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Chapter 3: Performance Eating for the Female Athlete
Chapter Objectives
o Describe the importance of proper nutrition for the female athlete
o Discuss proper nutrition for the female athlete
o Describe nutritional differences between female athletes of differing ages
o Describe different health protocols
Discussion Questions
o Why is calcium so important to the female athlete’s diet and how much should
they be ingesting?
o What are some factors that decrease calcium absorption in the body?
o What are some foods rich in calcium and vitamin D and why is it important to
get the right amount of both?
o What is a lack of iron in the body called and how can it be prevented?
o What are the two different forms of iron and where do they come from?
o How many calories should the female athlete be taking in at 15 years of age and
at 20 years of age?
o What are some potential dietary conditions associated with not ingesting
enough calories?
o How is the menstrual cycle affected by the amount of food intake?
o How does the pregnant athlete differ in terms of their diet versus a nonpregnant athlete?
o How should we feed children who are exercising?
o What should be ingested after a competition?
o What should the athlete be drinking during/after a competition?
Chapter Summary
A woman should first consult a physician before applying the following suggestions:
consume at least 2200–2400 kcals/day not including activity; consume at least 64
fluid ounces of water a day not including activity; consume/supplement with 30
mg/Fe a day; consume/supplement with 1200 mg/Ca a day; consume/supplement
with 800 micrograms/folate a day; consume/supplement with 4 micrograms/B12 a
day; consume/supplement with 2.2 mg/B6 a day; consume/supplement with 300–
600 mg/Mg a day; take a high quality multivitamin/mineral supplement;
consume/supplement with 4000 mg/fish oil (make sure contains EPA and DHA) a
day (2 tsp or 2–4 capsules). Please make sure they guarantee no contaminates.
Young athletes need more calories than their more sedentary counterparts. When
adding calories to the diet, it is best to give children nutrient dense between meal
snacks instead of increasing main meal portion sizes. It is also noted that 50–55%
total calories come from carbohydrates (fruit, vegetables, dairy, grains) or about 2.7
grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight. This also means that 15–25%
total calories come from protein or 0.5–1 gram of protein per pound of body weight
and 20–30% total calories from fat (only 10% or less from saturated and trans fats).
The athlete should also eat regularly (every 2–4 hours) and it is okay to let your
children have an occasional sweet treat or soft drink. However, such snacks should
be eaten only in addition to, not in place of, more nutritious foods from other food
groups. Recommend only 7 “Freebies” a week. The author also recommends taking
a high quality, age specific daily multivitamin/multimineral supplement and
hydrating with 4 8-oz glasses of water a day. Lastly, eat 3–5 grams of protein and
15–30 grams of carbohydrates after activities that last longer than 90 minutes.