🍽️ Why Women Need More Calories to Lose Fat: The Truth About Reverse Dieting

Brian and Rita Dakolios
May 18
3 min read

For many women, fat loss feels like a frustrating uphill battle. You eat clean, train hard, cut calories… and still struggle to see results. The truth? You might be eating too little — not too much.

Reverse dieting — the strategic process of increasing calories to restore your metabolism — has become one of the most important tools for long-term body composition success, especially for women. Experts like Mark Coles (M10), the team at Mind Pump Media, and Dr. Stacy Sims have all emphasized this reality: women’s bodies need to feel safe and nourished to let go of fat.

🔁 What Is Reverse Dieting?

Reverse dieting involves gradually increasing food intake (primarily from quality protein and carbohydrates) after a long period of dieting or under eating. It's designed to repair a sluggish metabolism, re-balance hormones, and make sustainable fat loss possible again — without extreme restriction.

🧠 Why This Matters Even More in Peri- and Post-Menopause

Hormonal shifts in peri- and post-menopause create additional metabolic stress. According to Dr. Stacy Sims, the decline in estrogen and progesterone reduces insulin sensitivity and lowers muscle protein synthesis — meaning women are more prone to fat gain and muscle loss even when eating the same or less.

“In midlife, women actually need more protein and calories to support muscle and metabolism — not less. Restricting too hard only accelerates metabolic decline.”— Dr. Stacy Sims, PhD

Many women try to “eat less and move more” as their body changes, but this often backfires, leading to:

Slower metabolism
Greater fat storage, especially abdominal
Muscle breakdown
Poor recovery and sleep
Heightened cortisol and stress response

🚫 What Happens When You Chronically Undereat

Whether you're 25 or 55, under-eating leads to:

🚫 Hormonal suppression (thyroid, estrogen, progesterone)
🚫 Increased cortisol and inflammation
🚫 Poor energy, mood swings, and disrupted sleep
🚫 Loss of lean muscle and bone density
🚫 Stalled or reversed fat loss

“Reverse dieting isn’t about eating more junk — it’s about fueling better. You build a strong metabolism the same way you build muscle — with patience, consistency, and the right inputs.”— Mark Coles

✅ How Reverse Dieting Works

Track your current intake Most women under-eat without realizing it. Start by logging your food for a week.
Increase gradually Add ~100–150 calories per week, prioritizing lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats.
Lift weights Strength training protects and builds lean tissue — which raises your metabolic rate.
Find Your Maintenance (InBody Method)Increase your calories by ~100–150 per week. For example:
- Week 1: 1,600 kcal
- Week 2: 1,700 kcal
- Week 3: 1,800 kcal
- Week 4: 1,900 kcal → InBody shows fat gain
Drop back to 1,800 kcal and hold. That’s your new maintenance — stay there to support fat loss with better energy, training, and recovery.
Adjust for menopause As Dr. Sims recommends, increase protein (aim for 30g per meal), emphasize resistance training, and use calories to support recovery and lean mass retention, not just weight loss.

🏋️‍♀️ Final Thought

Reverse dieting isn’t a magic trick — it’s about rebuilding trust with your body. Long-term success requires a healthy metabolism, stable hormones, and enough fuel to support performance and recovery. Especially in midlife and beyond, more food (done right) leads to better results.