8 signs your body is telling you you’re not eating enough

Learn to recognize the signs and symptoms your body uses to let you know you’re not eating enough.

Stress, busy schedules, illness, sadness and the hustle and bustle of everyday life can take a toll on us. More specifically, our appetites and the way our bodies regulate hunger. This can often lead to us not eating enough. Additionally, many people who pursue weight loss often end up unintentionally undereating or limiting themselves from achieving that goal.

Whatever the cause, not eating enough food and depriving your body of important nutrients can manifest itself in ways that wreak havoc on your metabolism and hormones. Both may take longer to notice if you’ve been undereating all the time.

8 Symptoms You May Experience If You’re Not Eating Enough

Let’s dive in and take a look at the not-so-subtle signs that your body may not be getting enough vital protein, carbs and fat, and what you can do to increase your food intake with a balanced diet.

1. Low Energy

If you’ve been feeling exhausted for several weeks, no matter how much you snooze or the quality of your sleep, it may be time to reevaluate your diet. When we are constantly retreating, the body is unable to properly fuel itself. This can make you feel lethargic and sluggish.

We often see this in the case of low-carb diets. Seeing as starchy carbohydrates are the body’s main source of quick energy, it makes sense why limiting them can lead to less than ideal energy levels.

Take a look at your usual intake in terms of both volumes and variety. Are you eating balanced meals that incorporate all five essential ingredients? Including starchy carbohydrates? Do you eat when you’re hungry and listen to your body’s cues? Take some time to think here and see if you can make some adjustments.

2. Dizziness

Dizziness can be one of the first physical signs that you’re not eating enough. When you don’t eat enough food, your blood sugar levels can plummet and make you feel dizzy or faint. If you constantly feel dizzy and can’t figure out why, take a look at your food intake.

For a quick snack boost, eat something with carbs and protein, like a banana with some almond butter, a handful of berries and nuts, or veggies with some hummus. This combination of carbohydrates and protein will help raise and stabilize your blood sugar levels to boost your energy.

However, if dizziness persists after making these dietary and lifestyle changes, talk to your doctor to rule out potential problems.

3. Poor cognitive ability and productivity (ie brain fog)

Do you ever have moments of forgetfulness where you say things like, “Where did I put my keys?”? It happens to all of us, but frequent brain fog could be your body’s way of telling you to control how you feed yourself (ie, eat more food)! Brain fog can be a sign of many health challenges, but it’s also one of the key symptoms of not eating enough during the day.

Postponing lunches or interrupting your regular meal times to attend meetings or take calls delays the energy your body needs to keep going. So if that 3pm lull hits and you realize you haven’t eaten lunch, that’s your cue to go to the kitchen or grab a snack.

It’s best to fill up on whole foods as best you can. Go for a hearty salad with lots of fresh veggies, maybe some sweet potatoes, avocado, grilled chicken or your choice of protein, and a tasty dressing. Foods rich in B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and antioxidants can help boost brain function and prevent cognitive decline (1). Goodbye brain fog.

4. Hair Loss and Brittle Nails

This may surprise you, but if you’re not eating enough food or getting enough nutrients, your highest priority organs will take the lead in getting those nutrients. This includes your brain, heart and lungs, not your hair, skin and nails. Hair, skin and nail health is closely related to what you eat along with how many vitamins and minerals your body absorbs.

It is normal to lose 50-100 hairs every day. If you’re losing more bricks than usual and your nails seem to break more easily, you may want to focus on nourishing your hair and nails from the inside out.

Start by eating foods that help produce more keratin, the protein that strengthens your hair and nails. Spinach, beans, oatmeal, salmon, eggs, and berries are all great sources of hair- and nail-loving nutrients. Protein, biotin, iron, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids, in particular, are the best nutrients to help you maintain your crop’s thickness, shine, and growth.

5. Irritable Mood

The hanger is a real feeling! If you’re struggling through a long day and rush out the door without breakfast, your blood sugar and mood can take a real nosedive. Studies show that low glucose levels can actually trigger aggression and violent behavior (2). So when you haven’t eaten anything, irritability can be one of the first noticeable side effects of not eating enough food.

The best way to prevent a hangover is to eat regular meals and nutritious snacks. Enjoying consistent meal times will help keep your blood sugar stable so you can stay on track with your positive mood and good energy. When you feel the first sign of hunger coming on, don’t push it! Listen to it and grab a meal or a snack, depending on how hungry you are, to feel like your best self versus the moody, irritable version.

6. Feeling cold

Do you have chills all the time? You need to consume a significant amount of food to keep your body warm while performing other bodily functions.

If you’re not eating enough, you’re probably not able to efficiently carry out thermogenesis, which is a process that helps your body produce heat. Some research shows that people who follow a restrictive diet have lower body temperatures than those who don’t (3).

Women who are also underweight or have low body fat may develop “downy” hair (also known as lanugo) as a way for their body to cope with heat loss. When your body doesn’t have enough body fat to keep warm, it can develop lanugo to help trap heat. It is common in people with anorexia nervosa or people who are extremely thin.

7. Constant thirst

Making sure you eat enough is actually a way to manage your hydration levels. Many of the electrolytes you get from food affect thirst. These include sodium, potassium and magnesium. If you still feel thirsty after drinking a glass of water, it’s a red flag that you may not be consuming enough calories.

Sometimes, your body can also mistake thirst for hunger and lure you away from the water bottle. Just remember to aim for hydrating drinks like decaffeinated tea, sugar-free fizzy dips and good olive oil.

8. Amenorrhea

Amenorrhea is the scientific term for missing your period. Women can miss their period for a variety of reasons, including pregnancy, dietary changes and stress. Sometimes certain medications you take, including birth control, can also affect your cycle. Certain health conditions such as hypothyroidism and polycystic ovary syndrome can also affect your hormone levels and therefore your period.

Amenorrhea can also occur if you don’t eat enough and have low body fat or are underweight (about 10 percent below “normal” weight), which is different for each of us. Being underweight can stop ovulation and cause abnormal changes in your hormones, which is why some women with disturbed eating habits or women who are high-performance athletes may often miss their periods. In some cases, their bodies also do not receive enough nutrients to perform normal bodily functions.

The triad of athletes is basically an interlocking cycle that includes low energy intake, amenorrhea and low bone density. This is most often seen in athletes trying to maintain a certain level of “leanness” for a particular sport such as figure skating, ballet, gymnastics or others.

The Takeaway

The biggest takeaway from this article is to be aware and attuned to yourself and your body’s ability to give you signs that something may not feel right. Use these 8 signs and symptoms to check yourself and determine whether or not you may need to consume a little more energy.

Want to be more balanced with your food choices?