Fitness coach Greg Doucette recently broke down the physique and diet claims of female bodybuilder Magda Banas, and he is not buying the numbers she posts online.
Banas, known for her remarkably shredded year-round condition, claims to eat 4,055 calories a day made up of 190 grams of protein, 520 grams of carbohydrates, and 135 grams of fat. Greg found this impossible to believe for a woman he estimates weighs around 90 lbs.
“There’s no way she’s eating this,” he said, adding that unless she is training for ultramarathons or Iron Man competitions, the math simply does not work for someone her size.
His concern goes well beyond the calorie math. He argues that maintaining single-digit body fat as a female is flat-out unhealthy and that no competitive category requires it.
“At sub 10% body fat as a female, it is unhealthy. Can cause various problems. For example, amenorrhea. She could lose her period, have an inability to have children now and in her future. Her estrogen levels are going to be plummeted. She could get osteoporosis. It’s not good. Decreased libido, low energy, chronic fatigue, insomnia, losing your hair,” he said.
Greg noted that Banas previously carried significantly more body fat and has since leaned down considerably, earning constant compliments along the way. He raised the question of whether the positive reinforcement has pushed her past a healthy stopping point.
“If she were to gain back 10 lbs of body fat, would she be okay with her reflection in the mirror?” he asked, suggesting the possibility of body dysmorphia playing a role.
On the calorie claim, Greg was direct. Thermodynamics do not bend for anyone. “If you eat 4,000 calories and you’re this lean, then there’s something wrong with your body. Your body isn’t absorbing nutrients, or you’re doing four or five hours of cardio a day.”
He added that no enhancement, whether roids, peptides, or growth hormone, would allow a woman of roughly 90 lbs to eat that volume of food without either gaining significant weight or burning it off through a high volume of cardio.
Greg’s criticism is not meant to dismiss Banas as a coach. He acknowledged she provides useful information on tracking and nutrition, calling her a female version of himself in that regard. His warning is aimed squarely at the viewer.
“She is a coach. She can teach you how to lose weight, but your goal shouldn’t be to copy this,” he stated.
For female athletes, Greg recommends a body fat range of 18 to 22 percent as a healthy target. Below 18 percent carries real risk, and below 10 percent, in his view, is dangerous without exception.
“If you start going below 18% it becomes risky,” he said. “When you’re single-digit body fat in a female, it isn’t healthy for anyone, ever.”
