Dear Female Athletes

Dear Female Athletes

Are you always low on energy?

Are you eating right?

Why am I unable to push my limits when I train?

If the answer to the first question is yes, but the second one is not, therein lies the problem with the answer for the third question.

In most sports today, female athletes face a stigma to be of a certain body type or in a certain weight category. Often the pressure from their coaches, management or society in general on the sportsperson , pushes them to change their food intake pattern to appease the crowds.

Young athletes today have developed the habit of vomiting after every meal or flushing their bowels after a snack. Some, under the advice of their superiors, have ended up obsessed with the various weight loss teas in the market to help them reach their goal.

What they fail to realize is that especially for young women just coming into puberty, how lack of certain nutrients impacts their overall physiology leading to long term problems down the line. More specifically the menstrual health and bone strength due to hormonal imbalance.

The food athletes consume, has to compensate for the energy they spend in their particular sport. Low energy availability effects almost every system in body- metabolic rate, immunity, protein synthesis, cardiovascular systems and psychological health to name a few. And the most important one to note is the PERFORMANCE.

If you’re a female athlete suffering from these problems, the first step in the right direction would be to ask for assistance from an expert nutritionist to make a proper plan for your meals to make up your energy deficit. Build a disciplined eating pattern- NO CHEATING!!! And remember, you have to be patient. There are no shortcuts with your health.

There is a need for reduced emphasis on weight and body composition as a means to increase performance among female athletes. This can be done in a more planned and organized way instead of creating a high-pressure environment which cracks our budding athletes.