How Undereating and Overtraining are Sabotaging Your Goals
In this episode of Get Sculpted, hosts Marilynn, Tijana, & Jordanna discuss how to prevent overtraining and end overeating to achieve lasting results.
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Today, we’re discussing undereating and overtraining—two of the most common obstacles women face in reaching their fitness goals. Overtraining without adequate recovery can hinder progress and lead to burnout while undereating can lead to a cycle of overeating and poor energy management. Together, these two things are a recipe for disaster.
To break through the cycle of ups and downs in your fitness journey, you need two key components: healing your relationship with food and exercising with intention. That’s exactly what we’re discussing today so you can learn to work smarter, not harder, in your fitness journey.
In this episode, we cover:
How overtraining without adequate recovery leads to a cycle of starting and stopping progress toward your fitness goals
How learning proper form in weight training helps you to prevent injury and work smarter, not harder
Why undereating leads to uncontrolled patterns of overeating
How to heal your relationship with food by mindfully working with your body’s hunger cues
The big takeaway from this week's episode is that getting fit isn’t just about how hard you train. It’s about striking a balance with recovery and fueling your body the right way. We always leave you with actionable steps: rest as actively as you train and plan intentional rest days without overloading your schedule.
Getting fit isn't just about how hard you train. It's about balancing the training you're doing with recovery and fueling your body.
-Marilynn
Have you been stuck in the exhausting cycle of overtraining and undereating? Share this episode with a friend who needs to hear this message, and don’t forget to hit subscribe. Join us next week when we discuss “How to Never Diet Again” and set yourself up for a strong, routine-based new year.
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This podcast is brought to you in partnership with Leah Bryant Co.
More about the Get Sculpted Podcast
Welcome to Get Sculpted, the podcast designed for women ready to transform their bodies and level up their lives with science-based strategies and actionable advice.
We dive into the essentials of fat loss, muscle building, and metabolism optimization by helping you work smarter, not harder.
This isn’t about quick fixes or fad diets; it’s about creating sustainable habits and stacking wins. We’ll help you fuel your body, strengthen your mindset, and build your 2.0 sculpted self from the inside out.
We’re your hosts, Jordanna, Marilynn, and Tijana. We have over 20 years of collective experience in the training, nutrition, and body transformation business, with over 1000 transformations and counting.
Ready to get stronger, more empowered, and embrace a healthier, more resilient you? Join us every week and start sculpting the life you deserve!
The unedited podcast transcript for this episode of the Get Sculpted podcast follows
Key point: Overtraining isn’t just about working out too much—it’s often a lack of balance between stress and recovery.
Overtraining: Why More Isn’t Always Better
Marilynn and co-hosts Tijana and Jordanna debunk the myth that working harder and longer automatically leads to better results.Tijana’s Analogy: The body is like an iPhone—perimenopausal bodies drain “battery life” faster and need more frequent recharging through rest and recovery.
Inefficient Workouts: Spending hours in the gym doing unstructured or low-quality workouts leads to frustration and stalled progress. Tijana compares it to working 40 hours a week and wondering why you aren’t rich—it’s about how you spend that time, not just the hours put in.
Takeaway: Purpose and intention in training yield far better results than simply doing more.
Undereating: How It Sabotages Progress
Undereating creates a domino effect that negatively impacts recovery, energy, and progress:Short-Term vs. Long-Term: Women often follow extreme calorie deficits, leading to temporary weight loss but eventually triggering uncontrollable cravings and overeating.
Food Noise: Chronic under-eating creates constant mental chatter around food, leaving women distracted and disconnected from their daily lives.
Jordanna’s Key Insight: “Under-eating is the best and fastest way to end up over-eating.” Extreme calorie deficits make binge eating almost inevitable as the body attempts to balance itself.
Example: Tijana shared a success story of a client who stopped skipping meals and finally found freedom from cravings. With consistent, nourishing meals, the client no longer felt the urge to binge on Halloween candy or late-night snacks.
The Importance of Professional Guidance
Proper form, tailored programming, and ongoing support can help avoid overtraining and injuries.Common Pitfalls: Self-guided workouts from YouTube or improperly used gym equipment can lead to injuries or ineffective training.
Continuous Learning: Movement patterns and techniques need regular reassessment, especially after progressing to heavier weights, recovering from injuries, or adapting new training phases.
Highlight: At Get Sculpted, clients have access to in-house specialists like Francesca, who provide ongoing feedback on form, tempo, range of motion, and other critical elements of training. This ensures clients work smarter, not harder, to achieve their goals.
Building a Sustainable Relationship with Food
Reframing food as fuel and finding balance is crucial for breaking free from the cycle of overtraining and under-eating:Mindful Eating: By slowing down and savoring meals, clients rediscover the taste, texture, and enjoyment of food.
Metabolic Adaptation: Chronic under-eating lowers metabolism, making it harder to maintain or lose weight. Instead, eating enough to support workouts and recovery helps build muscle, improve energy, and maintain a healthy weight.
Fun Insight: Marilynn introduced the concept of the “pantry raccoon”—the frantic scavenging for snacks after a long period of under-eating. Clients find freedom from this cycle by eating balanced meals throughout the day.
Actionable Steps to Start Today
The hosts emphasized the importance of rest and balance, offering this week’s actionable takeaway:Rest as Actively as You Train: Schedule intentional rest days and avoid the urge to add more workouts. Rest allows the body to recover, repair, and come back stronger.
Key Reminder: Training with purpose and efficiency means you can achieve better results in less time while avoiding burnout or injuries.
Marilynn sums up the episode with a powerful message:
Fitness isn’t just about working harder—it’s about smart, balanced efforts across training, recovery, and nutrition. Breaking the cycle of overtraining and under-eating leads to better health, more consistent progress, and a stronger, more sculpted body.
Next Week’s Episode Preview: Learn how to break free from the cycle of dieting and set up a sustainable, effective routine for long-term success.
If this episode resonated with you or someone you know, share it with a friend who may be stuck in the same cycle. Don’t forget to subscribe for more tips on building a strong and sculpted body.