Underfueling 101: are you eating enough to support your activities?
Under fueling is a tricky topic to navigate: many of the female athletes that I work with, at one point or another, ask the question: “Am I eating enough?”
How do you know what is “enough” when it comes to food for sufficiently supporting all the various activities you perform? What are the signs, symptoms, and things to look out for that might make you especially susceptible to under fueling? We’re going to tackle ALL of this (and more) in this blog post to help you feel more confident navigating the topic of under fueling, and be able to take action if you feel you might be.
In this post, we will cover:
What underfueling can look and feel like (aka signs & symptoms)
Risk factors that might make you more susceptible to underfueling (spoiler alert- being a menstruating athlete is a big one!)
What to do if you think you might be underfueling, and actions you should take
Signs & Symptoms of UnderFueling
It can be tricky to know what to look out for: the signs and symptoms of under fueling can be subtle at times, and can even seem completely unrelated to the amount of food you are consuming if you aren’t trained on what to look for (hello digestive dysfunction & anxiety). Not eating enough can manifest in a number of different ways in the body, and everyone is unique and different (no two people’s symptom pattern will look exactly the same!). When you don’t have enough energy coming in, and your energy expenditure is much beyond what you have available: our bodies start to go into survival mode. You body begins to allocate nutrients for things it needs the most to stay alive (i.e. creating energy to breathe, your heartbeat, etc.) and it begins to sacrifice “less” crucial process in the body, such as reproduction, digestion, immunity, and cognitive function. This is why an irregular menstrual cycle, anxiety, digestive issues, and weakness during sessions are some of the major symptoms those who are underfueling experience. Here are some of the multitude of signs to look out for that may be related to underfueling:
Feeling fatigue & low intensity during your sessions
Disrupted sleep
Brain fog/ not feeling as “sharp”
Gut disturbances
Missed/ irregular periods
Anxiety
Hair loss & skin issues
Persistant soreness
Weakness during & after activity
Loss of muscle (definition)
Frequent illnesses
Thyroid dysfunction
and more.
Many of these symptoms are broad, and could be related to a number of underlying root causes. However, these are red flags that shouldn’t be ignored, and should be catching your attention to investigate further.
In addition to the signs & symptoms, there are a number of risk factors that might make you more susceptible to underfueling.
Certain behaviors, thought processes, actions, etc. can perpetuate an energy imbalance, which leads to a lack of fuel available to support your body’s needs & activity levels. Some of these risk factors are “intentional”- disordered eating behaviors, over training, or fear of gaining weight are examples of how you might be intentionally consuming less than you really should be for your output. However, in clinical practice, I’ve seen many instances of unintentional underfueling just as often: whether you are trying to implement a piece of advice you read on the internet (i.e. cut out carbs in the evening, or by training fasted in the morning), or even if you aren’t eating the right things before, during, and after your workout, you could be unintentionally falling victim to underfueling. Here are a few risk factors that might put you at risk for underfueling:
Skipping meals
Intermittent fasting
Knowledge gap on nutrition information
Not eating when you are hungry (i.e. ignoring your hunger cues)
Not eating to fullness & satisfaction, regularly (ideally you want to be a 6-8 on the fullness scale)
Possessing a fear of gaining weight if you increase your food intake
Having a high training demand
Over training
Using exercise or training to “balance the scales” of your food intake
Abiding by food rules
Omitting food groups (leaving out carbs during a meal, not allowing any added sugar, etc.)
Trying to lose weight
Underlying gut issues (malabsorption)
Skipping your pre-, during, and post- session snack or meal
Using caffeine to curb your hunger
Being a menstruating athlete.
Let’s dive into that last risk factor for a hot sec.
Yes, you read that right. Just being a menstruating female athlete makes you more susceptible to underfueling. So what makes us more vulnerable to underfueling than our male counterparts? Well, there are a few reasons why: micronutrient deficiencies are common in female athletes, especially calcium, iron, and Vitamin D. Additionally, our nutrient requirements change throughout our cycle: hydration, macronutrient, and micronutrient requirements may vary as a result of the changes in our hormones throughout each cycle. Females are statistically engaged in more disordered eating behaviors, or have been diagnosed with a clinical eating disorder, than men (although in strength-to-weight sports like climbing, I would argue this might not always be the case): it is estimated that the prevalence of low energy availability coming from disordered eating in female athletes is anywhere from 6-45%. Additionally, a recent survey found that about 47.3% of female athletes across over 40 sports were at risk for low energy availability (e.g. underfueling). That means at the crag, almost half of the women present at any one given time possess any of the risk factors above which puts them at risk for underfueling. In summary, our physiology makes us more susceptible to micro & macronutrient deficiencies. Our behaviors can also make us more susceptible to low energy availability. If you are a female athlete reading this, you should be paying attention to your nutrition and actively working towards fueling adequately.
All of the risk factors mentioned above, in isolation, do not necessarily guarantee underfueling. If a few of the risk factors above resonate with you, AND you are experiencing any of the signs and symptoms discussed earlier, it’s time to take action.
So you think you might be underfueling…what are your next steps?
First and foremost, underfueling should not be taken lightly. Long term consequences include amenorrhea (loss of your period), hair loss, thyroid dysfunction, loss of bone density, increased fracture risk, and a weakened immune system are among a few common occurrences with underfueling. I say this not to fear monger- but to make you really take into consideration that your long term health is at risk. Here are a few next steps to keep in mind:
If you are experiencing one or more of the signs & symptoms mentioned earlier, it’s time to see a qualified nutrition professional that is well versed in sports nutrition to help assess your situation. Like I just mentioned, it’s just not worth the long term risks: nipping underfueling in the bud BEFORE it progresses to cause serious and potentially irreversible damage to your health should be your first priority. I understand nutritionists can come at a cost: be mindful about who you decide to work with. Vet your practitioner to ensure they have the correct qualifications to provide the quality of care you are seeking (basically, so you get the help you need and don’t waste your money having to go see ANOTHER practitioner later on). Many nutritionists offer one-off visits if you are concerned about a large investment in a coaching program, and even one single session can make a huge impact on your situation. Do your research to spend your resources wisely.
Here’s what a nutritionist or dietitian should be taking into consideration when assessing your fueling:
Your signs and symptoms (your energy levels, etc.)
Your baseline nutrition (a deep dive into your day-to-day food consumption)
Your fueling strategies (what you eat before, during, and after sessions)
Certain macro & micronutrient targets
Your training schedule, & all other activities
Blood work / labs
Your relationship with food
If you don’t think you are experiencing any of the signs & symptoms of underfueling, but you meet some of the risk factor criteria, it’s also not a bad idea to meet with a practitioner. Getting an unbiased second opinion can help either confirm you are doing all the right things (and ease your mind), or point out some areas that could be improved to ensure you are sufficiently fueled.
If you want to try tackle this on your own, here are a few things to do right away to help:
Don’t skip meals: eat balanced meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (plus snacks) DAILY.
Make fueling before your sessions a non-negotiable: in addition to your 3 meals, have a carbohydrate focused snack 30 minutes before your session, and a protein focused snack right afterwards.
Add fats to your meals: fat comes in at 9 calories per gram (where carbs & protein are 4 calories per gram) making this a fabulous bang-for-your-buck nutrient. Include healthy fats like coconut oil, butter, extra virgin olive oil, ghee, avocado oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, full fat greek yogurt, and coconut milk to your meals and snacks. Aim for at least 2 tablespoons of fat per meal.
Consider your relationship with food: do you deem certain foods “good” or “bad”? Are you eliminating certain foods or food groups out of fear? Are there arbitrary food rules you abide by that causes you to change your eating habits? All of these are big red flags that your relationship with food is compromised- which is one of the leading causes of underfueling. Completing some journal prompts on your own can help you identify where you might be stuck in this department, if you aren’t ready to work with a practitioner. Additionally, do yourself a favor and purchase the book Intuitive Eating.
Underfueling can be a tricky topic to navigate- just know you don’t have to do it alone! Please reach out if you feel you need support with this: feel free to email me personally at amanda@purelynourishednutrition.com, or check out my services page for information on prices, as well as what to expect when working with me.
Until next time!
xx,
Amanda
Resources:
Jagim AR, Fields J, Magee MK, Kerksick CM, Jones MT. Contributing factors to low energy availability in female athletes: A narrative review of energy availability, training demands, nutrition barriers, body image, and disordered eating. Nutrients. 2022;14(5):986. doi:10.3390/nu14050986
Holtzman B, Ackerman KE. Recommendations and nutritional considerations for female athletes: Health and Performance. Sports Medicine. 2021;51(S1):43-57. doi:10.1007/s40279-021-01508-8