Podcast Summary: Realfoodology with Courtney Swan
Episode: "Calorie Deficits Don’t Work for Women"
Guest: UFC Champion Miesha Tate
Air Date: January 13, 2026
Overview
In this thought-provoking episode, host Courtney Swan interviews UFC legend Miesha Tate. The wide-ranging conversation explores Tate’s evolution from professional athlete obsessed with calorie counting and macros to a nutritionally savvy mother focused on whole, nutrient-dense foods. Together, they dismantle diet myths—especially around calorie restriction for women—and highlight the power of choosing real food for health, hormone balance, and satisfaction.
With stories from Tate’s gritty UFC beginnings, insights into her struggles with weight making, hormones, and recovery, and practical advice for women, parents, and athletes alike, this episode is a must-listen for anyone reconsidering old-school diet paradigms.
Key Topics & Discussion Highlights
1. From UFC Champion to Whole Foods Advocate
[00:00–05:15]
- Miesha is unequivocal: “I really believe that if people want to get healthier, they want to lose weight. In its basis, it's pretty simple. You can pretty much eat as much whole foods as you want.” (Miesha Tate, 00:04)
- Tate shares a vivid fight story that sparked reflection about health and resilience—not just physical performance.
2. The Challenge for Parents and the Modern Food System
[05:15–07:55]
- Both lament how parents, especially those lacking time and resources, can’t easily discern what’s truly healthy for their kids amid deceptive food labeling.
- “It seems unfair...there is a general thinking...that if it's on the shelf, it's safe.” (Courtney Swan, 07:02)
3. Macros vs. Micros: Athlete Nutrition Myths
[07:57–10:16]
- Tate critiques how professional athletes and fitness culture focus on macronutrients (“Does it fit my macros?”) at the cost of micronutrients.
- “I constantly preach about the micro...what is going to fuel you from a cellular level, your health, your brain function...” (Miesha Tate, 08:19)
- Court and Miesha discuss how inflammation, micronutrients, and brain health are pivotal for athletic performance beyond “calories in, calories out.”
4. Women and Weight Loss: Unique Challenges
[10:28–15:00]
- Both share experiences working in male-dominated fields—and the pressure it brings. Tate describes being one of the only women on her high school wrestling team and how her early journey in a male-centric MMA world forged her resilience.
- Miesha recounts her first fight—reluctance, being outmatched, and how getting her nose broken catalyzed her fighting spirit (detail-rich MMA fight story at [18:32–23:12]).
5. Recovery, Preventative Health & Hyperbaric Oxygen
[26:04–33:27]
- Detailed explanation of how modalities like hyperbaric oxygen therapy and red light contribute to recovery, brain health, and injury prevention for athletes and everyday people.
- “Flooding the liquid in your body, your plasma, with oxygen...regenerate and help with angiogenesis.” (Miesha Tate, 26:10)
6. Evolution of Miesha’s Nutrition Philosophy
[33:27–39:41]
- Standard “healthy athlete” diet: “chicken breast, rice, broccoli” and how she began to view these as missed nutritional opportunities.
- “If you’re trying a diet to lose weight, get the rice out of your diet...I would supplement it with sweet potatoes or potatoes.” (Miesha Tate, 35:23)
- The micronutrient density of food is reframed as vital, not optional.
7. Transforming Relationship With Food
[37:44–42:24]
- Both hosts found freedom and satisfaction by shifting focus away from calories and rigid portions toward nutrient density.
- Tate warns of the biological and psychological backlash from chronic calorie deficits, especially in women: “...as a woman...we are just a lot more complicated. We were meant to carry life. And our bodies are going to prioritize that.”
8. The Calorie Deficit Model is Broken for Women
[42:24–49:29]
- Women’s bodies require different care—calorie restriction modeled on men is physically and hormonally damaging for females.
- “The calorie deficit was based on a male model...It just doesn't work that way for women.” (Miesha Tate, 44:08)
- Real food and eating to genuine satiety (especially in line with the menstrual cycle) is crucial for health and metabolism.
- “No one has ever binged on steak. You cannot overeat steak because your body hits a threshold...” (Courtney Swan, 47:53)
9. Processed Foods, Palate Cleansing, and Food Industry Tricks
[48:41–54:09]
- Both decry ultra-processed foods and how their flavors “hijack” natural hunger cues and keep people craving more.
- Tate describes how, after eating clean for a while, heavily processed products now taste “like chemicals...”
- Real, nutrient-dense foods lead to natural portion control and satisfaction, while processed snacks never satisfy and sabotage health.
10. Hormones, Weight Cutting, and Real Food Recovery
[54:17–61:49]
- Tate’s fight with hypothyroidism led her to optimize her diet, especially through pregnancy and postpartum recovery.
- Her second athletic career comeback in her 30s was only possible because of a full-nutrient, real-food approach.
- “I don't think I would have come back and been as successful as I was had I not made those adjustments and changes.” (Miesha Tate, 58:59)
11. Fitness Culture Still Gets It Wrong
[61:49–64:32]
- Tate sees widespread reliance among athletes and influencers on “protein bars, protein pop tarts...” and “macro-focused” thinking—at the expense of nutrient density.
12. Reframing Dieting—Saying YES to Yourself
[73:14–75:06]
- “Stop looking at yourself as...a failure or that you've got to say no to yourself. Say yes to yourself. Start finding ways to feel safe and good about your relationship with food.” (Miesha Tate, 75:06)
- It’s about choosing nutrient-rich options and reframing it not as deprivation, but as self-affirmation and empowerment.
13. Feeding Kids Well in a Processed-World
[75:12–81:09]
- Tate shares strategies for making nutrition education fun and empowering for kids—using autonomy and analogies to explain health decisions (“soldiers and Huns” from Mulan).
- Courtney, raised similarly, reassures parents: kids may grumble now, but will be grateful later: “You are setting up your kids for a lifetime of wellness...they're going to be calling you in their 20s...thank you, mom.”
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
“You can pretty much eat as much Whole foods as you want.”
—Miesha Tate [00:04] -
“I think the athletes are so focused on the macros. And I constantly preach about the micro...I still don’t see a lot of athletes, even at the top level of the UFC, really focusing on the micronutrients.”
—Miesha Tate [08:19] -
“Women, we're so programmed to think—if we don't stick to this 1200 calorie diet, we're never gonna lose weight. And it doesn't work like that.”
—Miesha Tate [42:24] -
“The calorie deficit was based on a male model...It just doesn't work that way for women.”
—Miesha Tate [44:08] -
“No one has ever binged on steak...But we all know the feeling of eating a whole bag [of] Doritos and then 20 minutes later being like, I could have a meal.”
—Courtney Swan [47:53] -
“Stop looking at yourself as...a failure or that you've got to say no to yourself. Say yes to yourself.”
—Miesha Tate [75:06]
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Time | Segment | |-------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–05:15 | Introduction, Miesha’s health perspective | | 07:57–10:16 | Macros vs. micros: Nutrient misconceptions | | 18:32–23:12 | Miesha’s first MMA fight story and resilience | | 26:04–28:41 | Hyperbaric oxygen and red light therapy | | 33:27–35:46 | Evolution of Tate’s diet: From “bro meals” to real food| | 42:24–44:29 | Calorie deficit model is broken for women | | 61:49–64:32 | Protein bars, fitness fads, and processed food habits | | 73:14–75:06 | Reframing the diet mindset; saying YES to yourself | | 75:12–81:09 | Parenting & teaching nutrition to kids |
Tone & Style
- Laid-back, candid, and relatable storytelling—Miesha uses honesty, humor, and firsthand experience (sometimes graphically) to illustrate points.
- Courtney’s supportive and conversational; both are practical, non-judgmental, and solution-focused.
- Frank about struggles with food, body image, and societal myths.
Key Takeaways
- Women’s bodies are not small men’s bodies: Weight loss and health strategies must account for female biology and hormone cycles.
- Nutrient density over calorie counting: Real, unprocessed foods provide natural satiety, better health, and more freedom from food obsession.
- Processed foods are engineered to override biological cues: Avoiding them frees the mind and body for true health.
- Saying YES to yourself is more powerful than saying no: Empowerment and self-nourishment are the new paradigm.
- Education and example are key to raising healthy kids: Fun analogies and honest conversation can help the next generation inherit better habits.
Where to Find Miesha
- Instagram: @mieshatate
- Podcast: "Built for Growth"
- Website & Newsletter: mieshatate.com
This episode delivers a robust challenge to mainstream diet culture—arming listeners with practical, compassionate strategies for reclaiming female health through nutrition that truly nourishes.