As the UEFA Women’s Euros continue, it’s clear that there’s little information out there as to what women should be eating to fuel properly. Here, a top nutritionist reveals how to eat right for training.
New research commissioned by Lidl GB has revealed a major shortfall in female-focused sports nutrition knowledge.
Despite growing female involvement in fitness and competitive sport, the study found that nearly one in three women (31%) are missing out on sport during menstruation, with almost 80% of women having never received specific advice on how to fuel their bodies for exercise.
Speaking on her time in the England squad, pundit and former player Fara Williams says that “there’s a lot of work to be done in women’s sport”.
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“During my time with the Lionesses, we never had access to nutritionists, something today’s squad thankfully benefits from. But for many female players across the game, that level of support is still out of reach. There’s work to be done.”
And, while over half of respondents said that they’re interested in seeking practical nutrition guidance, only 18% of women reported ever receiving such information.
Fara adds that, during her time playing professional football, a lot of the team were under-fuelling.
“With hindsight, I can see that women in the team were under-eating for games by over restricting their calories, because we were told it was best to on the leaner side rather than the ‘weightier’ side,” she explains. “But that meant we probably weren’t performing at our best.”
Labelled ‘fat club’ by some top professional football clubs, Fara would often participate in fasting sessions before a day of training and would join in with group cardio training before she could eat.
And this gap in knowledge extends beyond professional football. The survey also highlighted the urgent need for more accessible gender-informed education around nutrition generally.
Almost 80% of women have never received specific guidance on how to fuel their bodies for exercise, while over 67% had never been given tailored guidance to support their training and recovery.
So, how should women be fuelling for exercise? And what are some of the biggest misunderstandings? We spoke to nutritionist and founder of The Food Medic, Dr Hazel Wallace to find out.
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How should women be fuelling for exercise?
“Women have historically equated healthy eating with trying to restrict food, but that’s not the case with sports nutrition. That can hold you back in terms of performance,” she explains.
“Women have distinct nutritional requirements due to hormone fluctuations across the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause. Most mainstream advice overlooks these differences, leaving many women under-fuelled and underperforming.”
To prevent against this, Dr Hazel suggests a light snack of fresh fruit before training (like a banana or a few dates) to help protect muscles and support the menstrual cycle. She also points to the importance of carbohydrates, as they are the main fuel source during exercise.
“Low-carb diets can reduce thyroid hormone levels, which play a key role in energy, metabolism and temperature regulation.”
How much protein should women who exercise be having?
“Active women doing strength or endurance training should aim for at least 1.6g of protein per kg of body weight per day,” says Dr Hazel.
“Protein intake should be spread evenly throughout the day, aiming for 20-30g per meal to support muscle repair, recovery and hormone health.”
If you’re vegetarian or vegan, Dr Hazel recommends adding legumes like beans, lentils and peas to meals, which are great sources of protein.
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Should women track their menstrual cycles for performance?
According to Dr Hazel, women who regularly train or perform at a high level should be tracking their cycle.
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“A lot of women who regularly train tend to lose their cycles, which means that they are under-fuelling and overtraining,” she explains. “This leads to putting yourself more at risk of injury or infection.”
Dr Hazel suggests tracking your cycle to see how the different stages impact your cravings and hunger, so that you can appropriately fuel yourself during the various stages.
What supplements should women be taking?
“Supplements aren’t regulated in the same way that food is,” Dr Hazel explains. “They’re not tested for safety and efficacy. I would suggest only taking the supplements that you need to be taking — recommended by a doctor — otherwise, all other nutrients should come from your diet.”
She says that the only exception to this should be vitamin D, outside of summer when you’re getting a lot less sunlight.
Feature image: Lidl GB campaigns to bring back orange slices on the eve of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025TM
