Q: "I'm stuffed on 1700 calories...can I eat less?"

We launched our first Sisters In Shape 60 Day Challenge this week...and we SOLD OUT! I'm stoked & can't wait to see how over 50 women will take powerful steps forward in their health & fitness! (More info on the Challenge here)

One of the common questions we received in the first day was "1700 calories? Can I eat less?".

My initial thought was "Why on earth would you eat less?"....I'm a tiny 5'3" 115 lb women and I eat at least 1900-2000 calories a day...180g-200g of those calores are protein & 200g are from carbs. I eat this way right up until I step on stage for my bikini shows. Then I remember that that my reaction is based on my new mentality, understanding of fuelling my metabolism, and eating in a rhythm for my body...and that didn't happen overnight.

Just a few years ago, I was focussed on low fat, low calorie everything....and 1200 calories (or less) was what I thought was best for my physical goals. A "snack" then was a 40 calorie yogurt with a miniscule 4g of protein....now it's a 250 calorie mini-meal with 10-25g of protein.

Man...I also remember being hungry and hateful of my body then too...and that is no coincidence to the lower calorie count. I was dieting...I wasn't fueling my body to be powerfully feminine. (Author side note: No one calls me powerful, they call me little, but it only matters what I call myself).

That said, do I think a woman should stuff herself to meet some arbitrary calorie or macro* target? Absolutely not. The real key to being successful long-term isn't a magic calorie or macro number, it's getting intimately in touch with your body....being so in tune that you eat in sync with what it needs. If you're truely full....you eat less. If you're actually hungry...you feed it with the protein, carb or fat it's asking you for. But it takes a lot of listening and trying to get in tune with your body...so that takes time.

It makes me sad how the average modern women has lost touch with the voice that used to tell her these things...ever remember fretting about calories/carbs/fats as a child? No, you were too focussed on playing (aka YOUR LIFE) and you knew when you were hungry (every few hours) so you asked for a snack, or a meal so you could run fast and play for hours.

That voice doesn't come back overnight. So in the meantime, you need to work with some better general guidelines for calories & macros than what Special K & Slim Fast are trying to sell you. This article from GORGO Magazine is the best I've read summarizing these guidelines....definitely worth reading a few times.

Basically for a healthy weighted woman you should eat 13-17 x your body weight in calories. So if you weigh 140 lbs, you'd eat at least 1820 calories (13 x 140 lbs). Going to 10 x your body weight is not recommended for any length off time....so going that low is NOT a lifestyle. People say they want a "lifestyle approach" but when the allure of a quick-fix comes up....they can't resist even though their body is telling them differently.

It absolutely matters what kind of calories you eat...few women eat enough protein. It's good to aim for 30-40% of your calories from protein sources....trust me that's waaaaay more than what women are used to eating. Remember that little 4g protein yogurt? That doesn't get you very far in your protein count.

So What? Do I just eat the 1700 Calories?

I come back to the questions from our first challenge group "Can I eat less than 1700 calories?".

If you're feeling stuffed, don't force food down your throat. But remember it may not be the actual 1700 calories which is making you feel stuffed....based on simple math, you likely need that many to be healthy!

What's probably happening is that the types of food you're now eating have more protein, and fiber-filled carbs than you're used to. Special K? That food sucks, period. But if you've become used to "diet foods", the best approach is to gradually add in those calories, and gradually up your protein. By adding 100 calories each week you will get to a much healthier spot by this time next month :)

My parting words are.....listen to that body of yours & start the process of trusting each other.

xoxo

Your Sister In Shape

*Macros are the mix of protein, carbs & fats in your diet, typically expressed in grams or percent.

#mealplan #macros #nutrition