Summary

TRIGGER WARNING: Anorexia, Bulimia, Calorie and Macro Counting Mentioned

 

Are you putting in the work but want to take your physique to the next level? Listen to this episode of How To Twenty-Something where Dee Jackson, Pro BodyBuilder, discusses her expertise and experience. We talk about how eating clean will not make you fat, carbs are a necessity in your diet, and how health and lifestyle will always be the most important thing. Dee explains why you need to listen to your body, what warning signs to look out for with too low and too high of body fat, where balance fits into all of this, and why being on stage is not sustainable!

 

Key Takeaways:

  • The importance of meal timing and what to eat and when
  • A meal is a carb, a protein, and a fat
  • You need to fuel your body properly to get the results you’re after
  • Step 1 is get the fat off, step 2 is get in an eating routine
  • What a healthy body fat percentage is for a female to obtain
  • The damages that can occur if you try to keep your body fat percentage too low for too long
  • Changing your workouts when going into a deficit to prevent injury while still seeing results
  • What type of personality works best for bodybuilding
  • How to keep meal prep planning interesting
  • What supplements you should consider taking (consult your doctor first)
  • Common misconceptions around bodybuilding

What's a healthy body fat percentage for women?

Around 22-23% is considered healthy and maintainable, though there’s a wide genetic range on either side of that. Getting down to competition-stage leanness (8% or so) isn’t sustainable and is only held for a few days around a show, not something to chase as a lifestyle.

What is "reverse dieting" and why do you need to do it after a cut?

It’s the process of slowly reintroducing calories and carbs after a period of eating very little, instead of jumping straight back to normal eating. Skipping this step and going straight back to old habits can cause rapid weight regain and puts real strain on the body, since it’s been running on a calorie deficit for a while.

Why do I feel wiped out and stop seeing progress even though I'm training harder?

Overtraining without enough rest and sleep stalls progress rather than accelerating it. Muscle repairs and grows during recovery, not during the workout itself, so pushing constantly without rest days or enough sleep can leave you fatigued, moody, and stuck instead of improving.

Related Episodes

Ep. 45 Where do you get tripped up with fat loss? With Kyle Markle

Ep. 42 The truth behind training with your cycle

Ep. 36 Creating Your Healthy Foundation

Ep. 113 Everything you know about nutrition is wrong with Dee Jackson

Ep. 40 7 Signs You’re Overtraining

Ep. 110 Top 5 Fitness Myths Holding You Back

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