I’m Tired, You’re Tired, and Our Bodies Want Different Things.

Last Updated on July 27, 2025 by Pen Pixel

I didn’t know I was underfeeding myself until my body said, “Babe, pick a struggle. You want to be hot and dizzy?”

I also didn’t know children could be “malnourished” even in a house full of food until I saw a toddler chugging a bottle of coke down his throat like water.

So, this isn’t just about “food groups.” This is about survival. This is about how we pretend we’re okay just because we ate.

But are we actually feeding ourselves right, for our age, our stage, our season?

The Key Takeaway.

You can’t keep feeding your grown body like you’re still 16. You can’t feed your child like they’re an adult. You can’t feed an elderly person like they’re preparing for a weightlifting competition. Nutritional needs change, just like we do. If you don’t change with it, you’ll either break down or burn out, silently.

What Are “Nutritional Needs” and Why Aren’t They the Same for Everyone?

Okay, I’m not going to bore you with textbook talk like, “Nutritional needs are the requirements essential for the body to…”

Girl, we know.

Your body is a living, evolving machine. It needs different fuels at different times.

• Like a baby? They’re growing bones and brains.
• Adults? We’re just trying not to collapse at 3PM.
• Seniors? Their organs are retiring, and everything’s moving slower than a tortoise.

So why the hell do we feed everybody the same rice, stew, and meat like we’re robots on the same diet plan?

That’s why people get sick. That’s why people are tired. That’s why someone can look “healthy” and still faint in a salon.

Nutritional Needs Across Different Life Stages.

Children.

You know what’s wild?

A child’s stomach is like a sponge, it soaks everything, but it fills up fast. So if you’re loading them with Coke and cookies every school day, don’t be shocked when they start falling sick, sleeping in class, or failing tests. Their body’s literally running on air and sugar.

What they actually need:

• Protein. Eggs, fish, beans, real stuff. Their bones and brains are building daily. If you skip this, you’re skipping their future.

• Calcium. Think milk, yogurt, okra soup (yes!), and even broth. If their teeth are falling out early or their legs look wobbly, it’s not just “growing pains.”

• Iron. Bruh. Children are looking pale and no one blinks. No, it’s not “just genetics,” they need more iron. Vegetables, meat, groundnuts, sardines.

• Less sugar. This one? A fight. I know it’s hard. But you are literally teaching addiction by normalizing soda and biscuits for every hunger pang.

If you’re feeding a child like they’re a mini adult, you’re gonna raise someone who has energy crashes, mood swings, and probably a dependency on sugar and carbs. Let your child eat real food, not just what’s “available.”

Adults.

Adults are the worst.

We either eat too much or nothing at all.

We’re either gyming and starving, or snacking and scrolling. There’s rarely a balance. Especially if you’re broke, busy, or both.

And you know what’s even more toxic? The way we convince ourselves we’re healthy because “I only ate once today” or “At least I had noodles.”

No bee, your body is crying. 

What we actually need:

• Protein. Not just for muscles. Protein helps everything. Hair, skin, blood, brain, even sleep. If you’re tired and cranky, it might not be stress, it might be chicken.

• Fiber. You’re bloated and your stomach is hard like stone? Ma’am, Sir, when last did you poop properly? Oats, beans, garden eggs, okra, get into it.

• Healthy fat. Stop being scared of fat. Eat groundnuts. Avocados. Palm oil. Coconut. Your brain needs fat to function. Don’t let Instagram kill you.

• Water. This is not a joke. Most adults are walking around with dried blood and chapped tongues. Hydration is literally energy, focus, and beauty.

If you’re pushing 30 but eating like a broke 18-year-old in hostel, something’s gonna give. Either your skin, your womb, or your stamina. Pick your fighter.

Seniors.

Old people don’t just “get old.”

They slow down, their digestion weakens, their appetite drops and if you feed them like everyone else, they’ll deteriorate faster than you expect.

I’ve seen it.

My friend’s grandma used to eat bread every day. No butter. No protein. Just bread.

One day, she just… stopped walking. Her body gave up. And nobody saw it coming.

What they actually need:

• Soft protein. Fish. Eggs. Chicken. Beans. Their teeth and gut can’t handle goat meat and turkey. Give them what they can chew, digest, and use.

• Iron and B12. They lose blood and energy faster. Their bodies don’t absorb vitamins like before. Give them greens, liver, and possibly supplements if recommended.

• Less salt. Their BP is a ticking bomb. No, you don’t have to make food bland, just spice smart. Use garlic, scent leaf, turmeric instead of just Maggi overdose.

• Water and fruits. Older people forget to drink. Remind them. Give oranges, watermelon, cucumber. Hydration keeps their kidneys working.

Just because someone is old doesn’t mean they’re supposed to suffer. Don’t let our culture treat aging like decay. Feed them like you still want them around. Because you do.

But Wait… Why Don’t We Know These Things?

• Because nobody teaches us.
• Because nutrition is sold like an aesthetic, not survival.
• And because we think food is either “village” or “foreign” and forget that it’s really just fuel.

But listen, most people don’t even know what being well-fed feels like. They just know what being full feels like. And that’s so sad.

So Now What?

Start with yourself.

Ask yourself: What does my body need, not what’s trending, not what’s convenient, what does it NEED?

Then ask the same for the people around you.

Because food is not just food.

It’s prevention, healing, identity and legacy. Your plate is more powerful than you think.

If you’ve read this far, I hope it hit you somewhere deep. Because this isn’t just an article. This is a wake-up call to feed your people right.