If you’re eating healthy, lifting weights and still not seeing results, this episode is for you!

Host Mel Stephens explains why eating too little is one of the most common fat-loss mistakes women make in perimenopause and menopause.

You’ll learn how to calculate your personal calorie needs using fat-free mass, what Low Energy Availability (LEA) is and why it stalls weight loss, and what Dr. Stacy Sims’ research says about optimal energy intake for midlife women.

If you’ve been consuming less than 1,500 calories and wondering why your strength and fat loss goals feel impossible, this episode will give you the clarity (and numbers) you need to start fueling your body for what it needs.

Mel Stephens is Menopause 2.0 Certified through Dr. Stacy Sims, a leading researcher and expert in women’s physiology.

00:28 The Problem with Cutting Calories

01:38 Understanding Energy Availability

03:10 Calculating Your Energy Needs

06:43 Signs of Low Energy Availability

09:20 Conclusion and Next Steps

Important Numbers to Remember:

LEA threshold for women: 13.6 calories per lb or 30 calories per kg of fat-free mass.

Women should aim for 18 to 20.5 calories per lb or 40 to 45 calories per kg of fat-free mass 

Energy (Calorie) Intake Calculation Example:

Total weight: 150 lbs 

Body fat percentage: 25%

Step 1: Convert body fat percentage of 25% to a decimal (divide it by 100) = 0.25

Step 2: Calculate fat mass: (body weight) 150 lbs x 0.25 = 37.5 lbs

Step 3: Calculate fat-free mass: 150 lbs - 37.5 lbs = 112.5 lbs

Step 4: Calculate calorie intake: 112.5 lbs x 18 = 2025 calories