200 Calories Isn’t Enough to Start Your Day
“200 calories is a snack you have between meals, it’s not enough to start your day with or sustain you for hours.”
I recently had a conversation with a woman who felt completely out of control around snacks and sweets at night and sought out my help when it came to stopping the spiral - where one bite too many turns into, “f-it! I’ll do better tomorrow!”
And while it would’ve been easy to zoom in on the snacks themselves: making smarter swaps, managing cravings, etc., that’s not where I started.
Because while hyper palatable (aka. super tasty) foods are easy to overeat, regularly overeating them is often a response to a bigger issue, not the issue itself.
So instead of asking about the cookies, chips, and chocolate, I zoomed out and I asked her what she ate for breakfast.
“I start every day with a protein shake,” she said.
Sounds great, right?
But I wanted to know more…
It turns out her shake was made with protein powder and vitamins… that’s it.
~200 calories
a serving of protein
maybe some added fiber
but no carbohydrates and no fat
and she was expecting that to carry her all the way to lunch.
At this point in our conversation I gently said, “My friend, 200 calories is a snack you have between meals. It’s not enough to start your day with or sustain you for hours.”
Because, if you want to feel calm and in control of your food choices later in the day, your body needs more nourishment earlier, not more restraint and restriction.
Why Under-Eating Early Leads to Overeating Later
This part often feels counterintuitive, especially if you’ve spent years trying to eat less, but when you under-eat during the day, you almost always end up eating more later on. Not because you’re broken, but because of basic physiology.
Here’s what happens when energy intake is too low:
Ghrelin (the hunger hormone) increases
Leptin (the fullness hormone) decreases
Higher ghrelin means:
stronger hunger signals
more food preoccupation
increased reward-driven eating
Lower leptin means:
reduced feelings of satiety
a stronger drive to eat
Put simply: when you under eat, your body starts pushing harder for more calories.
…cue the hyper-palatable foods!
Not because you “lost control,” but because your body is trying to get more energy.
Meals that keep you full and steady usually include:
Protein for satiety
Carbohydrates for accessible energy and blood sugar stability
Fats for sustained fullness and hormonal support, and
Fiber for fullness, blood sugar stability, and GI support
When you remove carbs and fats and rely on protein alone (especially in a low-calorie meal) hunger rebounds.
And that rebound often shows up at night, when decision fatigue is high and willpower is low.
A Simple Shift That Makes a Big Difference
The next time you’re rushing out the door with just coffee or a protein shake in-hand, pause and ask, “What could I add to support my energy and headspace today?”
Try pairing your shake with a slice of whole-grain toast, a piece of fruit, nut butter, yogurt, oats, or another fiber-containing carb.
The goal isn’t to eat perfectly or eat “more than you should.”
The goal is to eat enough, so food doesn’t have to take up so much space in your head later.
Because restriction creates obsession.
Nourishment creates calm.
If you’ve been low on energy and wondering why evenings feel chaotic around food, this may be the missing link.
Reach out for support identifying what enough food looks and feels like for your body - and how eating enough consistently can help you reach your goals, rather than stand in the way of them.
