Why are we afraid of eating 2000 calories?

by Ana | September 14, 2025 | Healthy Eating, Psychology | Comments are off for this post.

The dieting industry has conditioned so many women to believe that less is always better — and that “control” equals eating the smallest amount possible. But the truth is:

1200 calories is the bare minimum needed just for basic survival functions (breathing, circulation, digestion, organ function). For most adult women, it’s essentially semi-starvation.
2000 calories (or more) is not “too much” — it’s a normal, healthy intake for most bodies to maintain energy, regulate hormones, support muscle, and keep mood and focus stable.

The fear around 2000 calories comes from years of messaging like:

“Shrink your body at all costs.”
“Smaller is better.”
“You should never trust your hunger.”

? That’s where the harm of the diet industry shows up. It normalizes under-eating and teaches women to see food as the enemy instead of fuel.

Here’s the reframe:

Eating enough is self-care.
Energy = empowerment. You think, move, recover, and live better when you’re nourished.
Restriction creates the binge/restrict cycle. That’s why 1200 calories often leads to “losing control” later.

If we can flip the script to: “Food helps me live fully, not shrink myself smaller,” the fear around 2000 calories starts to loosen its grip.