Paleo Diet for the Slim Woman: 135 to 160 lbs, Recomp Phase

A woman at 135 to 160 pounds can recomp on a paleo diet with 1,700 to 2,000 calories and 120 to 145 grams of protein a day. At 1,850 calories, that is about 140 g protein, 160 g carbs and 72 g fat. Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, tubers, nuts and seeds cover everything.

Slim is my name for women between 135 and 160 pounds, usually a pear, hourglass or inverted triangle shape, in a recomp phase: losing fat and building muscle at the same time on 1,700 to 2,000 calories and 120 to 145 grams of protein a day.

This article is general education, not medical advice.

If you’re a woman at 135 to 160 pounds who wants the benefits of eliminating processed foods without the rigid tracking of IIFYM or the extremity of carnivore, the Paleo diet is a middle path: whole foods, no counting, and a clear list of what is in and what is out.

Paleo is one of my most recommended frameworks for Slim archetype women who want simplicity and whole-food quality without obsessive measurement.

What is paleo and how does it work?

The Paleo diet emulates the dietary patterns of pre-agricultural humans. It includes meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. It eliminates grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugar, and processed foods. The rationale is that the human digestive system evolved over hundreds of thousands of years eating whole foods and has not fully adapted to the agricultural foods of the last 10,000 years.

Common misconception: I do not actually know exactly what paleolithic humans ate. The diet is based on a reasonable hypothesis, not historical documentation, and it varied significantly by region and era. The practical benefit is not historical accuracy, it is that Paleo eliminates most processed foods and emphasizes whole food sources, which naturally improves diet quality and satiety.

What are the exact numbers for paleo at 135 to 160 lbs?

Daily calories: 1,700 to 2,000. At 1,850 calories: about 72 g fat, 140 g protein and 160 g carbs.

Minimum daily protein: 130g. Sources: grass-fed beef, chicken, turkey, pork, fish, seafood, eggs.

What you eat: Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, vegetables (all), fruit, nuts and seeds (except peanuts), healthy fats (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado), sweet potatoes and other tubers.

What you eliminate: All grains (wheat, rice, oats, corn), all legumes (beans, lentils, peanuts, soy), all dairy, refined sugar, and processed foods and vegetable/seed oils (canola, soybean, corn oil).

Carbohydrate sources (Paleo-compliant): Sweet potatoes, squash, fruit, beets, carrots. These provide the carbs to fuel your training without grains.

Water: 80 to 100 ounces daily.

What does a day of eating look like?

Breakfast: 3 eggs, 1/2 avocado, sauteed vegetables in coconut oil, 1/2 cup berries, about 450 calories, 22g protein

Lunch: 6 oz grilled chicken, large salad with olive oil, 1 medium sweet potato, about 600 calories, 52g protein

Snack: 1 apple + 1 oz walnuts, about 250 calories

Dinner: 6 oz beef, roasted vegetables in olive oil, 1/2 cup squash, about 550 calories, 48g protein

What should you expect at week 1, week 4 and week 12?

Week 1: Adjustment to removing grains and dairy. Energy may dip briefly, then stabilize as you adapt to whole-food carbs.

Week 4: Improved digestion and satiety. Body measurements changing. Energy stable from tuber and fruit carbohydrates.

Week 12: Consistent recomp progress if protein targets are met and portions are managed. Many women maintain Paleo long-term because it does not require tracking.

In a meta-analysis of short trials, paleo diets improved some metabolic markers compared with standard advice, but the studies were small and short (Manheimer et al., 2015).

What should you read next?

Compare this with Whole30 for Slim and keto for Slim, and see Slim glute training. To work with me, start with the XPL quiz, which is my intake form for every client and confirms whether Slim is your category, then see coaching options and pricing.

Written by Zavier King, personal trainer in Houston and online coach at XPL. ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Nutrition Coach.