Whether it’s strength training, endurance, or classes, the gym is no longer the “male space” – and that’s so amazing! But alongside this rise in training intensity, there’s still this persistent narrative that being lighter, leaner, smaller, skinnier somehow equates better.

It doesn’t.

Fuel is not optional. You need energy. You deserve energy. Consistently training without adequate nutrition — especially training fasted — can do more harm than good.

Just because you can train fasted doesn’t mean you should train fasted.

I completely appreciate that women can train fasted, and for many, it might be the only way. Whether that’s due to specific medical reasons, religious fasting, or just a timing issue - it may be (or need to be) appropriate. But for the majority of women, if you are doing moderate to high-intensity training, lifting weights, running, or attending demanding classes, fasted training places unnecessary stress on the body.

Women are more sensitive to low energy availability (LEA) than men. When fuel is inadequate, the body doesn’t just utilise fat stores - it adapts by conserving energy. That can mean reduced training intensity, slower recovery, disrupted hormones, digestion, and poorer long-term health outcomes.

If your session feels harder than it should, your strength isn’t progressing, or you’re relying on caffeine to get through workouts, fuel (not motivation) could be the missing piece.

Under-fuelling and over-training.

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) occurs when energy intake is consistently too low to support both training demands and basic physiological function. It affects 22-58% of elite female athletes, and is increasingly seen in recreationally active women who train frequently but don’t eat enough to match.

RED-S can affect:

• Menstrual function – females often lose their period.

• Bone health and injury risk – increasing risk of osteopenia in the future.

• Metabolism – conserving energy, redirecting away from non-essential functions.

• Immune function – increased risk of illness.

• Mood and concentration – lowers mood and causes ‘brain fog.’

• Performance and recovery – both require adequate energy!

Importantly, RED-S isn’t always about extreme dieting. It can develop slowly, especially in women who eat “well” but simply don’t eat enough.

Within-day under-fuelling is often over-looked.

You don’t have to be chronically under-eating to experience negative effects. Many women fall into within-day energy deficiency, where long gaps between meals or inadequate pre- and post-training nutrition leave the body under-fuelled for hours at a time.

Common examples include:

• Training first thing in the morning fasted

• Light meals before demanding sessions

• Skipping carbs post-workout

• Waiting hours to eat after training

This pattern increases stress hormones, impairs muscle repair, and over time can contribute to hormonal disruption. This can occur even if total daily calories seem “reasonable” on paper.

Fuel timing matters. Your body needs energy when the work is happening, not just later in the day.

Menstrual health is vital. Not an inconvenience.

Losing your period due to under-eating or over-training is not a normal or healthy adaptation. It’s a warning sign.

For younger females especially, prolonged menstrual disruption can have serious consequences. Adolescence and early adulthood are critical periods for bone development and reproductive health. Extended low energy availability during these years may increase the risk of long-term hormonal issues and can negatively affect future fertility.

Fuel for performance and for health.

Fuelling your workouts properly allows you to…

• Train harder and recover faster

• Build and retain lean muscle

• Support hormonal and menstrual health

• Reduce injury and illness risk

• Improve long-term health outcomes

If you’re training hard, I imagine the long-term goal is to feel strong, resilient, and healthy. Fuelling your workouts will optimise this goal. All my clients will tell you that my favourite saying is “we don’t just want to survive, we want to thrive” – eating is thriving.

Here are some quick, easy to digest food options to have before you train:

1. 150-200g 0-2% fat Greek yoghurt with 1-2 tsp honey or jam, [optional, add a handful berries].

Easy to prep & eat, fast-digesting carbohydrates + leucine-rick protein. Great if you train in the morning and feel ‘heavy’ with solid foods.

2. 1 banana with a protein shake.

Bananas digest quickly and paired with a liquid protein source keeps it light and effective.

3. 1 slice of white/sourdough toast, drizzle honey, 2-3 tbsp cottage cheese.

Low-fibre, easily absorbed carbohydrates, with a high-quality protein.