Nutrition and dietary intake are key factors for exercise and sport performance. While a substantial body of research highlights the impact of nutrition on exercise, many dietary and nutrient recommendations are based on research studies only conducted in men. However, the distinct physiological, neurological, and hormonal changes across a woman’s life cycle significantly affect nutritional needs. This narrative review explores key recommendations for calories, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and select supplements, highlighting the absence of sex-specific guidelines in current dietary frameworks for strength and conditioning female athletes. The review synthesizes current literature to provide practical guidance for coaches, sport dietitians, and health practitioners to optimize both performance and health outcomes for female athletes.

This excerpt from NSCA’s Guide to Sport and Exercise Nutrition discusses carbohydrate loading strategies for athletes to achieve optimal athletic performance.

This book excerpt from Developing Endurance goes over nutritional strategies for pre-competition and during competition phases to maximize performance.

The purpose of this article is to emphasize the critical need for a nutrition strategy that aligns with the specific demands inherent in the sport of soccer.

As activity levels decrease, and swelling and inflammation set in, maintaining a diet that promotes healing is essential to keeping weight under control and speeding up recovery.

This excerpt from NSCA’s Guide to Sport and Exercise Nutrition discusses the research surrounding the timing of hydration and its impact on sport performance for those participating in aerobic endurance exercise.

This article explores the critical role of nutrient timing in optimizing energy levels, supporting recovery, and enhancing overall physiological responses.

This excerpt from NSCA's Guide to Sport and Exercise Nutrition briefly discusses micronutrients and their role in optimal athletic performance.

By following the guidelines of the American Dietetic Association, a vegan or whole food, plant-based diet can be a viable option for athletes as well as non-athletes to maintain health, support athletic performance, and positively impact the environment.

Erica Suter provides insights that help drive optimal performance in female athletes though research behind the menstrual cycle, the functions of female hormones, and application to the female athlete at the 2024 NSCA’s Coaches Conference.