaches happen when the amount of energy being consumed isn’t enough to meet the body’s needs. The resulting drop in blood sugar and subsequent release of stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) that trigger a headache can also cause shakiness, irritability, and fatigue. Adrenaline and cortisol will also increase when a woman is dehydrated or suffering from a lack of sleep.

So how much should you be eating?

Determining the number of calories your body needs on a daily basis for optimal health, performance, and recovery can be a little tricky. There are several variables to consider. How much of what kind of food you eat and the type and intensity of physical activity you do are all very important.

While it’s almost impossible to determine exactly how many calories your body requires, there are some ways to get a rough estimate of your daily minimum. If you enjoy math, you might want to take a crack at the Harris-Benedict Equation. It offers a reasonable estimate of your basal metabolic rate or BMR, the minimum number of calories your body needs to perform its basic, life-sustaining functions.

BMR = 655 + (4.35 X weight in pounds) + (4.7 X height in inches) - (4.7 X age in years)

Doing the math results in a caloric estimate that has about a 10% margin of error, which might not seem like much. But if your estimated BMR is 1,700 calories a day, your actual need will lie somewhere between 1,530 and 1,870. Multiplied on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, it’s easy to see why relying on this formula can lead to an energy imbalance. And remember, this equation does not take your activity level or health status into account (you’ll need more calories if you’re recovering from an illness or injury).

While mathematical formulas can provide you with a place to start monitoring your body’s essential energy needs, looking for clues that come in the form of hunger, fatigue, headaches, anxiety, weight gain (especially around the midsection), weight loss, digestive difficulties, fitness declines, or delayed recovery will ultimately be more insightful—and useful.

Remember: using an energy balance equation can offer some guidance when it comes to gaining or losing weight, but it won’t provide you with any insights into your body composition (the relative percentages of fat, muscle, bone, and water you’re made of) or the status of your underlying cellular health (which determines how well your body can create energy, protect itself from illness and injury, and mitigate the harmful effects of aging).

Have you ever struggled with an energy imbalance? What steps did you take to correct it? Did you find that your body responded more positively (or negatively) to changes in your macronutrient (carbohydrate, fat, and protein) intake? Please share your comments and insights below.