How Undereating Makes Stress Worse (and What to Do About It)

Lindsey Case
2 days ago
2 min read

Most of the women I work with think they’re eating enough.

They’re grabbing bites between meetings, finishing the cold leftovers off their kid’s plate, or inhaling a protein bar in the car.

It adds up, right?

Not really. What’s actually happening is a pattern of chronic undernourishment — and it’s wreaking havoc on your stress levels, your mood, and your metabolism.

Here’s What Happens When You Undereat

When your body doesn’t get enough calories — especially protein and healthy fats — it goes into a subtle state of stress. Cortisol rises to keep you functioning.

Blood sugar crashes.

The brain becomes hyper-vigilant.

Your nervous system stays in fight-or-flight mode.

You might not feel hungry, but later that day — or that night — you’ll find yourself:

• Craving sugar, processed carbs, or salty snacks

• Overeating or emotionally eating just to come down from the day

• Feeling wired but tired, bloated, or unable to sleep

• Snapping at your kids or partner with no patience left

This is your body trying to make up for what it missed. It’s not a lack of willpower — it’s biology.

Moms Are Especially Vulnerable to This Pattern

You’re doing 100 things at once. Feeding everyone else. Managing logistics. Holding emotional space. And by the time you remember to eat, your body is in full survival mode.

You’re not “bad at self-care.”

You’ve been conditioned to see food as optional — a reward, not a need.

But food is foundational. If you want your nervous system to feel safe, stable, and steady — you need to eat real meals.What You Can Do (In Just 5 Minutes)I know sitting down to eat sounds like a luxury some days.

But let’s make it doable: Just five minutes. Anyone can do something for five minutes.

• Put your food on a plate (not out of the container).

• Include protein, fat, and fiber — even something simple.

• Sit down.

• No phone. No multitasking.

• Just eat and breathe.

That’s it. That’s the whole assignment.

When you eat enough consistently, your body stops panicking. You stop chasing energy and calm that never comes. And your cravings — even your anxiety — begin to settle.

This Isn’t About Discipline. It’s About Regulation.

If you’re wondering why your mood is unpredictable, your energy is unstable, or you feel stuck in a cycle of eating “perfectly” and then crashing… I want you to consider this:

Maybe you’re not eating too much.

Maybe you’re not eating enough when your body needed it most.

And I get it — you’re not trying to starve yourself. You’re just busy. You’re pulled in a thousand directions. And feeding yourself feels like one more thing on the list.

But you deserve to feel nourished.

Not just fueled — but steady.

Grounded.

Supported.

And it starts with giving your body what it’s asking for before it starts screaming.

Need help finding your rhythm again?

I help women build sustainable eating routines that work with their real lives — no shame, no restriction.

Just science-backed tools, support, and structure.

Grab my free guide: