Nutrition tips for women: endurance
Endurance often starts somewhere much more ordinary than your training plan: with whether you eat on time and get the nutrients you need. Here are 8 nutrition tips for women who want better energy, a clearer head and a steadier sense of well-being, both in the gym and in everyday life.
Why does endurance depend on food?
In a fast-paced life, food easily gets left to chance. Breakfast disappears, lunch slips late, and by evening it feels like you could eat everything at once. Many women know this pattern: family, work, workouts and other obligations all take their share.
A simple truth: women’s nutritional needs aren’t always the same as men’s. The menstrual cycle, bone density, iron needs and energy expenditure make the picture a little different. That doesn’t mean a complicated diet. It means more informed choices.
If you often feel tired, can’t focus on an evening workout, or reach for sugary, fatty snacks because of sudden hunger, it’s worth starting with the basics. These tips will help you set up a framework on which you can build your menu.
Endurance and 8 nutrition tips
1. Eat frequently
Most people don’t eat often enough to keep their energy steady and their body in shape. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the number of calories the body burns at rest to keep breathing, circulation and other basic functions going.
The original recommendation was simple: women who give the body a small 300-calorie meal every three hours support their metabolism and may concentrate better throughout the day. Skipping a meal often has the opposite effect. Your body switches to energy-saving mode, your head feels foggy and it’s easier to overeat in the evening.
In practice, this means eating 5 times a day: 3 meals and 2 snacks. Snacks don’t have to be fancy. Good choices include almonds, apples, dried fruit, energy bars, protein bars, meal replacements or protein shakes, vegetable juices and small ready-to-eat meals. Cottage cheese or yogurt also works as a mini-meal.
2. Get vitamin B2
Vitamin B2, or riboflavin, helps break down carbohydrates and fats into energy that your muscles can use. This is especially important when you do endurance training.
According to studies cited in the original, a 30-minute workout a day can lower riboflavin levels in women’s bodies. For that reason, a woman who trains should aim to get at least 1.3 milligrams of vitamin B2 a day. If your training load is high, it’s worth discussing with your doctor whether your needs may be higher.
Good sources of vitamin B2 are 1% or skim milk, nonfat yogurt, low-fat dairy products, bread, porridges and other grain products.
3. Give your body calcium
“Drink your milk, it helps build strong bones” sounds old-fashioned, but the idea hasn’t gone away. Calcium and protein are important for women, especially when the risk of osteoporosis is higher.
Running and strength training help strengthen the skeleton. At the same time, amenorrhea, meaning a deficient or absent menstrual cycle, can lead to bone mass loss even if you train regularly. The reason is lower estrogen levels, since estrogen helps keep calcium in the skeleton.
The original pointed out that about 25% of women runners suffer from amenorrhea because of low body weight and a low body fat percentage. For female athletes over 24 who are prone to amenorrhea, 800 milligrams of calcium a day may be insufficient. 1.200 milligrams, or 4 servings of milk, was considered more appropriate.
Translator’s note from the original: amenorrhea is diagnosed when the cycle has been absent for at least 3-6 consecutive months. In female athletes it is often linked to body fat % dropping below a certain level, a strict diet and a high training load.
You can get calcium from dairy products, calcium-rich tofu, leafy greens and orange juice. On the protein side, lean meat and combinations such as beans with rice work well. If your menu is very high in dietary fiber, be careful, because dietary fiber can bind calcium and other minerals in the digestive tract.
4. Plant-based eating needs some planning
Plant-based eating can be a very good choice, but only if it’s put together properly. Cutting out meat doesn’t automatically guarantee better health. It’s important to make sure your menu has enough calcium, zinc and vitamin B12.
Calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth. Zinc supports immunity, and even a small deficiency can affect memory. Vitamin B12 is important for the health of red blood cells and nerve fibers.
Because B12 is found mainly in animal products, such as red meat, crustaceans, shellfish, eggs and milk, vegans need to look for fortified foods, such as soy milk. Zinc is plentiful in meat, especially oysters, but whole grain products and wheat germ are good options too. A tablespoon or two of wheat germ can be added to porridge, a baked casserole or a smoothie.
5. Eat more greens
Folic acid is an important member of the B vitamins family. It’s found in broccoli, kale, dark leafy lettuce and citrus fruit. Many women don’t get enough folic acid.
The original noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended 400 micrograms of folic acid for women, which is more than double the usual daily requirement. The FDA was also considering fortifying grain products with folic acid. Adding folic acid to bread and pasta could increase folic acid intake by an estimated 30-70%.
Until your menu covers this on its own, eat good sources of folic acid every day. A glass of orange juice contains approx. 120 micrograms of folic acid. Because folic acid can be lost during heating, serve fruit and vegetables raw, steam or boil vegetables in a minimal amount of water, and store vegetables in the fridge.
6. Add soybeans to your menu
Foods made from soybeans, such as tofu and miso, can be a good part of a balanced menu. The original stressed the topic of cardiovascular disease: one in every two women dies of cardiovascular disease.
In Asia, soybeans have been a source of protein for more than 5000 years. They’re rich in protein and dietary fiber, lower in carbohydrates and nutritious. Soybeans contain phytoestrogens, plant compounds that may help lower “bad” cholesterol and raise “good” cholesterol levels.
Add soybeans to soups or casseroles just like regular beans. Tofu works in salads, pasta dishes, sandwiches and even shakes. Soybeans contain slightly more fat than regular beans, but the fat profile is generally better than in many processed snacks.
7. Keep an eye on your iron levels
Did you know that 50% of female runners are iron deficient? Iron is needed to produce hemoglobin in red blood cells. When iron levels are low, you may feel fatigued, your endurance drops and your muscles don’t get enough oxygen. For some people, a constant feeling of cold is also a sign.
The original noted that female distance runners often get less than 15 milligrams of iron a day. The best sources are red meat and poultry, because the iron in them is absorbed well. If you avoid red meat because of its fat content, choose a smaller portion and a leaner cut.
Two good plant-based sources are lentils and iron-fortified breakfast cereals. Coffee and tea can hinder iron absorption, so it’s better to drink them between meals. Before taking an iron supplement or making a very big change, talk to your doctor, because too much iron can hinder zinc absorption and cause constipation. You can increase the iron content of your menu by adding 60-120 grams of lean meat a day.
| Grain products | Iron content mg |
|---|---|
| Brown rice 1 cup (cooked) | 0.8 |
| Whole-grain bread 1 slice | 0.9 |
| Wheat germ 2 tbsp | 1.1 |
| Oat flakes 1 cup (cooked) | 1.6 |
| Whole grains 30 grams | 18.0 |
| Spaghetti 1 cup (cooked) | 2.0 |
| Whole-grain bran | 6.3 |
| Legumes, seeds, soy | Iron content mg |
|---|---|
| Sunflower seeds 30 grams | 1.4 |
| Soy milk 1 glass | 1.4 |
| Kidney beans ½ cup (canned) | 1.6 |
| Green beans ½ cup (cooked) | 0.8 |
| Peas ½ cup (cooked) | 1.3 |
| Tofu ½ cup | 1.8 |
| Vegetables | Iron content mg |
|---|---|
| Broccoli ½ cup (cooked) | 0.7 |
| Beetroot 1 cup | 1.8 |
| Potato baked with skin | 4.0 |
| Leafy green vegetables (lettuce etc.) ½ cup | 2.0 |
| Watermelon slice | 3.0 |
8. Count calories when you cut fat
Fat-free doesn’t mean calorie-free. That’s where many people go wrong. Fat-free products can contain a lot of sugar and calories, so overdoing them can lead to weight gain instead.
The original noted that women who cut the amount of fat in their diet to less than 30% of calories from fat saw a drop in their intake of the vitamin E they need. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, so it makes no sense to cut all fat out of your menu.
When you buy fat-free foods, check the calorie content on the package. Changes in body weight ultimately come down to how much energy you take in and how much you burn. To lose weight, expenditure has to exceed intake, but it’s smarter to do that with a nutrient-rich menu rather than on empty calories.
Practical choices that support endurance
If you want to get started without a complicated plan, do three things first. Settle on a breakfast, pack one proper snack in your bag and add at least one green vegetable a day. It doesn’t sound like a big change, but often that alone is enough to keep your evening workout from feeling like a punishment.
Pay attention to the signals your body gives you. Constantly feeling cold, unusual fatigue, menstrual cycle disruptions or a sudden drop in performance are not just “bad shape”. They can be a sign that you are getting too little energy, iron, calcium or other nutrients. In that case, it is worth talking to a doctor.
Honestly, a good menu doesn’t have to be perfect. It has to be repeatable. If 5 meals a day doesn’t fit your routine, start by making sure that no long day runs on random snacks alone. That is already a big step.
FAQ: endurance and nutrition for women
Does eating 5 times a day suit everyone?
It doesn’t have to suit everyone, but for many people it helps keep hunger and energy levels more stable. The original framework was 3 meals and 2 snacks. If you eat less often, make sure your main meals are filling enough.
Why does iron deficiency matter for women who train?
Iron helps carry oxygen to your muscles. Low iron levels can mean fatigue, poorer endurance and feeling cold. If you suspect a deficiency, don’t treat it blindly; have your levels checked instead.
Does fat-free food always help with weight loss?
No. Fat-free food can be high in calories, especially if a lot of sugar has been added. Look at the energy content and quality of the food as a whole, not just the fat percentage.
Source: www.bodybuilding.com
Translated by: Aktivist
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