Should I eat less if an injury stops me from working out?

On Ep. 205, Nikkiey explains that her overarching principle is simple: you're burning fewer calories than usual, so there's no need to overeat. Her adjustments are small, though. She might pull carbs back by roughly 100 to 150 calories and pull fats back about 5 to 7 grams. Or she might do the opposite with fats and add a little to support recovery. She also mentions increasing protein as part of the strategy. Some clients she simply leaves at maintenance. It's individual, which is why she recommends talking it through with your coach.

What she warns against is drifting into eating too little. She has seen healing take much longer in women who almost forget to eat because they're out of their usual routine of tracking and training. Her message: keep tracking your macros, eat enough of the right foods to help your body repair, and you can still hold onto your progress while you heal.

So the episodes don't give one number. Andrea made a larger cut because her intake had been built around a lot of exercise. Leynise held steady and maintained. Nikkiey sits in between with modest trims. If your injury involves surgery or a medical condition, loop in your doctor too. The common thread is that a sharp crash diet isn't the answer. Your body needs fuel to heal.