Tips from Roar by Stacy Sims to Optimize Training for the Female Physiology
Roar by Stacy Sims is recommended reading for any female athlete to understand their special nutritional requirements. As a male coaching female athletes this was a real eye opener. Since many of you have a hard enough time fitting in work, training, social life and rest/sleep I have compiled some of the key points points here.
In one study of 20 active females, researchers found that the women could make greater strength gains and produce more force when they strength trained during their low-hormone phase (starts with the first day of your period) compared to training in the high-hormone phase. Women are also likely to feel less pain and recover faster. Note than Paula Radcliffe broke the world marathon record in 2002 while she had menstrual cramps.
During the high hormone phase (2 weeks before your period) its hard to make and maintain muscle. That’s why it’s particularly important for women to take in protein that’s high in leucine (the muscle-building amino acid) or branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine; three essential amino acids that compose approximately one-third of your muscle tissue) before exercise
In the 5 to 7 days before your period starts, you can reduce the effect of cramp-causing chemicals take 250 milligrams of magnesium, 45 milligrams of zinc, 80 milligrams of aspirin (baby aspirin), and 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids (flaxseed and fish oil) each night for the 7 days before your period starts. Pretraining: Take 5 to 7 grams of branched-chain amino acid supplement (BCAAs) to fight the lack of mojo. These amino acids cross the blood-brain barrier.
High estrogen makes women spare glycogen (stored glucose/carbohydrate your body uses for fuel, especially during high-intensity exercise) and increases the amount of fat women use for fuel (as well as eat into muscles for energy)—not exactly what you’re looking for when racing or doing threshold intervals. In the high-hormone phase, aim for about 1.0 gram of carbohydrate per kg of body weight (about 61 grams for a 61 kg woman) per hour. In the low-hormone phase (first 2 weeks of the cycle), you can go a bit lower—about 0.77 gram of carbohydrate per kg of body weight (about 47 grams for a 61Kg) per hour.
To compensate for the shift in core temperature and body water, it’s important to do some PMS pregaming and start drinking before you begin your workout—especially if you’re exercising in the heat. The night before, preload on sodium with a high-sodium broth such as chicken soup. There are also special preload hydration products on the market to help hyperhydrate you by pulling fluid back into your bloodstream.
Post-training: Recovery is critical. Progesterone is extremely catabolic (breaks muscle down) and inhibits recovery. Aim to consume 20 to 25 grams of protein within 30 minutes of finishing your session. Overall you should aim to get 2.0 to 2.4 gram of protein kg (61kg woman needs about 122 to 146 grams of protein per day. If your training intensity is high your protein intake needs to be at the higher end. Start with 25-30 grams with your morning meal
If you suffer from headaches the best way to head off these headaches is to stay hydrated and eat more nitric oxide (NO)–rich foods, such as beets, pomegranate, watermelon, and spinach in the days leading up to the start of your period. The NO-rich foods will promote dilation and help reduce the severity of the shift.
HOW MANY CARBOHYDRATES DO YOU NEED IN A DAY? •For moderate to high-intensity training lasting 60 to 120 minutes, you need 3.5 to 4.0 grams of carb/kg/day. •For endurance training involving 2 to 5 hours of intense training per day (distance running, cycling, swimming), you need 4.4 to 5.9 grams of carb/kg/day. •For extreme training of 5 hours or more of intense training per day (Ironman or multisport events), you need 5.9 to 6.8 grams of carb/kg/day. •For a light or non-training day, aim for 2.5 to 3.3 grams of carb/kg/day.
Products that contain fructose should be avoided, as fructose is not rapidly absorbed through the GI tract but has to go to the liver to be metabolized. Agave nectar is one of the worst offenders, as it has a greater fructose content than high fructose corn syrup, yet so many people gravitate toward it because it’s labeled natural. Glucose and/or sucrose are better options, while brown rice syrup is best. Steer clear of anything that contains sucralose and other sugar substitutes such as stevia or sugar alcohols. These compounds are not very well absorbed and can cause GI distress pretty quickly. They also can alter your gut bacteria in unhealthy ways.
In summary to maximize your training throughout your cycle you must adjust your nutrition to compensate for the different levels of hormones and their particular effects on your body. A key is that you need to eat enough. Protein amount and the timing of consuming it is extremely important for women. Ensuring that your are consuming enough good carbohydrates so that your body does not use other sources, like protein from muscles, will ensure you maximize and benefit the most from your workouts.