Nutrition for Female Athletes: Lessons from Fuel Her Game
September 10, 2025
Nutrition is something every female athlete needs to think about. Not only are you training, competing, and balancing school and maybe even work, but your body is also working behind the scenes to support bone health, hormone balance, immune function, and mental health. That is why fueling isn’t just about eating enough food, it’s about giving your body the right foundation to perform, recover, and thrive.
In July I hosted the first Fuel Her Game: Female Athlete Nutrition Workshop! We dove into exactly this, how to elevate your game and health with nutrition as a female athlete. Here are some of the key takeaways:
Energy for Female Athletes
The biggest nutrition challenge for female athletes is eating enough and avoiding the pitfalls of under-fueling. Falling just 300 to 500 calories short of your body’s needs can impact your strength, focus, menstrual cycle, and long-term health. Over time, this can lead to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs), a condition that affects growth, bone health, your menstrual cycle, and performance.
Nutrition for Female Athletes
Fueling isn’t about restriction or limitations, it’s about energy and giving your body more of what it needs. We broke it down into four building blocks:
- Carbohydrates → Your main source of energy
- Color (Fruits & Veggies) → Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants
- Protein → Recovery and muscle strength
- Fat → Hormone health and long-lasting energy
The harder you train, the more fuel (Carbs, protein, and fats) you need to stack on your plate.
Hydration & Electrolytes Matter
Hydration isn’t just about water. Think about the hydration formula – fluids + carbs + electrolytes that help your body hold onto and use that fluid. For athletes sweating in the heat, sports drinks, salty snacks, and electrolyte powders can make a big difference in your performance and recovery.
❤️ Menstrual Cycle = A Vital Sign
I know you period can be a bit of an inconvenience, especially right before a big competition. But, having a regular cycle is a great sign that your body has the fuel it needs to thrive. If you cycle is missing or is irregular ir can be an early red flag for under-fueling and REDs. To learn more check out my podcast episode on all things REDs!
What Athletes Told Me
During the Fuel Her Game workshop, many athletes shared how eye opening it was to learn about how much fuel they actually need! It’s safe to say, most of the athletes that joined were not eating enough for intense practices, weightlifting, or double sessions. Learning how to “close the fueling gap” with snacks, easy meals, and recovery options gave them confidence that food is truly their secret weapon in their sport.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you missed our last session, don’t worry, the next Fuel Her Game: Female Athlete Nutrition Workshop is coming up soon!
✨ Click here to register for the upcoming workshop ✨
This event is designed to help you:
- Break the cycle of low energy and under-fueling
- Understand how nutrition supports your menstrual cycle
- Learn how to fuel before, during & after training
- Connect with a sports dietitian to talk through real world fueling challenges and more!
Let’s fuel your game one bite at a time!
Athlete Connection – A supportive community for athletes to connect and learn from a Sports Dietitian (hi!) and each other. Share your wins, participate in challenges, ask questions and have them answered in real time!
Group calls – Monthly calls that are open to athletes and their parents to ask questions and work through any fueling challenges. Have an upcoming race or game? Let's plan how you are going to fuel that day! *Available to all Premier members.*
On Demand Videos – 30+ videos that break down the basics of sports nutrition to help you level up your game with a strong fueling plan. Protein, carbs, hydration, REDs, game day fuel, supplements, and more!
Quick tools – Fueling guides, recipes, worksheets, and calculators that will help you apply what you learn to the real world.
