How to Eat for Endurance Without Weight Gain
As a female endurance athlete, fuelling properly can feel like a minefield.
You want to get stronger, run faster, and recover well - but you’re also conscious of your weight and body composition. And if you’re anything like most of the women I coach, you’ve probably asked:
“Do I need to eat more to perform better… or will that lead to weight gain?”
It’s a valid concern - especially when you’re juggling training, work, family, and your relationship with food. In this post, I’ll help you understand how to fuel smart without the fear of ‘undoing’ your hard work. This is your guide to achieving performance without the panic.
Why Under-Eating Is Holding You Back
Let’s start with the truth: under-fuelling is far more common than over-eating in the endurance space, especially among women.
When you consistently eat too little to support your training, your body starts to conserve energy. That means:
You feel more fatigued
Your performance stalls (or regresses)
You’re more prone to injury or illness
Your menstrual cycle might become irregular or stop altogether (a red flag for low energy availability)
Even if your goal is fat loss, under-eating is not the answer. It slows your metabolism and makes your body more resistant to change. If you’re always tired, constantly craving sugar, or dreading your workouts - this might be why.
But I Don’t Want to Gain Weight…
Totally fair. Many women fear that increasing food intake means gaining unwanted weight. But here’s the nuance:
👉 You need to eat enough to support training and recovery.
👉 You don’t need to eat like a Tour de France rider if you’re running 3–4 times a week.
What matters is timing, quantity, and quality. It’s not about eating more food in general - it’s about fuelling intentionally around your training, so your body can perform and recover without storing excess.
The Most Common Fuelling Mistakes Female Runners Make
Let’s break down a few fuelling traps I see all the time with Pretty Strong athletes:
Not eating before morning sessions
Running fasted might feel convenient, but it spikes cortisol, breaks down muscle, and leads to cravings later.
Even half a banana or a few bites of toast can make a difference.
Avoiding carbs altogether
Carbs are your body’s preferred fuel during endurance efforts.
Low-carb diets often lead to low energy, poor recovery, and mood swings.
Overcompensating post-run
You finish your long run and treat it as a free-for-all.
Yes, you need to eat post-run, but you don’t need to ‘make up’ every calorie burned with reward-style eating.
Relying on processed snacks
Energy bars and gels have their place - but shouldn’t be your daily staples.
Whole foods like oats, eggs, rice, sweet potato, chicken, tofu, and nut butters will support performance without spiking hunger later.
The Right Way to Fuel for Performance
You don’t need to eat “clean” 100% of the time or track every macro - but you do need a plan. Here’s how to fuel smarter, not more.
1. Pre-Training Nutrition
You want fuel in the tank before you move.
If training < 60 minutes:
A light snack with 20–30g of carbs (banana, toast with jam, small bowl of oats)
If training > 60 minutes or high-intensity:
Add protein and a little fat (toast + nut butter, oats + protein powder)
Avoid high-fat meals right before exercise - they slow digestion and can trigger GI issues.
2. During Long Runs or Races
For sessions over 75–90 minutes, fuelling during training becomes non-negotiable.
Aim for 30–60g of carbs per hour
Trial gels, chews, sports drinks, or even small bites of real food
Practice fuelling in training to avoid gut issues on race day
Key tip: If you don’t fuel during long sessions, your body turns to muscle for energy, not fat. That’s not what we want.
3. Post-Training Recovery
This is where so many women miss the mark.
You’ve finished a session, you’re busy, and you skip eating until hours later.
The result? Increased cravings, poor recovery, and a missed opportunity to build lean muscle.
Post-run fuelling guide:
Within 30–60 mins: A mix of carbs + protein (2:1 or 3:1 ratio)
Example: Smoothie with banana, oats, and protein powder
Or: Rice cakes with peanut butter and yoghurt on the side
Bonus: Proper recovery meals reduce muscle soreness and help regulate appetite later in the day.
4. Daily Nutrition Outside of Training
It’s not just about what you eat around your runs - it’s how you fuel throughout the day. Focus on:
Regular meals every 3–4 hours
Protein with every meal (helps with recovery + satiety)
Slow-digesting carbs like oats, wholegrain bread, rice, sweet potato
Healthy fats like nuts, seeds, olive oil, and avocado
Plenty of colour - fruit, veg, herbs, spices, all support recovery
Remember: Consistency > Perfection
How to Balance Fuelling with Body Composition Goals
If you want to improve body composition while also running well, here’s your plan of attack:
Don’t aim for a large calorie deficit
Aim for a modest deficit of ~250–300 calories if fat loss is your goal.
If you cut too aggressively, your performance will suffer.
Keep protein high
Aim for 1.6–2.2g of protein per kg of bodyweight
This preserves muscle mass while losing fat
Time your carbs wisely
Around workouts: Include faster-digesting carbs (rice cakes, fruit, white rice)
Outside of training: Stick to slower carbs (oats, lentils, wholegrains)
Don’t fear strength training
Building lean muscle helps improve body composition and performance
Sleep & stress matter more than you think
Poor sleep and high stress lead to cortisol dysregulation, cravings, and fat retention - especially around the belly
Real Talk: Fuelling Isn’t “Cheating”
Let’s break the mindset once and for all: fuelling your body isn’t cheating - it’s necessary.
Skipping food doesn’t earn you results.
Undereating won’t make you faster.
Restriction won’t help you feel better in your body.
You are not weak for needing fuel. You are strong for training like an athlete - and your body deserves to be treated like one.
Still Not Sure Where to Start?
You’re not alone. This is exactly why I built Pretty Strong Coaching - to help women like you feel confident in their nutrition and training without the constant second-guessing.
With the Hybrid Programme, you’ll get:
Personalised fuelling plans that support your training and your body goals
Nutrition coaching from a qualified Nutritionist
Endurance training tailored to your cycle, lifestyle, and time constraints
Supportive coaching without calorie obsession or shame
Want help with your fuelling?
You can run strong, fuel well, and feel good in your body - all at the same time. It just takes a smart approach, some mindset shifts, and the right support.
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