Nutrition can be a real challenge for so many of us. Food is fuel, but it’s also mental and emotional. For women especially, there’s this temptation to restrict calories in order to look a certain way. Amanda Barnhart is here to remind us that our bodies want calories. Check out her inspiring (and incredibly helpful) message below.

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Something that has been brought to my attention the last few days that seriously breaks my heart is that a lot of upcoming or younger athletes have the perception that they have to “eat less” to be able to “look like” and hopefully become a Crossfit Games athlete someday. This could NOT be further from the truth and it truly makes me sad 💔 I also feel as if it’s my duty to work to change this horrible perception. For years, I have tracked my food daily to make sure I am eating enough for my performance in the gym. I currently use @macrostax to log everything I eat and it is works best for me and my goals. I am by no means saying that logging your food is the best option for everyone and I am by no means a nutrition expert. But please if you’re curious and want to learn more check out @macrostax for yourself! I want to continue to share my truth and be as honest as possible. FOOD IS FUEL and it is so important for both body composition and more importantly performance and recovery. I eat 3400 calories a day and never let myself go to bed hungry because I know the detrimental effect it will have on my sleep and performance the following day. This is just the beginning, I promise I will continue to share more about this topic. But Please don’t hesitate to ask me questions, I will try to respond to everyone! Lastly and most importantly, please remember that your body composition and your body weight is NOT a reflection of who you are as a person. It’s what’s on the inside that matters most ♥️ #allhart #keepitreal #macros #macrostax #macrostaxpartner. . 📸 : @furyphotography

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Main image: Amanda Barnhart/Instagram