But one of the most common observations that I\u2019ve encountered when working with female athletes is that they\u2019re not eating enough to support their training. Yet, rarely do they ask, \u2018Am I eating enough?\u2019<\/p>\n
This could be due to pressure to stay lean for performance gains. Or societal pressures that lead to dieting mindset and behaviours. While it may be true that leaner can equate to improved performance, there\u2019s also a point where too few calories become detrimental, resulting in muscle loss, poor performance and even fat preservation \u2013 the exact opposite of what is trying to be achieved.<\/p>\n
But what cannot be forgotten is that the number of hours\u2019 training that a triathlete completes across a week requires a large amount of energy. And not just energy to support training and recovery, but also enough to support bodily functions and daily living.<\/p>\n
This highlights the importance of understanding energy balance, the risks that low energy availability poses and how to put this into practice for both performance and long-term health protection.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> Simply put: energy balance = energy (calories) in vs energy (calories) out.<\/p>\n Energy balance is the calories consumed through eating and drinking (\u2018energy in\u2019) versus those that are burned through physical activity, metabolic function and digestion (\u2018energy out\u2019 or Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)). Too few calories (deficit) results in weight loss; too many (surplus) results in weight gain. Weight maintenance is when calories in vs calories out are matched. TDEE comprises the following:<\/p>\n As you can see, the majority are burned just by keeping us alive (BMR) rather than through exercise. So very quickly, too few calories can result in our metabolic processes being compromised, which is why it\u2019s wise to think carefully about eating enough to support the exercise portion.<\/p>\n Energy availability (EA) is the energy that you have to fuel your body after subtracting those calories that are burned through exercise. Low EA or energy deficiency is when you don\u2019t have enough energy to support both your body\u2019s functions and exercise.<\/p>\n The exact number of calories that is required to avoid this is difficult to ascertain but the recommendation is that female athletes should aim for energy availability of ~45 kcal\/kg of fat-free mass (body mass less the fat).<\/p>\n So a 70kg female with 22% body fat will have 54.6kg fat-free mass. Her target therefore would be 45 x 54.6 = 2,457 calories. Any calories burned during exercise will need to be added on, so if she burns 500 calories during a run, her daily calorie requirements would be 2,957.<\/p>\n This may sound like a lot, and if she\u2019s used to shooting for 1,500 calories a day this could be difficult for her to get her head around. Furthermore, in triathlon, where there may be more than one training session per day, or long brick sessions, for example, the calorie requirements are going to be that much higher, making meeting them a challenge in itself.<\/p>\n Insufficient calorie intake can be a result of failure to replace energy required when exercise levels are increased. Or it may occur due to dieting too hard (i.e. calories too low) or disordered eating behaviours, either as a result of negative body image or perceived performance improvements. Some of the signs and symptoms of low EA include, but not limited to: Poor performance in training\/racing; low levels of concentration; fatigue; irregular or loss of periods; frequent injuries; bone fractures.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> The Female Athlete Triad is defined by three conditions:<\/p>\n The term Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) encompasses the wider health risks, which include reduced metabolic rate, protein synthesis and cardiovascular health, which occur across both genders as a result of low EA.<\/p>\n Once you have an idea of how many calories you need in order to maintain good EA, you can begin to look at ways to match these requirements. Reaching a potentially high calorie requirement may be challenging, so let\u2019s look at how we can practically do this.<\/p>\n Food and exercise logging. Firstly, understanding your current baseline from which to start is always going to be helpful. So logging your food and drink intake alongside exercise is the first step.<\/p>\n There are many apps, such as MyFitnessPal, where you can log your meals and integrate your training using your Garmin or Training Peaks, for example. Then once you\u2019ve established a baseline you\u2019re well-equipped to make adjustments or, if finances allow, seek assistance from a sports nutritionist or dietician.<\/p>\n Listen to your body. Log any symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, poor recovery and responding with dietary changes.<\/p>\n Track your monthly cycle. Many apps, such as WildAI, have excellent options for tracking sleep, energy levels, training and nutrition, which will provide an excellent picture of how you\u2019re training and recovering.<\/p>\n So, the logging reveals that you require more calories. Yes, this may seem daunting, especially if you struggle with large volumes of food, but there are some things you can try. First, let\u2019s look at what to avoid.<\/p>\nWhat is Energy Balance?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What is Low Energy Availability?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>The Female Athlete\u00a0Triad and RED-S<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How to reduce the risks<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Simple ways to eat more<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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