Women and Strength – What We Eat Matters (part 3 of 3)

Part 3: Fuel, Load, Rest — How Women Actually Build Strength

Here’s the part that often gets missed: you cannot build strength without fuel. No amount of exercise can outwork inconsistent eating, chronic under-fueling, or fear of food. Or as we say in the fitness industry, you can’t out work a bad diet.

This blog series has been about women’s health and the importance of strength training. I wrote this (with a little help from AI) because I get lots of questions about why strength training is so much more important that cardio. Part of that is because as women, we tend to like cardio better. I find it can be more fun. It’s also because we might not have the knowledge or tools to effectively strength train. Hopefully parts one and two have helped with that.

I also created my Women’s Strength program to help bridge the gap – providing knowledge and how to do strength training with, hopefully, some fun with music and my weird sense of humour.

Because it’s come up in these classes, I know that women struggle with understanding and getting enough protein. So, I wanted to focus on that for this last part of this blog series.

Protein Is Non-Negotiable

Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth—especially for post-menopausal women. When we train our muscles, they need protein in order to get the strength that we are trying to build. Otherwise, we’re not effectively building that muscle mass that keeps us healthy and vibrant as we age. Skipping protein doesn’t just stall progress—it accelerates muscle loss because the muscles have nothing to help them as building blocks.

Muscle repair and growth happen through muscle protein synthesis (MPS).
MPS is stimulated by two things:

• Resistance training
• Adequate protein intake (especially leucine-rich protein)

MPS rises after eating protein and then returns to baseline within a few hours — even if protein is still circulating in the blood. This means one big protein hit per day is not ideal.

Well then, how much protein do we need for our muscles to be strong? As a general guideline:

• 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day
• And spread protein intake throughout the day to maximize muscle protein synthesis

So, for a 150-pound woman, that’s about 105 grams of protein each day. And now we know spreading it throughout the day is important to build strength. Eat protein every 3-4 hours, with meals and snacks. Spreading it out looks like this:

• Breakfast: 25–30 g
• Lunch: 25–30 g
• Dinner: 30–35 g
• Snack: 15–20 g

Do You Need Protein Immediately After a Workout?

The idea of a tiny “anabolic window” is outdated. What actually matters is your total daily protein intake, spreading it throughout the day and getting protein within a few hours before or after training.

If you trained fasted (first thing in the morning before ‘breaking the fast’ or if you are intermittent fasting for some reason) or just haven’t eaten in several hours: Eating protein within ~1–2 hours post-workout is helpful.

If you ate protein recently: There’s no urgency to slam a protein bar or shake.

Morning Protein Matters (Especially for Women)

Many women under-consume protein at breakfast – if they even eat breakfast. We’ve been fasting all night while sleeping. Our bodies need fuel within 1-2 hours upon waking. If we skip breakfast consistently then our body:

• Compensates the lack of fuel with hormone use so it increases cortisol, adrenaline, and glucagon
  • This often leads to afternoon/evening cravings
  • Reduced insulin sensitivity
  • Energy crashes/fatigue later in the day
• Stops MPS so muscles aren’t repairing and gaining strength
• Has more brain fog with no fuel to nourish us

If you are not a natural first thing in the morning eater, then you need to ask yourself if you are still getting all of the energy and protein you need throughout your day. We know protein is important all through the day, so maybe we start with a liquid protein source such as a shake or smoothie. Something to kickstart our engine so to speak and get MPS fired up.

Therefore, starting the day with protein:

• Reduces muscle breakdown
• Improves blood sugar stability
• Supports appetite regulation
• Improves energy and focus

Aim for at least 25–30g protein in the morning when possible. I like oatmeal with nuts and seeds added, plus a bit of almond milk. I recently bought Holos prepared overnight oats (Canadian company) that gives me 20g of protein alone; then I add nuts and seeds to this for flavour, sticking power, and a little more protein. I recognize that I won’t bother to make it from scratch myself while working so this is a much better option for me. Or I know someone who eats a cooked chicken breast with vegetables for breakfast. You’ll need to figure out what works for you and your schedule. More on good sources of protein below.

Why Protein Timing Matters More With Age

As women age, we experience anabolic resistance:

• Muscles become less responsive to protein
• Higher doses are needed to stimulate MPS

This means that skipping protein earlier in the day is more costly and “catching up” at dinner is less effective. Protein should be a daily practice, not a workout supplement.

Protein before bed can support overnight muscle repair especially if we didn’t eat enough of it during the rest of the day. Best options before bed are slower-digesting proteins (e.g., Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, casein).

I can’t say it enough; our best strategy is to eat protein with every meal, spread it throughout the day and anchor meals with your choice of protein first and build from there.

An example day might look like this:

• Breakfast: eggs with vegetables (perhaps an omelet) or Greek yogurt with fruits and nuts
• Lunch: chicken, tofu, or lentils with vegetables
• Dinner: fish, beef, or tempeh with vegetables and brown rice
• Optional snack: apple or banana with natural peanut butter

Ways to Get More Protein Each Day

It’s helpful to know what foods have protein. Here are some examples of sources of protein.

Animal-based:

• Eggs
• Greek yogurt
• Cottage cheese
• Chicken, turkey
• Beef
• Fish (salmon, tuna, cod, halibut), shrimp, scallops, mussels, oysters
• Whey or collagen protein powders

Plant-based:

• Tofu, tempeh
• Lentils and beans
• Nuts and seeds or their butters
• Edamame
• Quinoa
• Pea or soy protein powders

Protein doesn’t need to be:

• Fancy
• Hot
• A “meal”
• Time-consuming

It just needs to be present, consistent, and repeatable. Think: add, don’t overhaul.

Here are some ways to get more protein each day:

No-Cook / Minimal-Cook Protein Options

• Greek yogurt (plain or flavoured)
• Cottage cheese
• Skyr
• Hard-boiled eggs (store-bought or batch once)
• Cheese sticks or slices

Easy upgrades:

• Add Greek yogurt to fruit or granola
• Cottage cheese with crackers
• Eggs + toast

Ready-to-Eat Proteins

• Rotisserie chicken
• Canned tuna, salmon, sardines
• Deli turkey or chicken (look for lower sodium if possible)
• Pre-cooked frozen shrimp
• Frozen grilled chicken strips

Zero-cook ideas:

• Tuna + crackers
• Chicken wrapped in a tortilla with some cheese and salsa
• Shrimp tossed on a salad kit

Plant-Based

• Hummus
• Edamame (frozen or snack packs)
• Tofu (can be eaten cold or lightly heated) – I like to make tofu jerky!
• Tempeh
• Roasted chickpeas

Easy wins:

• Hummus + pita or veggies
• Edamame as a snack
• Tofu cubes tossed in a stir-fry

Protein Shakes & Smoothies

• Whey, collagen, pea, or soy protein powder
• Ready-to-drink protein shakes

Simple smoothie formula:

• Milk or soy milk
• Protein powder
• Frozen fruit
• Optional nut butter

No cooking. No chewing. High return.

Protein Snacks

• Protein bars (check for ~15–20g protein)

• Greek yogurt cups

• Trail mix with nuts
• Cottage cheese + fruit
• Jerky or meat sticks
• Boiled eggs
• Cheese + crackers
• Fruit with a nut butter or cheese

“Add-Ons” That Boost Protein Without Effort

Instead of changing meals, add one thing:

• Add Greek yogurt to oatmeal
• Add cheese to toast or soup
• Add beans to a salad kit
• Add protein powder to coffee or smoothies
• Add eggs to ramen or rice

These small additions stack quickly.

Carbs Are Not the Enemy

I also want to address carbohydrates (carbs) because some diet knowledge out there has scared people away from carbs. We need carbs to replenish muscle glycogen (energy). Without them:

• Recovery suffers
• Energy drops/brain fog
• Strength plateaus
• Hormones take a hit

What we want to ensure is that we are eating carbs that nourish and fuel our bodies. Carbs are breads, rice and pastas but they are also fruits and vegetables.

When eating carbs think about how many nutrients you are eating. Colour is a good indicator. Beige food has little in nutritional value and variation. White breads, rice and pasta have very little nourishment; they are basically fillers. Changing to breads, rice and pasta that are whole wheat offer more fiber and don’t just turn into sugar in our body. We want complex carbs that take a while to break down and offer nutritional value instead of just a sugar rush.

When selecting carbs, try to eat more fruits and vegetables. That’s where the bang for your buck is. Here are some examples of carbs that fuel your body:

• Brown rice
• Potatoes (not fried!) or sweet potatoes
• Oats
• Quinoa or freekeh
• Fruit
• Whole-grain (with the germ) bread or pasta
• Squash
• Root vegetables
• Cruciferous vegetables

What Happens When Women Under-Eat

Eating enough is a requirement. As we get older, we may not feel like cooking as much (or maybe we can’t) or we might have less people living with us making it harder to cook appropriate sized meals. I’ve done it and I’ve seen it – women are fine with popcorn for dinner. BUT that’s only okay a few times a year. Otherwise, we are not fueling our bodies which can lead to inflammation, loss of energy, and loss of muscle mass. The opposite of what we truly want.

Chronic under-fueling can lead to:

• Slower metabolism (and potentially weight gain)
• Muscle loss
• Low energy
• Poor recovery
• Stalled fat loss

You cannot build a strong body in a state of deprivation. You cannot build strength in a body that is under-fed.

How You Know You are Eating Enough

If you’re like me, you don’t have time to count calories and macros. So how do you know if you are eating enough?

First and foremost, make sure you are meeting your daily protein and carb requirements. For carbs, I recommend the Canada Food Guide (based on age range). We already talked about the importance of carbs and some good sources.

But overall, pay attention to how you feel. Here are some key things to pay attention to:

• Is your energy stable throughout the day? If your energy is crashing during the day, if you can’t get through workouts or movement without feeling drained, or if you have to rely on caffeine or sugar to get you through the day you might be needing more fuel.
• Is your hunger predictable? You should feel mildly hungry before your regular mealtimes. If you feel ravenous then you need more fuel more often. You should start to feel hungry again 3-5 hours after you’ve eaten depending on what you ate.
• Are you improving or at least maintaining your strength? If you are not, then you need to make sure you are eating enough fuel for your muscles and also doing strength training.
• What does your recovery look like after a workout? If you are sore or drained for days you might not have enough fuel for your body to recover. Make sure you are also getting enough sleep and hydration.
• Are you having mood swings? Or as my husband would ask me, “are you hangry right now?” Dips in energy levels and hormone production can affect our mood.
• Is your sleep stable? Undereating can lead to waking up at 2-4am, waking and not being able to get back to sleep, or a light or restless sleep. Make sure you’ve eaten enough throughout your day so your body can do what it’s supposed to during sleep – process, assimilate, repair, and make you stronger!
• Is your weight dropping for known reason? If you have no other medical reason for weight loss, consider whether you are getting enough calories to maintain your musculature.

I hope to see many of you that are reading this in my classes or workshops as your strongest self!