05 Jan What Happens When You Don’t Eat Enough?

It’s the New Year! Gym memberships have skyrocketed. And, as NYC dietitians, we’re seeing a lot of people fibermaxxing and metabolic eating. Cabbage is the new cauliflower, and Skyr is claiming its place in the fridge, inching out Greek yogurt.

As so often happens in the New Year, people strive to “get in shape”, “lose those menopause pounds”, “get fit” and more. These high expectations often go hand-in-hand with highly restrictive diets, often leading to undereating.

Undereating inevitably leads to overeating and possible disordered eating habits. And it can affect your wellness.

Why is undereating (eating too few calories) bad?

Your body doesn’t know you’re on a diet. Our bodies are incredible machines built to keep us alive. So, when you begin to undereat, your body will:

1. Slow its metabolism: Your body will want to conserve energy, and it will slow its metabolism in response to fewer calories. (Side note: When our metabolisms slow down, they often don’t bounce back, and this is just one reason yo-yo dieting puts you at risk.)
2. Miss out on key nutrients: Highly restrictive diets aren’t only low on calories. They are often lacking key nutrients to keep you healthy. You can put everything from bone health to cardiovascular health at risk when you are missing key vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
3. Experience brain fog: Our brains need calories to function. A highly restrictive diet will affect how our brains function
4. Experience muscle loss: Fad diets often work (short term), and people experience rapid weight loss. Much of that weight loss, though, can be attributed to a loss in muscle tone.
5. Be at risk for disordered eating: Restriction can lead to bingeing, and this is a slippery slope.

Dietitian Recommendations for Sustainable Weight Loss:

Reaching a healthy weight can help you improve your cardiovascular health, manage type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and other chronic conditions. It’s important to note, though, that “healthy weight” is different for every BODY.

At NYC Nutritionist, we are diet neutral, understanding that diets work for some, don’t for others. And we adhere to HAES (Health At Every Size) philosophy, understanding that every body is unique, with unique needs. And every BODY deserves respect and care.

Dietitian recommendations for sustainable weight loss include:

1. Focus on Adding to Your Diet, Not Taking Away from It: Add more fruits and vegetables. Add more fiber and whole grains. Add healthy fats. When your mindset is on adding to your diet, you’re less likely to fall into highly restrictive eating patterns to lead to feeling hungry. (Also, hunger is your body telling you it needs food! Trust your body again!).
2. Set Reachable Goals: Start small. For instance, set a goal to replace an afternoon snack of chips with fruit and yogurt. Just one extra helping of fruit per day. Once this becomes a habit, set another goal.
3. Don’t Forget Your Proteins Combined with Fiber: A protein-fiber combo can help you build muscle and feel fuller. Add chickpeas and black beans to salads. Edamame and mixed nuts are great snack options. Eat lean chicken breast with roasted vegetables. This simple combo can help you feel full and give you key nutrients.
4. Add Movement to Your Everyday: Finding movement in your everyday life is key to wellness. It shouldn’t be something you hate. It should fit with your life. It might mean walking to work, taking the steps to your office, taking after-dinner walks with the family, or going to the park with the kids. It doesn’t have to be training for an Iron Man!
5. Practice Mindful Eating: We’re so accustomed to “eating on the run.” Stop. Sit. And eat. Turn off your phone and the TV. Put away your kids’ science project. Pay attention to the food that nourishes you. Make time to eat, because it’s not only what we eat but how we eat.
6. Get Support: Work with a dietitian to reach your weight loss and wellness goals, one delicious bite at a time. We provide our clients with personalized meal  plans and ongoing support for sustainable weight loss.

Set realistic weight loss goals in 2026. Nourish yourself, feel healthier, and do not go hungry. Happy New Year from NYC Nutritionist. We look forward to working with you.