Growing up in the low-fat era it was drilled into my subconscious mind that fat was the devil and that the only way to stay slim was through counting every little calorie that crossed my lips. The emergence of the supermodel era didn’t help either.
25 years later, not much has changed.
Now we’re scared of carbs and have bought into the illusion that animal protein is just as bad as smoking (thanks to last year’s seriously flawed National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). And we’re still obsessed with looking like skinny twigs, with eating lifestyles (or lack thereof) to match.
While many of my clients struggle with compulsive overeating, a large percentage of my practice is dedicated to increasing food intake for optimal brain function, cognitive performance, and weight loss.
Brain food is very important. Today I encourage you to rethink the calories in, calories out theory and set aside all the diet dogma research you come across on Dr. Google.
Here are 3 signs you’re not eating enough to support your brain:
- Your blood sugar is on the roller coaster ride from hell. If you feel jittery, anxious, fatigued, dizzy, angry and confused, you’re definitely not eating enough. Chronic blood sugar dysregulation also creates imbalances in important neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine and when these neurotransmitters are low, the body naturally seeks out sugar to increase them.
Enter the screw-it-all-binge your body is naturally drawn into to compensate for feeling crappy and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Eating enough and on a regular schedule balances hormones and keeps blood sugar in check. - One minute you’re happy, the next you’re biting your man’s head off. To expand on point #1 above, serotonin (regulates carbohydrate cravings, sleep cycle, pain control and appropriate digestion) and dopamine (regulates focus, motivation and desire) are super important for the optimal functioning of just about every body system you have, especially those that enhance mood.
Zinc and vitamin B6 are critical for the production of these important neurotransmitters. Zinc is especially important because it is needed to create sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen, so regularly eating protein-rich foods that contain zinc and B6 in abundance, such as red meat and poultry, create a calming, mood-regulating effect. - You’re hungry all the time and can’t lose weight. It get it. It’s terribly frustrating to work your booty off in the gym, watch every morsel of food, and see zero results. In this case, you’re not eating enough and probably overtraining. I learned this the hard way after years of pushing myself to the extreme while subsisting on little more than green leafy fluff.
Unfortunately, over time, drastic metabolic changes began to occur in my body in order to keep it in homeostasis. To compensate, it reduced my active thyroid hormones, shut down sex hormone production, and raised my cortisol levels.
When cortisol is chronically elevated, leptin and insulin resistance (zinc is needed to create them too) start to come into play resulting in weight gain that is difficult to eliminate. The connection here with the brain is that 95% of your body’s serotonin is made in your gut, which is why it is referred to as the second brain. And since serotonin regulates carbohydrate cravings and digestion, ensuring adequate and regular food intake is key to any weight loss plan.
Now here are your actions steps:
- Keep a food/mood journal noting physical and emotional reactions
- Eat on a regular schedule
- Add more protein-rich foods
As always, I’d love to know how things turn out for you in the comments below, so don’t forget to leave me a love note as to how you’re doing.
14 Responses
Hi Samantha
Always like reading your posts.
I eat about 1000 calories a day made up of a combination of greens, protein and some fat (coconut oil mostly). No bread, no sugar and only a little fruit. Not losing much of that 15 extra pounds in my belly. I am thinking of adding a couple of raw eggs (from a farmer I know) to my shakeology shake to see if lack of protein may be the issue. I don’t have much of an appetite for animal protein.
I will let you know how it goes.
Be well.
John
Hi John,
Thank you for sharing. I highly encourage you look into zinc. No/low appetite for animal protein is a classic sign of zinc deficiency. It is also very common with vegan/former vegan lifestyles.
Hi Sam – Quick update. Increasing the protein intake with salmon and anchovies has had an amazing effect. Dropped 6 pounds in a couple of weeks and feel much better. I will get my zinc tested. Thanks and be well!
John
Hi John,
Thanks so much for the update! I’m so proud of you! Protein is magic. Keep up the great work and let me know how your test turns out. 🙂
U should double your calories……1000 is about the norm for a resting basal metabolic rate(calories needed if u were in bed for 24 hours, 1000 calories is just enough to sustain all bodily/organ function while “at rest”….your body thinks your starving and thyroid is slowing down metabolism…….u might start having adrenal issues….. great research on eating disorders and weight gain weight loss for both men and women . Good luck….ps Sami is so right on the zinc copper ratio….deficiency especially when it comes to eating animal protein/fat or just not being hungry in the morning……..”think zinc”
Great point Bob. Thank you for your comment.
Biologically speaking too little is not good and too much is not good either. When it comes to sugar or fat body needs both. Find some balance because very low cal for any extended period of time is a slippery slope, mentally, physically my friend. Try the goldie locks diet.
Indeed, very low calorie diets are a recipe for disaster. Thanks for your input Steve.
what about protein and fat cravings–what does that indicate? often I have cravings every single day all day so I’m fat. I can only lose weight on 1200 calories a day and even then it is very slow (14 pounds in 6 months plus a stimulant) but I’m tired and don’t sleep well. And then when I go off the diet, I gain it all back. I did atkins for 6 weeks with zero results. Any suggestions?
Thank you for this post! If you get dizzy, bloated,foggy after eating …is that also a blood sugar issue? Appreciate your posts so much Sami!
What you are describing is a result of gut dysbiosis.
I’m just now discovering your sight and I so appreciate the many articles you’ve posted! I will be back to visit and read everything. I’ve recently learned that, in spite of relatively healthy eating, I still have cortisol/leptin issues, as well as insulin resistance, so I appreciate your very informative posts on those topics.
I’m just now discovering your site and I so appreciate the many articles you’ve posted! I will be back to visit and read everything. I’ve recently learned that, in spite of relatively healthy eating, I still have cortisol/leptin issues, as well as insulin resistance, so I appreciate your very informative posts on those topics.
I found 4years ago that I was an undermethylator. Since than I have lost 40lbs merely by taking my SAMes and eating the way I always have.