The Undereating Trap: How Many Female Strength Athletes Struggle with Fueling Performance
In the world of strength sports, women are proving every day that they can be just as powerful, explosive, and competitive as men. Yet, despite growing representation in powerlifting, weightlifting, and CrossFit, many female strength athletes find themselves caught in a frustrating and damaging cycle—not eating enough to fuel their performance.
This problem is more common than people realize, and it often stems from a mix of outdated nutrition myths, societal pressures, and a misunderstanding of what strength athletes actually need to thrive.
As a strength coach and professional strongwoman, I sometimes find myself caught up in societal pressures. It's interesting—many of us discover strength sports and feel empowered by what our bodies can achieve, yet we still end up trying to fit into a new mold that we create for ourselves.
I want strength training to be a positive experience in your life. It should enhance your well-being, not detract from it. I want to share my journey of "undieting my diet." and I hope that through this blog and my video showing what I eat in a day, you feel inspired to start fueling your body in a way that supports your health and goals!
The Vicious Cycle of Undereating
Many female strength athletes don’t intentionally restrict food. Instead, they fall into a pattern that looks something like this:
Wanting to stay lean – The fear of gaining “too much” weight leads some women to under-eat, even when their sport demands more fuel.
Training intensity increases – Heavy lifting and high-volume training require more calories, but without enough food, the body struggles to recover.
Fatigue and plateauing – Energy levels drop, strength gains slow down, and recovery takes longer.
Frustration sets in – Instead of eating more, athletes might try to push harder in training or cut calories further, thinking they need to be “leaner” to perform better.
Injury or burnout – Eventually, the body rebels. Fatigue, hormonal imbalances, stress fractures, or loss of menstrual cycle (amenorrhea) become real risks.
Why Female Athletes Undereat
There are several reasons why this happens, even among experienced lifters:
Diet Culture Influence: Many women grow up hearing that “eating less” is the key to looking good and being healthy. This mindset can be tough to shake, even when the goal is strength, not weight loss.
Fear of Weight Gain: While weight classes exist in many strength sports, some women fear moving up in weight, even if it means better performance.
Misinformation About Macros: Some athletes underestimate how much protein, fats, and carbs they need to fuel muscle growth and recovery. You can’t compare your macros to your favorite fitness influencer or bodybuilder.
Appetite Suppression from Training: Intense workouts can sometimes blunt hunger, leading athletes to eat less than they actually need.
Breaking Free: How to Fuel for Strength and Undiet your Diet
If you’re stuck in the cycle of constantly eating in a calorie deficit—surviving on Quest bars for breakfast and loading up on “diet foods” just to squeeze into your poverty macros—it’s time to hit reset. Instead of constantly depriving yourself, take a few months to recalibrate, nourish your body, and establish a better baseline.
I guarantee that fueling properly won’t just improve your training—it will also help curb cravings, stabilize your mood, and ease the anxiety around eating. It’s time to break the cycle.
I did it! Here are my tips on how you can do it too!
1. Prioritize Performance Over Aesthetics
Strength comes first. Instead of focusing on staying as lean as possible, shift the goal to optimizing energy, strength, and recovery.
2. Track Intake and Recovery
Use a food journal or app to ensure you're getting enough calories, protein, and carbs. Signs of under-eating include sluggish workouts, frequent injuries, obsessing over food, and mood swings.
3. Get Out of a Caloric Deficit
If you are undereating, you want to gradually increase your calories. This goes hand in hand with tracking and/or getting a nutrition coach.
4. Eat the Carbs
Instead of fearing carbs, embrace them. I focused on nutrient-dense sources like sweet potatoes, rice, oatmeal, and fruit. These gave me sustained energy and kept me full without the sugar crashes.
“But oatmeal spikes your blood sugar!”
Many people believe that oatmeal and other carbohydrate-rich foods cause harmful blood sugar spikes, leading them to avoid them altogether. However, the idea that carbs are inherently "bad" is a misunderstanding of how the body processes food.
While refined sugars and highly processed carbs can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar, whole-food sources like oatmeal, rice, and sweet potatoes provide essential nutrients, fiber, and sustained energy.
Instead of fearing carbs, it's important to focus on their quality and context— no single carb is inherently bad; it’s about balance, portioning, and how it fits into your overall diet.
But don’t even fear the spike! Athletes can harness it strategically to maximize their training output. High-carb foods can actually enhance performance by providing a quick and efficient energy source. When you eat carbs, they break down into glucose, leading to a temporary blood sugar spike that fuels intense training sessions.
This rapid energy supply is especially beneficial for strength athletes and powerlifters who rely on explosive movements and sustained endurance. Fast-digesting carbs before a workout can improve stamina, delay fatigue, and support better overall performance.
5. Ditch the Diet Foods
Guess what?You cant eat real carbs again! That means no more relying on ultra-processed “Keto” snacks or low-calorie diet foods that leave you feeling unsatisfied.
While protein powder can be useful, I swapped most of my shakes for whole protein sources like meat, which kept me fuller and more satiated.
I “detoxed” from artificial sweeteners and added honey or maple syrup (in moderation). I found my palette changed and I craved sweets less!
6. Work with a Coach or Nutritionist
Having a professional assess your nutritional intake and adjust your macros based on your training cycles can be a game-changer. I have openings to take on a few nutrition clients, so feel free to inquire here.
However, it's important to note that if you believe you have an eating disorder or any underlying health issues, it's crucial to consult a qualified registered dietitian or medical professional. While nutrition coaches can be excellent resources, it's irresponsible for a coach to exceed their medical boundaries.
My biggest piece of advice for nutrition coaching is to hire someone with experience in the specific sport you are training for. For instance, if a coach primarily works with bodybuilders and bikini competitors, they may not be the best fit for someone training for strongman competitions. It can be challenging for those outside the strength community to fully understand the unique recovery demands of our intense training.
Final Thoughts
Strength training isn’t just about lifting heavy—it’s about giving your body what it needs to get stronger. Female athletes who eat enough, recover properly, and prioritize fueling over restriction will not only perform better but will feel better, too.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in this cycle, it’s time to break free. Undiet your diet, eat for strength, train with purpose, and watch yourself get stronger than ever.