Today, we’re joined by nutrition coach and Cleanish founder Lacey Baier, who shares how losing 80 pounds the “hard way” (think: extreme restriction, constant hunger, and white-knuckling discipline) ultimately led to burnout and why she had to completely rebuild her approach to food from the ground up.

This conversation goes beyond macros and meal plans. It’s about why so many women feel stuck between “all-in” and “off the rails,” how under-eating shows up in sneaky ways (even when you think you’re doing well), and how to create a system that actually works with a busy, real-life schedule.

We also get into:

Why perfection is the fastest way to fail
The mindset shift that makes nutrition sustainable
How to stop starting over every Monday
What “balanced” eating actually looks like day-to-day
Simple ways to prioritize protein without overhauling your life

If you’re tired of knowing what to do but not being able to live it consistently this episode will help.

Lacey’s Links:

https://cleanish.com/

Birthday Cake Protein Bites Recipe

To pre-order on Amazon: Cleanish Meal Prep: High-Protein Recipes for Real Life, which releases on May 19:

https://www.amazon.com/Cleanish-Meal-Prep-High-Protein-Recipes/dp/1628606126

(00:01:47) “I Ate As Little As Possible”… Here’s What Happened

(00:03:10) Why We Romanticize Being Miserable to Be Thin

(00:05:46) Calories In vs Calories Out (Still Wrong in 2026)(00:08:35) Why Eating Less Stops Working in Midlife

(00:10:55) The Real Goal: Strength, Energy, and Longevity

(00:14:30) The Protein Problem No One Talks About

(00:18:05) The 80/20 “Clean-ish” Approach That Actually Works

(00:29:40) How Much Protein You Actually Need

(00:37:45) Lacey’s Meal Prep Fail (Don’t Do This)

(00:41:15) The Simple Meal Prep Strategy That Actually Works

(00:48:15) High-Protein Desserts That Actually Taste Good

(00:52:33) Where to find Lacey Baier

Want to leave the TTSL Podcast a voicemail? We love your questions and adore hearing from you. https://www.speakpipe.com/TheThickThighsSaveLivesPodcast

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