Have you been trying to make progress on your health goals, but fall short of seeing the results you want? Have you analyzed food choices, changed meal timing and spacing, but what youare changing doesn’t seem to help?

One key component many fail to realize is that having adequate nutrition is the first piece of meeting your health goals. Low calorie diets, lack of consistent eating patterns during the day, busy schedules, and more can decrease overall energy intake. Nutrition messaging can be confusing, and people are often praised for eating as little as possible and suppressing hunger cues. Dietitians have seen time and time again that this is not leading to results people want. This is because low calorie intake (or intake below your needs) is not the solution to optimal health. Here’s why:

Eating under your caloric needs can actually decrease your basal metabolic rate (BMR – AKA how many calories you burn at rest). Your body is trying to compensate for lower energy intake when you need adequate calories/energy to complete many biochemical processes daily. An adult needs a minimum of 1300 calories per day just to sustain proper organ function; this does not include all the other functions we need energy for: movement, activities of daily living, regenerative processes like hair growth, and so much more!
Undereating/restriction often leads to binging. Have you ever tried to stick to a diet, only to eventually eat those foods you restricted, and feel a lack of control with the volume consumed? Hunger cues are meant to be followed since it is a sign your body needs energy; so they can be apparent until that need is satisfied. Viewing hunger as a neutral biological sign that your body needs energy can help shift how you view food and honor cues your body gives you.
The variety of macronutrients and micronutrients absorbed through food are essential for all body processes. Without adequate calorie intake, getting all these nutrients in can be difficult, if not nearly impossible. Multivitamins can supplement this, but this is never the first choice; vitamins and minerals are better absorbed through food.

One of the first things I work on with my clients is starting to eat adequately. This can sometimes feel like “too much”, but people tend to have better energy, more balanced blood sugar levels, less mood fluctuations, less extreme hunger, and more when they start eating more consistently throughout the day. Once adequate intake is established, then we can move onto discussing how to build a balanced plate, incorporate a variety of foods, and eventually discuss how individual foods with certain nutrients can be beneficial. Starting out with changing/incorporating individual foods can be daunting and will not produce results if energy intake is inadequate and a balanced plate is not being incorporated regularly. This is shown in the Hierarchy of Nutrition Needs Pyramid in the book Gentle Nutrition by Rachel Hartley here:

https://www.rachaelhartleynutrition.com/blog/the-nutrition-hierarchy-of-needs

This book is a great resource when you are wanting to start your intuitive eating journey. If you want more information about this topic or want to work with a dietitian to see how this can fit into your routine, please reach out to us at Lemond Nutrition!