A dietitian explains how to tell if you're eating too much or not enough
How do you know if you are eating too much? Or maybe not enough?
In a world in which we are told differing nutritional messages on a daily basis, is it any wonder we are confused when it comes to working out exactly how much we need to eat and when?
More often than not, we tend to eat a little more than we need, simply because it is much easier to overeat than it is to undereat. That said, there are certainly scenarios where someone may be under-fuelling, especially when maintaining an active lifestyle.
Here are the easiest ways to tell if you may be eating a little too much, or perhaps not enough.
READ MORE: The signs your life is changing forever - but why you don't need to panic
It can be difficult to tell if you're too much or perhaps not enough. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Tune in to your hunger
Hunger can actually tell us a lot about what is going on with your baseline calorie intake.
If you never really feel hungry yet continue to eat your regular meals and snacks regardless, it may suggest you are overeating and refuelling while the body is still processing the meal you consumed previously.
While you don't want to get so hungry you could literally eat your own arm off, aiming to feel a 7-8/10 for hunger before eating is a good general guide.
On the other hand, if you never feel hungry, this could be a result of undereating throughout the day, before overeating at night.
READ MORE: Health risk of eating instant noodles daily
Check your meal times
It's ideal to space your meals out through the day. Getty
At a minimum, the average adult will need two to three hours in between eating occasions and if you find yourself eating more frequently, especially if you're not actually feeling hungry, chances are you are overeating.
On the other hand, if you find you can go all day and do not feel hungry, this could be a sign that you are undereating and as such her metabolic rate is slowing to adjust to the lack of calories.
To reset your eating clock, aim to eat a meal within 2 hours of waking each day and then every 3-5 hours, which translates into 3-4 meals a day for the average person.
You regularly feel stuffed
It takes some time to register fullness after eating a meal and this is one of the reasons it can be easy to overeat, as we keep eating until we feel stuffed, rather than pleasantly satisfied.
To help prevent overconsumption, the key is to slow your eating, taking time to chew your food so that a meal takes at least 15-20 minutes to eat. Then, you will notice that you are already full a few mouthfuls before overeating.
READ MORE: 'I was super lonely': Candice Warner's life as a teenage pro
Slow and mindful eating can help prevent you feeling overly stuffed. Getty
Review your bathroom habits
While there is a wide range when it comes to how often we empty our bowels, with some people going every day and others less frequently, any change in bowel habits may be suggestive of undereating in particular.
A shortage of calories and nutrients will slow digestion and mean you may be opening your bowels far less frequently and may even find you are constipated more often.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.
Most viewed in Health & Wellness
How to train for your body type, according to an expert
‘Every step counts’: Walking faster with a lower step count may lower risk of early death
The number one mistake people make when asking ‘R U OK?’
At 24, Nic Jovanovic made a life-changing decision. It finally paid off the first time he held daughter Sofija in his arms
