Ep. #809: Says You! Eating Less than 1,200 Calories Per Day

I’ve written and recorded a lot of evidence-based content over the years on just about everything you can imagine related to building muscle, losing fat, and getting healthy.

I’ve also worked with thousands of men and women of all ages and circumstances and helped them get into the best shape of their lives.

That doesn’t mean you should blindly swallow everything I say, though, because let’s face it—nobody is always right about everything. And especially in fields like diet and exercise, which are constantly evolving thanks to the efforts of honest and hardworking researchers and thought leaders.

This is why I’m always happy to hear from people who disagree with me, especially when they have good arguments and evidence to back up their assertions.

Sometimes I can’t get on board with their positions, but sometimes I end up learning something, and either way, I always appreciate the discussion.

That gave me the idea for this series of podcast episodes: publicly addressing things people disagree with me on and sharing my perspective.

Think of it like a spicier version of a Q&A.

So, here’s what I’m doing:

Every couple of weeks, I’m asking my Instagram followers what they disagree with me on, and then picking the more common or interesting contentions to address here on the podcast.

And in this episode, I’ll be tackling the following . . .

• You should never eat fewer than a certain number of calories per day (like 1,200, 1,500 or 1,800).

Timestamps:

2:01 - What happens when you eat less than 1200 calories?

2:38 - Is there a universal calorie minimum? Is there a minimum amount of calories you should eat?

4:42 - How low should you drop calories while cutting?

6:28 - Can you develop nutritional deficiencies with a low-calorie diet?

Mentioned on the Show:

My Calorie Calculator: https://legionathletics.com/tools/

Books by Mike Matthews: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/