For various reasons — whether poverty, infirmity, or an eating disorder — many people in first-world countries face hunger. Nobel prize-winning novelist Knut Hamsun even wrote about it in his 1890 novel Hunger, about a young man who just can’t keep food down.

The problem is not uncommon, and it’s not new. But besides hunger, how do you know you’re undernourishing yourself? This article will walk you through five signs you’re not eating enough, so you can motivate yourself to eat more. Let’s dig in!

 

Some Warning Signs You’re Not Eating Enough

 

1. Your Wounds Won’t Heal

 

If you’ve accidentally cut yourself and noticed that the wound just won’t heal, this could be because you’re not eating enough. The parts of your body all work together – if your digestive system hasn’t absorbed enough nutritional subtract, your immune system won’t have what it needs to heal you.

Think of your body as a machine. If one part breaks down, it’s going to affect the rest of the process.

2. You’re Irritable

 

Irritability is a tough thing to deal with. Not only is it a bad feeling to be irritable, but it also affects those around you. If you’re irritable, you might be cycling between periods where you’re annoyed at everything and upset that you snapped on loved ones.

Your irritability can be caused by an inadequate appetite. It’s no wonder that babies cry when hungry: they’re trying to get other people’s attention to feed them. If you’re irritable, it could be your body telling you to feed yourself.

 

3. You’re Always Tired

 

Here’s another symptom that’s hard to trace. Constant fatigue can be caused by many things, but if you’re worried that you’re not eating enough, it’s something to be especially mindful of. Your body needs the nutrients it gets from food to fuel you; if it doesn’t get them, it won’t be able to run properly.

 

4. You’re Not Hungry

 

Paradoxically, not eating enough can result in a loss of appetite. This can start a vicious cycle: you don’t enough so you don’t get as hungry, you don’t get as hungry, so you don’t eat enough.
If you’re wondering why you’re not as hungry as you used to be, making yourself eat more little by little might be the best way out of it. There are also other options — like multivitamins — to make sure you get the nutrients you’re losing. Taking multivitamins could help kick off your metabolism, and get you eating right again.

 

5. You’re Cold

 

If you’ve been cold lately, even during warm weather, you might want to check your diet. Once again, your body is like a machine, and if it doesn’t have the proper coal, it won’t be able to fuel the furnace.

 

I Want To Eat More – Where Do I Start?

 

The simplest way to start is to try planning your first week of meals. It doesn’t have to be complicated – check out this video for a quick introduction:

 

Free Printable Food Diary Can Help

 

If you doubt if you are eating enough, it can be helpful to use a simple food diary – and we’re giving one today to you for free. Lightweight yet so versatile – this printable food diary can be used for both nutrition tracking or meal pre-planning. Equipped with day overview & calories tabs to help you stay focused. Undated weekly layout means you can reprint this diary for years! Created with minimalistic, unisex style in mind so it fits perfectly all genders.

To grab your free printable food diary, choose the appropriate size below:

Food Diary Printable ShineSheets – size US LETTER

Food Diary Printable ShineSheets – size A4

*Personal use only!

 

Know the Signs You’re Not Eating Enough – It’s Important

 

If you have the privilege to read this article online but are worried that you’re not eating enough, you’re not alone. Plenty of people face the problem of undernourishment every day.
Now that you know the signs you’re not eating enough, you can motivate yourself to get better nourishment.