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Should You Eat Less on Rest Days? Here’s What a Health Coach Says

Finally, the answer to the burning question.

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Woman Added 800 Calories Daily and Lost 10 Pounds Without Exercise in 90 Days
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Your body needs time to recover and rejuvenate, especially after hardcore workouts. This is where rest days are essential. But should you modify your diet when you aren’t working out? McKenna Olsen is a health coach and social media influencer, who regularly shares tips and tricks on how to effectively lose weight and get in shape. In a new social media post, she answers the question: “Should I eat less on rest days?⁣” Here is the answer.


The Short Answer, Is No

“Short answer, no,” says Olsen. “It’s often thought that you need to manipulate nutrition on rest days or do complex nutrition protocols such as carb cycling,” she says, “because you are expending LESS energy on rest days. ⁣There are two main reasons (plus a couple of bonuses) you don’t want or need to do that."
RELATED: This Is Exactly How to Lose Body Fat This Year

Your Body Is Recovering on Rest Days

The first reason why, is your body is recovering on rest days. “You technically tear muscle fibers apart in the gym, so recovery happens outside the gym via physical rest + sufficient fueling,” she says, “especially through protein + carbs since these two nutrients are MOST used in your workout and for the muscle repair process.⁣”

You Don’t Burn as Many Calories in Your Workout

The second reason? You don’t burn as many calories in your workout as you think you do, “and that’s not the point…the point is to build muscle, to have a greater metabolic impact long term,” she says. Why is this important? “Lean tissue is more metabolically active than fat mass, so the more muscle you have in comparison to fat, the more you will burn at rest. Which means you are STILL BURNING FUEL after your workout, not just IN the gym,” she writes.

It Overcomplicates Nutrition

The third reason? “It overcomplicates nutrition for the majority of us who are just trying to get healthy and ‘tone up’,” she says. “Implementing a specific reduction of calories on a rest day not only can impact recovery but make you more food focused, which we don’t want. It only overcomplicates this journey and does not make a difference in results. It’s much more simplified to focus on a weekly average intake and day to day intake vs manipulation of ‘eat X amount one day and Y amount this day’. This can lead to overwhelm and less adherence.⁣”

What Should You Do on Rest Days

So, what should you focus on during rest days, per Olsen? “On rest days it’s important to utilize that time to get plenty of proper fuel for recovery from your previous session and make sure you are well fed going into your next workout,” she says. And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster.

More For You

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Woman Added 800 Calories Daily and Lost 10 Pounds Without Exercise in 90 Days
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Your body needs time to recover and rejuvenate, especially after hardcore workouts. This is where rest days are essential. But should you modify your diet when you aren’t working out? McKenna Olsen is a health coach and social media influencer, who regularly shares tips and tricks on how to effectively lose weight and get in shape. In a new social media post, she answers the question: “Should I eat less on rest days?⁣” Here is the answer.


The Short Answer, Is No

“Short answer, no,” says Olsen. “It’s often thought that you need to manipulate nutrition on rest days or do complex nutrition protocols such as carb cycling,” she says, “because you are expending LESS energy on rest days. ⁣There are two main reasons (plus a couple of bonuses) you don’t want or need to do that."
RELATED: This Is Exactly How to Lose Body Fat This Year

Your Body Is Recovering on Rest Days

The first reason why, is your body is recovering on rest days. “You technically tear muscle fibers apart in the gym, so recovery happens outside the gym via physical rest + sufficient fueling,” she says, “especially through protein + carbs since these two nutrients are MOST used in your workout and for the muscle repair process.⁣”

You Don’t Burn as Many Calories in Your Workout

The second reason? You don’t burn as many calories in your workout as you think you do, “and that’s not the point…the point is to build muscle, to have a greater metabolic impact long term,” she says. Why is this important? “Lean tissue is more metabolically active than fat mass, so the more muscle you have in comparison to fat, the more you will burn at rest. Which means you are STILL BURNING FUEL after your workout, not just IN the gym,” she writes.

It Overcomplicates Nutrition

The third reason? “It overcomplicates nutrition for the majority of us who are just trying to get healthy and ‘tone up’,” she says. “Implementing a specific reduction of calories on a rest day not only can impact recovery but make you more food focused, which we don’t want. It only overcomplicates this journey and does not make a difference in results. It’s much more simplified to focus on a weekly average intake and day to day intake vs manipulation of ‘eat X amount one day and Y amount this day’. This can lead to overwhelm and less adherence.⁣”

What Should You Do on Rest Days

So, what should you focus on during rest days, per Olsen? “On rest days it’s important to utilize that time to get plenty of proper fuel for recovery from your previous session and make sure you are well fed going into your next workout,” she says. And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster.

FACT CHECKED BY Christopher Roback
Fact-Checked

Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get sound information and advice to make the smartest, healthiest choices.

We adhere to structured guidelines for sourcing information and linking to other resources, including scientific studies and medical journals.

If you have any concerns about the accuracy of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing editors@bodynetwork.com.

Just because you aren’t eating very much doesn’t mean you are going to lose weight. Jamie Michele (@jamiemiichele) is an online coach and food and fitness expert, who tries to help people become the best and healthiest versions of themself. In one of her viral videos she schools her followers on the importance of making nutritious choices and meal planning. “If you are someone who is wondering, ‘I don't eat very much. I have no idea why I'm not losing weight,’ I'm going to show you why,” she says in the clip. Find out if you are guilty of this unhealthy habit and what you can do about it.


If You Are Grabbing Food Out of Convenience, It Might Not Be the Healthiest – Even If You Don’t Eat a Lot

@jamiemiichele

Once you start tracking the calories of the foods you eat, you will be shocked! #fitness #fitnesstips #nutrition #fatloss #weightloss #lowcalorie #caloriecounting #highprotein #lowcaloriemeals

“Let's say you're running late to class or work, and you stop at Starbucks and you grab a bagel and cream cheese and a grande vanilla latte. Pretty simple, right? So then in the middle of the day, you don't have any time for lunch. So you grab a protein bar and a Coke again, not that much. So then by dinnertime, you're starving. You still want to get something decent. So you go to Cava, you get the bowl, you get the pita chips because you haven't eaten that much today, and those are your meals for the day,” she says.

Just Those Items Add Up to 2,055 Calories

jamiemiichele-3jamiemiichele/TikTok

She explains that this type of menu amounts to a lot of calories. “This day of food, which isn't that much, you just have a bagel, a protein bar, and a bowl. It comes out to 2,055 calories, which is the average woman's maintenance,” she says.

Related: 6 Important Things You Should Consider Before Getting Breast Augmentation

Unless You Are Exercising A Lot, This Type of Diet Won’t Get You Into a Caloric Deficit

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Exercise and movement also comes into play. “If you combine that with a pretty sedentary lifestyle, like not getting a ton of steps, just working out two to three times a week, it is easy to see why you are not losing weight or even gaining weight, or you can eat a lot more,” she says.

You Can Eat More, and Still Lose Weight

jamiemiichele-1jamiemiichele/TikTok

She then shows an alternative meal plan. “This is 500 calories less, which is a deficit for a lot of people. You get a full breakfast, burger, bowl, potatoes, sauce, a big bowl of pasta and dessert, and you get to lose weight,” she points out.

Related: I’m a Doctor Who Lost 100 Pounds and Here are 5 Things I Would Always Do

Meal Planning Is Key, an Expert Says

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If you want to stick to a healthy diet, meal planning is important. “A lot of us tend to eat reactively and don’t plan ahead,” explains The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian. “The result is eating out with high calorie, low nutrient foods, skipping meals, grabbing anything around the office or home, and making poor choices. If you plan ahead you can eat more strategically with more nutrient dense foods, snacks to bridge your hunger between meals, proper portion sizes, and not skipping meals.”

💪🔥Body Booster: Plan out your meals for one week and try sticking to it. At the end of the week, do you feel better? Have you lost weight?

Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Are you eating the right amount of meals in order to lose weight? McKenna Olsen is an influencer, certified nutritionist, and health coach who regularly shares tips and tricks on how to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way. In a recent post, she tackles the topic of meal frequency. “Does meal frequency matter for fat loss?” she writes. Here is everything you need to know about it.


Timing of Meals Isn’t That Important

According to McKenna, meal frequency isn’t important. “Simply put: There is no magic frequency or timing of meals,” she says in her post. “The old belief that 6 meals a day, 2 hours apart, was best for metabolism and losing fat is dead. ⁣Your body simply knows caloric intake.”

RELATED: Nutritionist Loses 20 Pounds With These 6 High-Volume Eating Tricks "Without Feeling Hungry"

Eating at Least 3 Meals a Day Will Help You Feel Your Best

However, there are a few things that come into play. “I will say that for sustained energy and better digestion, eating at least three main meals is going to likely make you feel your best and allow you to get in all the nutrients your body actually needs,” she says.

Protein Should Also Be Dispersed

Protein also plays a huge role. “Also, science shows dispersing protein intake does make a difference in recovery and muscle growth or repair,” she says.

RELATED: Coach Drops 20 Pounds in 90 Days By Breaking Rules, “What I Didn't Know Was Working Against Me”

Only Eating One Meal a Day Isn’t Good for Fat Loss, She Says

She doesn’t believe that OMAD (one meal a day) is good for fat loss. “It’s going to be really tough to get in the protein, carbs, fat, and fiber your body needs by eating 1x a day, and you likely are going to feel run down, tired, low energy, and potentially lack proper digestion. Not only that, but you will notice a difference in regulated blood sugar and hormonal fluctuations, directly affecting everything I listed above,” she explains.

It Is Also Not Good for Hormones

Also, it can mess with your hormones. “As women especially, fueling yourself enough for hormonal health is so important. Again, it’s hard to get the calories you need in one feeding,” she says.

RELATED: 58-Year-Old Fitness Coach Shows How to Take 3,500 Steps in 30 Minutes

Frequency Is “Personal Dependent”

“At the end of the day, frequency is personal dependent,” she maintains, suggesting a few questions to ask yourself when figuring out proper meal frequency/timing for your life:⁣

  • How many meals is realistic for my schedule? (Do you have more time to eat or less?)⁣
  • Do I notice I feel better energy-wise, eating smaller, more frequent meals or larger, less frequent meals?⁣
  • Do I notice a difference in satisfaction with bigger or smaller meals?⁣

She Sticks to 3 Meals and 2 Snacks

“I used to eat six meals a day, but now I am more of a three with two snacks type-a-gal,” she says. “It’s realistic for me, and I feel so much more satisfied with bigger meals vs. a small meal every 2 hours.”⁣ And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Fact-Checked

Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get sound information and advice to make the smartest, healthiest choices.

We adhere to structured guidelines for sourcing information and linking to other resources, including scientific studies and medical journals.

If you have any concerns about the accuracy of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing editors@bodynetwork.com.

Hailey Gorski (@thetipsykale_dietician) is an LA-based dietician and social media influencer whose goal is to help women take a “holistic” approach to diet and weight loss. In one of her many viral videos, she reveals a few easy ways to get back into shape for summer, using one of her client’s quick transformations as an example. According to Hailey, she made a “real change” to her lifestyle, “which is habits and a better relationship with food,” she said. “So here's how she really made this transformation in just one month.”


Try Lower Calorie Cocktails

@thetipsykale_dietitian

Holistic Girl Summer is the new Hot Girl Summer 😌💅🏻 #dietitian #weightloss #weightlosstips #nutritioncoach

According to Hailey, her client didn’t have to “cut out alcohol and miss out on her best friend's bachelor party.” Instead, “she enjoyed one to two finer cocktails and switched to a lower calorie, lower sugar option,” she said. While still tracking her nutrition progress, she felt confident. She didn't feel like she deprived herself, and she didn't feel guilty.”

Educate Yourself on Nutrition

Hailey_Gorski_thetipsykale_dietician2thetipsykale_dietitian/Instagram

“Did she obsessively track calories on MyFitnessPal? Nope. She tracked when she could so she could establish awareness around what she's eating to learn more about calorie density and different foods but also understand her snacking was intentional and unintentional,” Hailey continues.

Related: I Added These Simple Things to My Walking and Pilates Routine And Now I See a Difference

Take Progress Photos

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You don’t need to weigh yourself daily. Instead of “using the number on the scale as her only metric of success,” Hailey’s client “also used progress photos,” she says.

Eat in a “Moderate Calorie Deficit”

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Finally, her clients didn’t starve themselves. “She focused on a moderate calorie deficit, not subtracting from her diet, but adding in foods like protein and high fiber, carbs and fruit,” she says.

Choose Weight Loss Programs “Tailored to You”

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“The weight loss industry has created a stigma around weight loss,” Hailey concludes. “As a dietician, there is nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight, as long as you have a healthy intention, are seeking programs that are tailored to you, and that will improve your relationship with your food and your body.”

Related: #1 Hack to Make Maintaining Your Weight Loss Easy, According to Nutritionist

These Are “Sustainable Choices,” an Expert Agrees

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The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, is totally on board with her suggestions. “These are all excellent changes and are all sustainable choices,” she tells Body Network. “It proves that you don’t need to do drastic diets or intense workouts to still make a difference and get results.”

💪🔥Body Booster: The most important thing to focus on when losing weight is staying in a caloric deficit. Use an online calculator to determine how much you can eat with your activity level and still lose weight. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

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FACT CHECKED BY Christopher Roback
Expert-Recommended

We've consulted with our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians to bring you informed recommendations for food products, health aids and nutritional goods to safely and successfully guide you toward making better diet and nutrition choices. We strive to only recommend products that adhere to our philosophy of eating better while still enjoying what you eat.

Keto, Caveman, Mediterranean, Atkins, the list goes on. There are so many diets that people use to lose weight. However, according to one expert, there is one that trumps the rest when it comes to losing body fat. Jeremy Ethier is a kinesiologist fitness influencer with over 6.1 million YouTube followers and one million Instagram followers who uses his science-backed training to help people lose weight and get into great shape. In a viral YouTube video, he reveals that he has found the “number one diet to lose fat.” Ethier explains that “it's tough to lose fat, let alone keep it off. But there's a reason why the old saying abs are revealed in the kitchen is still around because it's true.” Most of “even the popular diets that work tend to have more cons than pros,” he adds. “Today, I'm sharing the size back diet that's simple, easy to stick to, and just works. Here's everything you need to know.”


All Fat Loss Diets Have One Goal: Eat Fewer Calories Than You Burn

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“First off, you must understand that all fat loss diets, regardless of what you call it, have one simple goal: To get you into a calorie deficit where you're eating fewer calories than you burn every day,” he says. “But in the diet, I'll be showing you today, rather than cutting out foods, the first step is actually the opposite: Eat more. Not just any food, though.”

You Need to Eat More Protein

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What do you need to eat more of? Protein, he says. “One study published back in 2005 had participants change nothing else aside from eating twice as much protein as they usually do. You'd expect that since they were eating more, they would gain weight, right? Well, here's what actually happened.”

After Increasing Protein, People Ate Less Calories

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“After bumping up their protein intake, the participants ended up eating 440 fewer calories every day without them even realizing it. And after sticking to their high protein diet for 12 weeks, they lost almost 10 pounds of fat,” he says.

This Is Because Protein Is Filling

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“Now, as for why this happened, part of it is because protein is extremely filling,” he says. “Try to eat 400 calories worth of chicken breasts compared to a bowl of cereal, and you'll be shocked with just how long you stay full.”

When You Eat Protein, Your Body Will Burn Off Fat for Energy

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He says that “the real power of protein is that when you're in a calorie deficit, your body can choose to burn off either fat or muscle for energy.” And, “eating enough protein, ideally at least 0.8 grams per pound of your body weight per day, it sends a powerful signal to your body to keep your muscle and burn off your fat for energy.”

You Are Also More Likely to Keep Fat Off

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And, you won’t just burn fat, but keep it off. “This is why high protein diets not only lead to more fat loss during the diet but have also been shown to be more effective at preventing fat regain after the diet is over,” he says. This doesn’t mean you have to eat chicken breasts for every meal. He recommends choosing sources you actually enjoy.

Cutting Carbs Will Also Help You Lose Weight

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“So we're gonna continue the theme of eating more, but now with carbs,” he says, telling a story about how he once cut all carbs, “bread, rice, candy, even ketchup, anything that contains some form of carbs,” out of his diet. “By day three of this, I felt like complete crap, super low energy, and my gym performance sucked. Now, after about a week, I actually did end up losing about five pounds, but I was confused because I didn't look or feel any better.”

Your Body Will Use Other Sources for Energy

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He said that your body will eventually “adapt to this” and learn to use other sources for energy. “But the research is clear: As long as you're in the calorie deficit and eating enough protein, you'll lose fat regardless of if you're eating a ton of carbs or none at all.”

He Recommends Saving Carbs for Before and After Workouts

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“The calories from carbs add up fast. If you're currently overeating, then you probably will need to cut back on some of your carbs or at least choose less processed carbs that can keep you fuller for fewer calories,” he says. “A good strategy I personally use is saving most of my carbs for before and after my workout for when I need the most energy and then add them into my other meals.”

Limit Fats

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Next up, fats. “Unlike carbs and protein, which only contain four calories per gram, fats are much easier to overeat with because they contain more than double the calories at nine calories per gram,” he says.

Don’t Cut Them, Just Eat in Moderation

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“But just like with carbs, you shouldn't completely cut out your fats,” he says. Instead, “just have them in moderation or try to make swaps like using skim milk instead of full cream spray oil instead of cooking oil, choosing less fatty cuts of meats or using a lower calorie salad dressing.”

You Will Lose Weight on Strict Diets, But You Are Likely to Gain It Back

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He also talks about a 2021 study that had subjects follow a strict meal plan. “The goal was to put them in a calorie deficit, and they weren't allowed to substitute any of the foods they were given. After ten weeks, the results were great. On average, the participants lost about seven pounds of fat. But here's the catch. As soon as the diet was over, most of them quickly regained the fat they lost. This is because sticking to strict meal plans doesn't actually teach you the proper habits of sustaining fat loss in the long run,” he says.

The Number One Diet to Lose Weight: The Balanced Plate Concept

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Enter the top diet for fat loss, the balanced plate concept. “Instead of rigidly planning out your meals, most of your meals should look something like this: First, fill a quarter of your plate with a protein source like the ones I showed earlier. Next, to keep you full, fill half of your plate with vegetables and or fruits. And then lastly, balance out the last quarter of your plate with either carbs and or fats,” he says. You can also apply this concept when eating out.

RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Fit as a Pear Body Type

Also, Pay Attention to How Often You Eat

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He adds that one factor most people overlook is how often they eat. “I used to think skipping meals was a great idea. If I didn't eat much or just snack lightly throughout the day, I wouldn't be getting many calories in, and that would surely lead to a calorie deficit. But this quickly became a nasty cycle. I'd end up feeling like crap by the end of the day, and as soon as I finally ate something, my stomach would just be a bottomless pit that never got satisfied,” he says. “Generally, you should avoid ever getting to a point where you're feeling dizzy, have low blood sugar, and want to eat everything in sight.”

You Can Also Try Intermittent Fasting

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He also brings up intermittent fasting, “where you don't eat your first meal until usually around 12:00 PM and then don't eat anything past 8:00 PM,” he explains. “I've personally used this in the past, and it worked really well, not because it's magic, but because it can make sticking into a calorie deficit easier by fitting all your meals into a smaller time window.”

He Sticks to a Regular Schedule of 3 to 4 Meals

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“I prefer a more regular scheduled eating with at least three to four main meals per day, spread out by around three to four hours from each other, and then I'll just add in one to two snacks or fruit between my meals when I'm the most hungry,” he continues. “Just keep in mind that your body will need time to adjust if you change your eating schedule. But if done properly, you should feel improved and consistent levels of energy throughout your whole day.”

RELATED: Stop These 20 Habits and Watch the Pounds Melt Away

Where You Eat Matters Too

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“Speaking about when you eat, did you know that where you eat also matters? This study, published in 2021, analyzed the food environments of over a thousand households. It found that one of the strongest predictors of being overweight was eating meals in front of a TV,” he reveals.

Also, Slow Down Your Eating

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“In addition to this, a few other interesting studies have shown that slowing down your meal by taking more bites, using chopsticks, or eating with small utensils all has a powerful effect on reducing hunger and potentially boosting fat loss,” he notes.

Make Small Changes at a Time

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“Sure, bodybuilders and hardcore fitness guys like myself have no problem losing fat fast if needed, but you'll make way more progress making just small changes at a time and aiming to lose even just half a pound of fat every single week consistently, rather than losing a pound or two on some weeks and then gaining it all back again on other weeks,” he says.

RELATED: Top 8 Superfood Breakfasts You Should Eat Every Day to Lose Weight

Create a Diet You Can Enjoy

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“But just keep in mind that you will mess up at some point. Maybe you'll binge eat really bad one night, or maybe you'll have a cheat meal gone wrong, and that's okay. It's happened to me countless times. One meal or even a whole day of eating junk won't ruin your progress, but if you find yourself cheating on your diet too often, then that's often a sign that you need to make it more enjoyable,” he says. “Create a diet you actually enjoy because that's what you'll be more likely to stick to in the long run.” And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Denise Hamdan denisehamdan
I Lost 30 Pounds While Eating These High-Protein Foods
Copyright denisehamdan/TikTok
Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Denise Hamdan (@denisehamdan) is a food and fitness influencer on TikTok who regularly shares her tricks and tips on weight loss with her 71,000 followers. Hamdan lost a whopping 30 pounds by following a healthy diet and exercising. In a recent clip, she reveals her diet. “Hey y'all, here's everything I ate in one day to stay lean as someone who lost 30 pounds,” she says, revealing that she eats 1829 calories and 147 g of protein per day. Body Network’s Resident RDN, The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies, also weighs in.

Breakfast

“I started my morning with my breakfast cocktail of oxygen and creatine. I just added the products to my showcase. So go check them out. I have my cocktail with Greek yogurt with strawberries and blueberries and a drizzle of granola,” she says. The total calories equal 157 and 14 g protein.

Lunch

“I'm in this phase where I eat nearly the same thing every day, and that's been scrambled eggs with cheese and spinach and some turkey bacon on the side,” she says about her lunch. “And honestly, I'm not complaining because it hits every time. Her total calories are 562 and 52 g protein.

Green Smoothie

Sometimes she will have a smoothie instead. “I made a cute little green smoothie and it was a little messy, but it was good regardless,” she says.

Pre-Workout Snack

“Later, for a pre-workout snack, I made some cute little tuna crackers with the green onion and bell pepper,” she says about the snack totaling 430 calories and 28 g protein.

OxyShred and Pre-Workout

“Then I got to the gym and made my OxyShred and pre-workout combo before hitting cardio and abs,” she continued. “It had me sweating.”

Protein Bar

“Right after my workout I had my favorite dark chocolate pretzel protein bar,” she continued.

Dinner

“And finally for dinner I made this super easy teriyaki chicken bowl over brown rice,” she said, adding that the 560 calorie and 52 gram protein meal is “so delicious and the macros forward are amazing.”

Dessert

“Lastly, for dessert, I had some chocolate 'cause I cannot end the day without a little sweet treat,” she said about the 120 calorie sweet treat.

RDN Weighs in

tara collingwoodI'm a Nutritionist and These 9 High-Protein Snacks Keep My Clients Full While Losing 50 Pounds

Copyright Tara Collingwood

“1800-1900 calories seems like a good amount for her, but I don’t know her exact age, height, weight, or exercise level,” says Collingwood. “147 grams of protein is probably more than she needs, but it is not dangerously high.”

Try Eating More Vegetables, Expert Says

“I see a little bit of fruit on the yogurt and a tiny bit of spinach in eggs and peppers in tuna but overall not much veggie intake (green smoothie was green powder and not real whole veggies) which is proven with only 16 grams of fiber for her overall day,” Collingwood continues. “I would recommend increasing veggies to aim for 25 grams of fiber each day.” She also likes how often she is eating with the meals and snacks in between. “I do worry about the OxyShred. I couldn’t find on their website anywhere exactly how much caffeine is in it and having it later in the day could definitely impact sleep since caffeine has a 5 hour half-life,” she points out.

💪🔥Body Booster: How much protein should you consume per day? Aim for 0.8 to one gram per pound of bodyweight. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week

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Evidence-Based

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Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Do you want to get your glutes sculpted for summer? Sophie van Oostenbrugg is a fitness trainer and the founder of the Gains with Brains app. She regularly shares workouts with her 2.4 million Instagram followers on how to burn fat and build muscle. “I grew up hearing that women should be as small as possible. That’s why I loved being able to share my bulking journey on social. I’ve done 2 bulks so far.. and I was thinking about starting and sharing a 3rd one,” she wrote in a recent post. She also revealed her “medium leg day” workout, which will help you tone up fast.

She Does Multiple Leg Days a Week

“I have good news today..it’s a medium leg day!!!🫣🤭sooo I split my leg workouts & currently have lighter, medium and heavier days. this helps me with recovery, train through a variety of rep ranges and make it more enjoyable,” she explains in the post.

She Does 8 to 12 Reps of Each Exercise

In the video she explains that she has “multiple leg days per week.” She goes onto reveal all of the exercises she does with “rep ranges from 8 to 12.”

RDLS

“I started with RDLs, four sets of eight,” Sophie reveals. To do Romanian deadlifts, start with both legs pressed evenly on the floor. “Slightly bend knees while bending over,” says The Body Network’s Resident RDN, The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian. “Keep your arms pointing down toward the floor and lower with you almost touching the floor. Keep hips and shoulders square facing forward throughout the exercise. Return to standing.” She suggests repeating 10 to 12 times with the right leg and repeating on the left side. “Progression includes holding a weight in the arm pointing toward the floor,” she adds.

Sumo Squat with Kettlebell

“Then I moved on to a sumo squat with kettlebell. You know the deal, form over everything, so go slow and control the weight,” she says. Sumo squats are similar to regular squats, only you point your toes outward.

Glute Bridges

“Then I did glute bridges,” Sophie continues. You can do glute bridges with or without weights.

Cable Step Up

Next up? Cable step ups, using an exercise block. “These are great as they help with balance and therefore they're easier to overload,” she says.

Seated Leg Curl

She sits down at a machine. “Then I did a seated leg curl,” she says.

Core Exercise

“I finished with some core exercises,” Sophie concludes. “I want to get my core as strong as humanly possible so I can keep recording more intense ab workouts.”

💪🔥Body Booster: Try splitting up your workouts into light, medium, and intense days to allow your body ample time needed to recover.

Joyy Maria joyymaria
Copyright joyymaria/Instagram/Shutterstock
Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Do you want to accelerate your weight loss? Go on a hot girl walk. Joy Maria (@therealjoyymaria/video) is a weight loss influencer and mother who lost 70 pounds in less than 11 months. One of her secret weight loss weapons? “Hot girl walks,” she reveals in a video. “Walking is a thousand percent, the most underrated way to lose weight,” she adds, “and one of my favorite things to do is walk.” Here is everything you need to know about how she lost weight, including some great walking tips.

She Recommends Walking After a Workout to “Cool Down

“I love walking after training because it's low impact, and my trainer's pretty intense. So it's just kind of like my cool down. I can listen to podcasts, I can answer emails, I can talk on the phone, scroll on TikTok, whatever. So get to walking, sis,” she says.

Calorie Deficit

In another video she details “exactly” how she went from 230 pounds to 160 pounds in 10 to 11 months. “If somebody is telling you that you can lose weight without being in a calorie deficit run because they're lying,” she continues, calling it “the most important step” to losing weight. “I know you guys have heard the saying, you cannot outrun a bad diet, and it's so true. Google, TDEE calculator. From there, put in your information. I'm gonna tell you exactly how many calories you need to eat. I ate about 1600 to 1800 calories daily, just depending on my activity level for the day. If I did two workouts that day, I would eat closer to 1800. If I had a more sedentary day, I would eat closer to 1500 to 1600.”

Meal Plan

Next she recommends a meal plan. “I have a seven day meal plan available at the top of my profile. It just makes it really easy when you're going to a grocery shop, when you're first starting out, when things are structured, it's gonna make it a lot easier to follow and just to stay consistent, not skipping breakfast, especially if we're exercising.”

Here Is What She Eats in a Day

Her favorite breakfast is “avocado toast on sourdough bread, one hard boiled egg,” which she seasons, adding truffle hot sauce, two pieces of bacon, and one piece of sausage. “High protein, good, healthy fat, and a healthy balance of carbs,” she says. “This can also be a breakfast or a lunch because it is super filling.” Another favorite is yogurt bowls made with Dannon Light and Fit Greek yogurt with granola blackberries and blueberries. She also likes tunacado sandwiches with sourdough bread, cheese, tomato, avocado, and pesto basil spread. For dinner she might have a small bowl of Turkey chili.

Hydration

She also drinks “a ton” of water, “like a gallon of water a day,” she says. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends that men should drink about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day and women about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids. Why is hydration so important? Water helps get rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements, keeps your temperature normal, lubricates and cushions joints, and helps protect sensitive tissues, according to Mayo Clinic.

Working Out

Working out is the “second most important part,” she says. “I was taking group classes when it first started. They were high intensity bootcamp. From there, I got a trainer at the same gym. I also work out on my own. If the gym intimidates you, I strongly recommend you guys try some group fitness classes. They're a really great way to hold yourself accountable because you're in a group setting and the people around you can motivate you,” she adds. “I incorporated Pilates about nine to 10 months into my fitness journey, and I wish I would've done it sooner.”

💪🔥Body Booster: If you are working out but not seeing the weight loss results you desire, add walking to your routine every day.