What Women Should Eat Before & After Exercise for Peak Performance
Make Every Workout Count
I never before considered myself an athlete - I was always better at arts & crafts than competitive sports.
So I never fueled myself properly for my workouts, thinking that sports nutrition was more appropriate for marathon runners and triathletes. Not someone like me, who has never trained for a sports event, and who exercises for wellness.
In 2020, as part of my cancer recovery, I began lifting heavier weights than I had picked up even before my double mastectomy. I wanted not only to build back all of the strength that I had lost as my muscles atrophied, but I also knew how important it was for my bone health, metabolic health and aging well.
When I started strength training, something profound shifted inside me. I started to learn that I could still fuel myself like an athlete even though I wasn't training for a specific event - and improved my strength and endurance inside my workouts and the strength I have been able to build.
Breaking Free from 90s Diet Culture
I grew up in the 90s, deep in diet culture. Women like myself were taught that we should only do cardio (god forbid we develop muscles), and to avoid carbs. And even as a dietitian, it has been hard to recover from this mindset.
So when I discovered the work of Dr. Stacy Sims, I was floored. In 2019 she gave a TedX talk called "Women are Not Small Men." - it’s fascinating and I highly recommend watching it!!
The NIH wasn't required to include women in research until 1993 - that's really not so long ago. Even since then, it has been an uphill battle to include women in certain types of studies. Much of the fitness and diet recommendations for women were simply extrapolated from research done on men. The problem is, women have entirely different physiology and therefore different needs. Luckily, Dr. Sims has made it her life's work to study female physiology and has compiled incredible data that we can all use to improve our lives!
In the spirit of breaking free from diet culture and learning to embrace building muscle and getting stronger, I created this blog post on how women can optimize their workouts by fueling well.
When we're properly nourished, we have more energy to optimize our output, build strength, support bone health, balance hormones, and age well - all while feeling more confident and embodied.
Types of Movement: Beyond Cardio
Many women turn towards cardio because of societal conditioning. "Women shouldn't want to build strength" (because “ew” if our bodies get stronger and more muscular). Ironically, this is one of the best things we can do to support our long term health and longevity.
According to research, women lose 3-8% of muscle mass every decade after 30, with more rapid losses of 30-50% between ages 60-80. When you lift weights, fuel properly and build muscle, you can support a long and joyful life.
I know I want to live a life where I can play with my grandkids on the floor, and be able to travel, hike and go on many adventures for a long time!
Resistance training - Lifting weights is one of the best things you can do to protect your muscles as you age. It improves agility, reduces the risk of falls, and also increases bone density. Go as heavy as you can - if you can complete 10-12 reps but are shaking by the end, you've chosen a great weight!
Cardio is still beneficial - for metabolic health, heart health, and brain health - but if you want to live optimally, you need to balance it with weight training.
Where should you start? Aim for 20-30 minutes of strength training at least 2-3 days a week. Fuel properly and you'll start seeing significant improvements in your strength and overall vitality.
What should I eat throughout the day?
Optimizing your nutritional health means fueling yourself properly not only around workouts but throughout the day to truly benefit from your efforts!
Regardless of whether you're taking a spin class or running a marathon, a healthy diet contains the same basic components:
Vegetables
Complex carbohydrates
High-quality protein
Anti-inflammatory fats
Vegetables provide fiber that supports digestive regularity and gut health. They're packed with essential nutrients that power your energy pathways during exercise, and their phytonutrients and antioxidants support your microbiome and immunity – both of which can be challenged during training.
Complex carbohydrates are your body's primary energy source and the main fuel your muscles use during exercise. During activity, your body first relies on glucose because it's the most efficient fuel source. Only when glucose isn't readily available will your body turn to fatty acids as an alternative.
Your body stores carbohydrates – about 500g of glycogen in your muscles and another 100g in your liver. This is roughly enough to fuel a 2-hour run, but remember that the harder and faster you move, the more quickly you'll deplete these stores.
Carbs fuel not just your muscles but also your brain, supporting both physical performance and mental health. Remarkably, your brain alone requires about 60% of your body's resting glucose utilization.
At minimum, most active women need at least 130 grams of carbs per day (about 520 calories worth). Aim for 40-45% of your calories to come from whole food carbs – vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Complex sources are generally ideal, however fueling for exercise requires a somewhat different approach. If you're doing HIIT or cardio, choose lower-fiber carbs (like a piece of bread or banana rather than a bowl of bran cereal) as your pre-workout snack to reduce potential stress on your gut, especially if you're prone to digestive issues during exercise.
Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth. It provides structural integrity for every cell, muscle, and hormone in your body.
Getting sufficient protein is particularly important for women of all ages. For those with menstrual cycles, progesterone levels increase in the second half of the cycle, which breaks down protein from muscle. The body uses protein as building blocks for the uterine lining, meaning you may benefit from higher protein intake during your luteal phase.
As women enter peri- and post-menopause, we face another challenge: estrogen normally helps stimulate muscle growth, but as this effect diminishes, we need more protein to compensate for hormonal shifts.
Recent research, including a 2022 meta-analysis, found that active adults need about twice the protein compared to standard recommendations to maintain and build muscle. While the current recommendation of 0.8g/kg is designed to prevent muscle loss in sedentary individuals, research shows active women need at least 1.5g/kg. Some researchers, like Dr. Stacy Sims, suggest we need more – around 1.8g/kg, increasing up to 2.2g/kg as we age into peri-menopause and menopause.
Healthy fats are critical for hormonal balance and sustained energy. While fats aren't necessarily pre- or post-workout specific foods, they're essential for a well-balanced diet.
Eating high-quality sources of anti-inflammatory fats helps improve hormone health, skin condition, immunity, and mental well-being. They form a critical component of every cell membrane in your body, helping regulate what goes in and out of your cells. Ideal sources include avocados, wild salmon, sardines, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds.
What should I eat before and after I workout?
Keep in mind that different types of movement have different fueling requirements. Endurance athletes training for marathons or triathlons have very different needs than bodybuilders or the average gym-goer.
I typically don't recommend counting calories or doing math equations to eat well. But there's fascinating research around fueling for training, so I'll share general concepts and the rationale behind recommendations along with some numbers.
If the numbers overwhelm you, ignore them! If they help, great! I'll also provide meal ideas to help you achieve these guidelines.
Take what resonates, and leave the rest.
Pre-Workout Nutrition
Eat about 1 hour before a workout
10-15g protein pre-workout for any workout longer than 90 minutes. Fuel up to 20g protein for particularly challenging efforts.
Low fiber and low fructose options are best to reduce GI stress - especially if your stomach is sensitive and you're doing aerobic exercise.
Examples:
2 eggs (12g protein)
½ cup Greek yogurt with optional berries (15g protein)
½ cup cottage cheese with optional berries (11g protein)
Grass-fed meat stick (e.g., Chomps or Epic typically provide ~10g protein)
Tuna salad (~3 Tbsp is 11g protein)
Piece of toast with 2 tbsp almond butter, ½ banana and 1.5 Tbsp pumpkin seeds (~10g protein)
Protein shake
During Your Workout
Many people who aren’t training for a specific event don’t need to fuel during exercise (unless you’re exercising for more than an hour).
If you’re exercising for an extended period of time, use the following guidelines:
A combination of carbohydrates and protein.
30-40g carbs & 7-10g protein per hour of exercise lasting longer than 60 min.
Another way to customize this is to calculate based on total calories. Women should aim for 0.9 - 1.5 calories per pound, per hour.
There are many nuances and much more science behind this for those training for specific events, so please use this blog post as a starting point rather than your complete answer.
Post-Workout Nutrition
Fueling properly after your workout is essential to replenish depleted glycogen (sugar) stores and help build strength and optimize your efforts.
Aim for 25-30g of protein within 30 minutes of weight training
Women in peri-menopause and beyond need more protein - 40g
After weight training, focus primarily on protein
If doing endurance training or cardio - especially HIIT - include a complex carb to replenish glycogen (e.g., banana, sweet potato, rice, or hummus)
For carb calculations: aim for 20-30g of carbohydrates after an hour of aerobic exercise, or
Customize carbohydrate needs with this equation: 0.3g carbs per kg of body weight
Example: A 150-pound (68kg) woman would need 20.4g carbohydrates (equivalent to a banana)
Leucine is an amino acid required to build muscle. Support muscle building by including 3-3.5g of leucine as part of your protein intake (see recommendations below)
Timing is key - insulin sensitivity is highest within 30-45 minutes, making this the optimal timing for glycogen storage
Examples:
Protein smoothie - with unsweetened nut milk, 25-30 grams protein, almond butter and a banana - (25-30g protein ~3g leucine)
Love protein powder? Me too! But check out this blog post to ensure you're getting the highest quality!
1 cup cottage cheese with fruit (28g protein, 3 g leucine)
1 cup Greek yogurt with pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds (20g protein, 3g leucine)
Grass fed jerky or biltong, for ex:
Epic bars (many varieties - like venison, chicken, beef, salmon etc)
Protein bar, for ex: Rx Bar
Make it your lunch or your dinner. Include a protein source:
Chicken breast (6 ounces = 30g protein, 3g leucine)
6 ounces of tofu + ⅓ c pistachios (22g protein, 3.5g leucine)
6 ounces of wild salmon (30g protein, 3.8g leucine)
6 ounces of cod (26g protein, 2.5g leucine)
5 ounces of grass-fed steak (29g protein; 3-4g leucine depending on the cut)
Other Considerations
Hydration
Being well hydrated is just as important as fueling properly - dehydration is a major reason you might be hitting a wall in your workouts.
Aim to drink ½ your bodyweight in ounces every day.
Women have special considerations. During the second half of the menstrual cycle - the luteal phase - progesterone levels increase, which can alter salt balance and the body's ability to retain water. Add additional sea salt to your water or food, or consume electrolytes during your luteal phase to help counteract this and support optimal hydration.
Caffeine
Caffeine has the potential to both help and hinder us. Research shows that caffeine stimulates the release of fatty acids, helping your body use fat as fuel. It also improves muscle contractility, enhancing power and sprinting performance.
To harness these benefits, consume caffeine 20 minutes to 1 hour before HIIT training.
Keep in mind that caffeine can be dehydrating. For every cup of coffee you drink, be sure to consume at least 8 ounces of water to balance the diuretic effects and support your hydration.
Fasted Training
It's important to note that research on the benefits of fasted training has been conducted primarily on men - not women.
Dr. Stacy Sims recommends against women exercising in a fasted state, as it can inhibit fat burning. Exercising in a fed state, by contrast, increases both total calories and fat burned.
Final Thoughts
Supporting your body with proper nutrition isn't just about training for a specific event - it's about fueling yourself to live your best life. When we shift from a restriction mindset to a fueling mindset, we can tap into our true potential and strength.
Remember: you deserve to be properly nourished, whether you're training for an event or just want to live an active lifestyle.
Your body is worth the investment of good nutrition - not to make it smaller, but to make it stronger and more resilient for the long haul.