The Fit Woman’s Nutrition Blueprint: No Fads, Just Facts

Introduction

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the noise in the nutrition world, you're not alone. Whether your goal is weight loss, muscle gain, or simply eating in a way that feels balanced and nourishing—chances are, you've encountered more misinformation than truth. Fad diets, juice cleanses, aggressive fasting routines, and trendy eating styles all promise quick results and magical fixes. I've seen it firsthand. Over the years, clients and friends have come to me frustrated, confused, and discouraged—wondering why nothing seems to stick.

That's exactly why I created this space. This blog is a place you can rely on for real information and guidance—where clarity replaces confusion, and sustainable progress replaces quick fixes. I want you to feel understood here. I get the exhaustion that comes from constantly starting over. I see the damage those red-flag promises can do to your trust and your mindset.

Now, before you get too excited—I’ll be honest: there is no single miracle method. Anyone telling you that your goals will come quickly probably isn’t guiding you with integrity. The fastest path is also the smartest one: consistency, paired with the right knowledge and approach tailored to you.

Jumping from diet to diet will only lead to burnout, mistrust, and the false belief that lasting change isn’t possible. But it is—and you're not starting from scratch anymore. You're starting from experience. You're starting with support. And you're starting with the truth.

In this article I will first give you your starting point to implement a dietary approach that fits your goals. I will then break it down and offer tips and advice on how to make it a success, and a lasting change. Be patient as it is a lot of information, but if you invest your time now, you will have a great foundation with real information that WILL get you to your goal.

In order to have a meal plan that is tailored to you, you must first understand where you are currently at. What calories your body functions on, and how to properly adjust them in a way that is sustainable long-term for either maintaining body weight and supporting your needs, losing body fat while protecting muscle and health, or building lean muscle while minimizing body fat gain. Most importantly, how to incorporate strategies such as mindset for change and coherency. Eating foods you like so you enjoy your meals, and the correct distribution of protein to stimulate muscle growth and protection, carbohydrates to fuel your body, and fats to maintain good hormonal health and balance are all possible and part of the correct strategy to developing a working meal plan.

This is the exact method I use for clients, and I have personally used for myself for years. This approach works and its’ your time to see that for yourself. You may be wondering why I would be giving out the exact formula that I sell to clients. That is because I believe that it shouldn’t be a secret. Everybody should have access and knowledge about nutrition. It is a skill not taught in schools, and as a nation we are suffering from. My meal plan services are more about holding accountability, taking the burden of figuring it out on your own, and being the person that you can work with to help you achieve your goals. However, that does not make me hesitant to give out my strategy for FREE.

Understanding nutrition is just as important as understanding finances or learning how to read and write. If you are looking for a coach to help you, someone to hold you accountable, take the time out of doing it on your own and want to work together, or talk about how we can develop a plan to get you to your goals, I am only one click away. Sign up for a consultation call located at the top of this page. I look forward to meeting with you and seeing you live the life you have always wanted.

Step 1 - Understand Your Starting Point

Understanding calories and the macro distribution needed for your fitness goals is very individualized. It depends on various factors such as genetics, daily expenditure, whether you are looking to lose, gain, or maintain your weight. Regardless of your goals, your (BMR) basal metabolic rate is everybody’s starting point. BMR is the number of calories that your body burns just to stay alive, this number is calculated without the consideration of added workouts or cardio. In other words, your BMR is how many calories you burn on your own doing nothing. So, you may be wondering, how do I find my BMR?

Your BMR is the number of calories you need to neither gain nor lose weight. This is your base level. With your daily energy expenditure accounted for (workouts, intense labor, daily steps, etc.) you can add calories on top of your BMR to compensate. The average BMR for females is around (1,400 - 1,550) calories, and for males (1,600 - 1,800) calories. This is only a rough estimate and does not take into account metabolism, energy expenditure, or body composition. This is why we see some people who can consume 3,000 - 5,000 calories without gaining any weight. Muscle mass heavily influences how many calories you are able to consume since muscle tissue requires more energy than fat mass. For example, a 150 lb. person who is 18% body fat will require more calories than a 150 lb. person who is 30% body fat. This is because the person with 18% who weighs 150 lbs. has a higher muscle composition.

Step 2 - Prepare Your Pre-Study

There are two methods to find your (BMR). #1 breath testing. there are places that measure the amount of oxygen inhaled and carbon dioxide exhaled by using a metabolic cart to calculate your BMR. You can find a place that uses this machine. This approach will allow you to be able to immediately start eating the right calories for your goal. This method is quick and also accurate but also costing around $200 for a single test. If you use this method, skip to step 4. But if you have neither the time nor money, use the second approach.

#2 I refer to as self-study. This approach uses a scale and testing with different calorie levels and observing your body’s response to changes in calorie inputs to figure out your base calorie level.

After weighing yourself, you'll have a reference point to see how your current calorie intake is impacting your body weight—and from there, you can start making informed adjustments. First start by weighing yourself fasted in the morning after using the bathroom. This is the most accurate time to weigh yourself. If you weigh yourself during the day after drinking and eating, you are also weighing what you consumed. This will not reflect true body weight.

Take a week or two and weigh yourself 3 times a week, eat as you normally would. Average these numbers and this is your bodyweight. Unless you are eating the same number of calories, carbs, protein, and fat each day your bodyweight will fluctuate due to water retention, or changes in daily expenditure so just one scale reading isn’t enough to further establish your calorie level, coming in step 3. Don’t overlook this step, take time to get a good number that really represents your true bodyweight, as this will set you up for success later on. Move to step 3.

Calorie counters online are inaccurate and are only a rough estimate for how much you should be eating. Although most will have an option to put in daily activity, they fail to accommodate for genetics, and metabolism. Many will also tell you how much to eat to either gain or lose at a certain rate but often times extremely over or underestimate calories, and if you aim to lose weight or put on muscle for an extended period of time their approximation will lead to burnout or rapid fat accumulation. This is not the way.

Step 3 - Find Your Maintenance Calories

Now that you’ve identified your base weight, it’s time to fine-tune your calorie intake and observe how your body responds. For inactive individuals, average daily calorie needs tend to be around 1,400–1,550 for women and 1,600–1,800 for men. If you're currently not exercising, these numbers make a good starting point. However, if you’re working out frequently or doing cardio, consider adding around 500 calories to your baseline to fuel your activity properly. For active women, start at 2,000 calories, and for men start at 2,300.

At this stage, your goal is to eat consistently at a calorie level that keeps your weight stable. This establishes a reliable starting point from which you can later adjust based on your goals. To track your intake accurately, it’s helpful to use a calorie counting app like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer. Weighing your food with a scale provides the best accuracy, and many apps include barcode scanners so you can quickly log packaged foods.

After tracking and eating at your chosen calorie level for about two weeks, monitor how your weight responds. If your weight increases or decreases, slightly adjust your intake—either up or down—until your weight remains consistent. Establishing this baseline is crucial. Without it, you risk jumping into a deficit or surplus that’s too extreme, which can lead to burnout, excessive fat gain, or unintended muscle loss. Starting from a place of stability allows for small, controlled adjustments that are sustainable and much more effective in the long run.

Step 4 - Apply A Calorie Change

Once you find your maintenance calorie level—the amount your body needs to maintain weight—it’s important not to rush into a drastic calorie change. For example, if your maintenance is around 2,000 calories and you suddenly drop to 1,500, yes—you’ll start losing weight. But this big gap can backfire. Your body will begin adapting to the lower intake, slowing your metabolism over time. That means in order to keep losing, you’ll have to cut even more, potentially dipping below 1,000 calories. For people with more weight to lose, this cycle can become exhausting and unsustainable, increasing hunger, stress, and burnout.

Instead, consider taking a smaller, smarter approach. Dropping just 100 calories—from 2,000 to 1,900—can still lead to meaningful progress, while keeping your energy and satisfaction higher. You’d likely experience several solid weeks of weight loss before needing another adjustment, and you’d avoid feeling constantly deprived. You will be able to lose more weight for longer by adjusting slowly. The same concept applies in reverse: if your goal is to gain muscle and you jump too high too fast, you may put on excess body fat faster than you'd like, which can also be frustrating to undo later.

So, give yourself permission to slow down. Start by confirming your true maintenance calories through consistent tracking and make changes in gradual steps. This isn’t a sprint—it’s your sustainable path to long-term results.

Step 4.5- Calorie Change For Losing Weight

Start by dropping about 100 calories from your maintenance. Sometimes, you can ride this wave for several weeks and still make progress before your body will need another drop. As you lose weight your body will adapt, the less you weigh the less calories your body will need. Pay attention to the scale by weighing yourself each week, when you start to see weight loss stall, it is time to adjust. Sometimes, weight stall doesn’t mean that you aren’t making progress. Especially for new lifters, your body can put on muscle at the same time you are losing weight, this can be an explanation for an unchanged scale reading. Taking progress photos along the way can help you to determine this. If you are looking more fit but the scale isn’t changing you are simply swapping your body composition, more muscle and less fat. Another measure of this is if your strength in the gym is going up. You have most likely replaced fat with new muscle and this is why the scale hasn’t changed. The scale is a tool, it displays a number but doesn’t tell you how much fat or muscle makes it up. Use these two assessments to fill in the blanks.

Weight stall can also be a result of other uncontrollable factors. Water retention is a huge factor, poor sleep, a decrease or increase of fluid intake, menstrual cycles, and hormones are all reasons why the scale can remain unchanged but aren’t markers that you aren’t making progress. If weight stall is still continuing after several weeks, it may be time to make another adjustment.

As I mentioned before dropping in increments of about 100 calories is a good go too. Sustainable weight loss is around .25 - 1.5 lb. per week. Although it is still considered to be healthy loosing up to 2 lbs. per week, most people will find that this rate is difficult to maintain long term. If you have significant body fat to lose (are obese) (more than 30% body fat) this might not be bad and you may feel fine, even if you are losing a significant amount more. If this is the case, then it is acceptable. But for those who have less body fat to lose this may be too intense. Listen to your body, if you aren’t recovering, are extremely hungry, or gym progress is slowing you may be cutting too hard or too fast, consider less aggressive decreases in calories.

Calorie deficits can be made two ways. Using a combination of both can extend the duration of sustainable weight loss and leave you feeling a lot less burnt out. Cardio and cutting calories are great methods for fat loss when combined. Instead of dropping calories, you may want to add in 10-20 minutes of cardio a couple days a week. Just beware that added cardio will remain a part of your deficit, and if you stop it all together, you will be pulling yourself more out of your deficit. So, once you start, keep it in for the duration of your cut. Or if you decide to take it out, accommodate with decreased calories.

Continue dropping calories each time you hit a prolonged stall in increments of 100, by either adding cardio or dropping calories, or a combination of the two. Beware that extended or intense cardio can also increase hunger so applying both of these methods appropriately and moderately is your best go to for sustainable progress.

If you have reached the end of your rope with cutting and have made significant progress but it has become hard to maintain. Go back up to maintenance for a while. Beware that once you have lost weight or put on muscle your maintenance very well has changed. Find your new maintenance. If you have been dieting for a while and go back up to maintenance your weight may rise due to increase in water retention from eating more food than your body is now accustomed to. So, give your body a couple of weeks at your maintenance and then adjust if needed. Being back at maintenance resets your metabolism and preps you for another future cut, feeling refreshed and recharged. You can then start fresh again with 100 calorie drops from your maintenance level. For example, your maintenance was 2,000 calories when you first started. you cut for 10 weeks and lost 20lbs ending up at 1,500 calories. Go back up to about 1,900 or 2,000 again for a while. Then when you return feeling refreshed and energized and ready to lose more weight drop back down to 1,900 or 1,800 and continue the same process.

For those with a significant amount to lose alternating about 6-12 weeks of cutting and 4-6 weeks of maintaining (maintenance calories) is a good bet. Remember, this is a marathon not a race. We want sustainable and lasting change. Several rounds of cutting and maintaining is a good method for longevity.

Step 4.5 - Calorie Change For Building Muscle

Muscle growth, known as muscle protein synthesis (MPS), requires two key components: resistance training to provide a stimulus, and sufficient energy in the form of calories and protein to fuel the process. Proper training triggers the muscle-building signal, and nutrition supports recovery and adaptation.

For those wondering how long it takes to gain 1 pound of muscle, timelines vary by experience. Beginners may see muscle growth in just 2 to 4 weeks, with potential gains of 1–3 pounds per month. Intermediates might take 3 to 8 weeks to build a single pound, gaining about 0.5–1.5 pounds monthly. Advanced lifters could need 8 or more weeks for the same result, often gaining less than half a pound per month. Progress slows as training age increases.

Building 1 pound of muscle typically requires around 2,500 to 2,800 extra calories in total WEEKLY. That means a DAILY surplus of just 100 to 200 calories can be enough to stimulate growth, provided training and protein intake are consistent. Muscle only needs about 26 extra calories a day to grow, that’s right only 26. But eating 100 - 200 over maintenance can ensure that your growth continues if you were to have more daily expenditure through extra steps, harder training, and also account for hormone production and recovery that is required to build muscle.

More calories don't mean more muscle. For example, someone eating 500 extra calories daily won’t build more muscle than someone eating just 100 extra—but they will accumulate far more body fat. Eventually, that fat will need to be lost through dieting, which risks muscle loss and stalls progress. This is why strategic bulking is critical for physique-focused goals.

The common “dirty bulk” approach—eating anything and everything in excess—is not only ineffective but harmful to long-term progress. While it may seem like you’re fueling your gains, the extra fat gained during uncontrolled bulking leads to longer, more aggressive cuts. This increases the chance of losing the very muscle you worked hard to build, without yielding any additional gains.

The smartest bulking strategy combines progressive overload training, a modest calorie surplus, and adequate protein intake. Recovery and sleep matter too, aim for 7 to 9 hours per night—and tracking progress monthly helps you adjust as needed. Building muscle is a slow, precise process, and consistency beats extremes every time. Just like how you wouldn’t want to lose weight by cutting 1,000 calories and doing two hours of cardio every day. You wouldn’t want to be slamming down 3,000 calories per meal either.

By aiming to gain no more than 1lb a week, with .25-.5 lb. being ideal. Do a building phase of 12 -16 weeks, by adding on 100-200 calories onto your maintenance (BMR + gym sessions, cardio, daily activity). Then do a mini cut 4-6 weeks. Repeat this process, for the best physique results.

Even though, you might not be seeing the weight go up as quick as you would like to, if you are applying progressive overload, feeling good, and seeing your lifts go up, you are growing. If you aren’t seeing these things then it could be a good reason to increase your calories slightly. Take progress photos and track gym sessions to monitor progress. Scale weight may remain unchanged, but this may not be because you aren’t adding on muscle. Use these other two measures to guide you.

Step 5 - Content of Calories and How to Drop Macros

So, you have your calories for your goals now, but what levels of protein, carbs, and fats are making up your number? Yes, it is true that if you are hitting your calories your body will respond. You can eat whatever you want, and you will lose weight, maintain, or build muscle as long as you hit your determined calorie level. But this is not optimal. If you want to feel good, feel full, and fuel your body correctly, while making sure your body has the nutrients it needs, all while achieving the highest quality results…follow this.

Understanding your maintenance calories is the first step in managing your weight. These are the calories your body needs to stay at its’ current weight. If you're extremely overweight, your maintenance level may be very high—sometimes 2,500, 3,000, or more. That’s completely normal. It just means you have more room to work with, and it will likely take a while before your food intake gets very low. Starting from a higher point gives you flexibility and makes the process more sustainable.

Protein is the most important macronutrient when it comes to preserving muscle and staying full. You should aim for 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. If you're trying to lose fat, use your goal weight instead of your current weight. For example, if your goal is 150 pounds, you should eat between 150 and 225 grams of protein per day. Since protein has 4 calories per gram, 150 grams of protein would equal 600 calories.

Once you’ve set your protein intake, the rest of your calories will come from carbohydrates and fat. Let’s say your total daily calorie goal is 2,000 and you’re eating 150 grams of protein (600 calories). That leaves you with 1,400 calories to split between carbs and fat. Carbohydrates typically make up 45% to 65% of your total calories. If you choose a 50% carb ratio, that would be 1,000 calories from carbs. Since carbs also have 4 calories per gram, that equals 250 grams of carbohydrates. The remaining 400 calories would come from fat. Fat has 9 calories per gram, so you’d be eating roughly 45 grams of fat.

When you want to adjust your calories—either to lose fat or gain muscle—keep your protein intake the same. Instead, manipulate your carbs and fat. For example, to drop 100 calories, you could remove 15 grams of carbs and 4 to 5 grams of fat. To increase your calories by 100, simply add 15 grams of carbs and 4 to 5 grams of fat.

Finally, it’s important to avoid going too low on carbs or fat. For most people, it’s not sustainable to eat fewer than 100 grams of carbohydrates per day. Likewise, fat should not drop below 30 grams daily, as your body needs it for hormone production and overall health. Keeping these minimums in mind will help you stay energized, feel satisfied, and maintain long-term progress. Learning what carbohydrate and fat levels work the best for you will take time, you can always play around with these numbers.

What Kinds of Foods Should You Be Eating?

Eating clean, whole foods is one of the most powerful habits you can build—no matter if you're cutting, bulking, or maintaining. Whole foods provide the essential nutrients your body needs to function, recover, and thrive. This becomes especially important during a cut, when you're eating fewer calories and every bite matters. Clean foods also tend to be higher in volume and fiber, which helps keep you fuller for longer and reduces hunger throughout the day. But eating clean isn’t just about losing weight—it’s about living fit. If your goal is to build a strong, healthy body, your lifestyle must reflect that. You can’t reach your goal and then return to the same habits that held you back. Real change comes from creating a way of eating that supports your goals long-term. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy less healthy foods or indulge occasionally—I’ll talk more about that next. But it does mean choosing to live in a way that aligns with your goals and keeps you there, not just temporarily, but for good.

Protein sources - protein powder, tofu, eggs, egg whites, lean turkey, chicken, lean beef

Carbohydrate sources - rice, breads, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, pasta

Fat Sources - avocado, nuts, oils

Cheat Days, and Mental Breaks

It can be very beneficial to give yourself a mental break. Sometimes being on a meal plan can be draining. For some people taking diet breaks can be helpful for long-term success. I find that a true diet break is one that leaves you feeling refreshed and recharged, and ready to get back on plan. The day after eating more food than usual typically will cause the scale to go up even by several pounds. Do not worry, you didn’t ruin your progress with one day or one meal of eating off plan. The higher number reflects retained water weight that is a response of higher carbohydrates, sugar, sodium, and fats. Get back on plan and the weight will come back down in a few days.

However, diet breaks should be controlled. You can’t expect to see progress if diet breaks become very frequent, that’s when you really start to hurt progress. Aim for a planned diet break once a month. Theoretically, if you cut calories lower during the week “save calories” you can have a cheat meal every week. But I have found that this can often leave you feeling more unsatisfied during your dieting days and lead to going way overboard on your cheat day.

One of the most effective ways to enjoy a meal off-plan is to plan it intentionally—eat what you truly want without trying to “earn” it by cutting calories beforehand or punishing yourself with extra cardio afterward. When you view these meals as something bad that needs to be fixed, it often leads to a cycle of guilt, over-restriction, and rebound overeating. This mindset can make it much harder to stay consistent and feel in control.

Instead, allow yourself to enjoy the meal fully. Take the break, savor the experience, and move on without trying to compensate. Instead, when you start feeling anxious or like a break might be beneficial, plan it, enjoy it, and get right back to it the next day. When you approach it with balance and intention, these meals can actually support your long-term progress. They give you a mental reset, reduce feelings of deprivation, and help you stay committed without burnout. Planned indulgences, when done with the right mindset, aren’t setbacks—they’re strategic tools that keep you refreshed, motivated, and moving forward.

Avoid These Diet Mistakes

Cutting calories too quickly or harshly

Adding too many calories thinking it will equate to more muscle growth

Punishing yourself with extra restriction, harsh words, extra cardio to make up for discrepancies

Not tracking sauces, juices, seasonings that are secretly adding lots of calories to your meals

Summary

Identify your starting point, find your maintenance calories, eat calories to support your goal, make those calories have a good macronutrient distribution for the best results, eat clean healthy foods, give yourself some periods for a break and enjoyment, learn the process, use your mistakes to your advantage, and most importantly don’t give up.

I hope this article has left you feeling hopeful and ready to tackle your goals. As always, I am here for nutrition coaching and guidance. If you are looking for help, and or want additional information feel free to reach out to me by appointment through the consultations page. Let’s talk.