Over the past year, I’ve realized I’m in a season of life where being consistently active isn’t a “nice to have” anymore. It’s essential for how I feel now and how I want to feel in 10, 20, 30 years. Watching my 73-year-old mother act like she’s still in her 50s because of the lean muscle she built when she was my age was the turning point that shifted me from a “semi-active outdoorsy person” to someone with a clear, sustainable strength training plan.
And that’s really the point: when it comes to strength, consistency matters more than perfection. It doesn’t matter if you’re joining a strength class at the gym, braving the weight room, or doing body weight exercises at home. What counts is that you keep showing up in a way that fits your life.
There’s now a huge body of evidence to support this recommendation especially in women. Some of the biggest benefits are protecting mobility, maintaining bone density, and reducing sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss)! Those all seem pretty important if you want to continue living independently and enjoying the life you’ve built well into your twilight years.
Alongside this shift to building strength, I also noticed how much nutrition noise is out there. I’ll be the first to admit that it was pretty overwhelming and there’s a lot of “bro science” on the internet. So, I went on the hunt for the pieces (and evidence) that could complement and not complicate my life.
If you’re just starting to exercise more and want your nutrition to actually support that effort, this post is for you.
Always have some carbohydrates (and a little protein) on board before a workout
Have you ever had a moment half way through a workout where your body just feels tired? And, not in a good way like you’ve worked your muscles to failure. I sure have and I quickly realized that I’d never skip my pre-workout snack again!
When you have less than 90 minutes before a session (especially if you’re part of the morning workout club), it can be difficult to eat. That’s where liquid nutrition can help. We’re aiming for something quick, with a little protein, and minimal fat and fibre. Think ~20–50 g carbs and ~5–10 g protein.
For the Plant-based Eater: My favourite combo right now is a cup of soy milk and 1-2 sun-dried Calimyrna figs or 3 dates. This gives me a little pre-workout hydration, gets my body fired up, and makes it easier to enjoy some of nature’s candy (the figs) before lifting heavy things with my 6 AM buddies.
The Bottom Line: Have a snack pre-workout to reduce perceived exertion and improve performance. Here are some easy drinkable ideas:
- 1 cup of chocolate milk
- ½ cup of drinkable yogurt + a ½ cup glass of fruit juice
- Quick shake: 1 small banana + ½ cup frozen berries + ½ cup milk of choice + water as needed
- Protein latte: espresso + frothed milk of choice + 5-10g protein from a protein powder
- Applesauce pouch + your morning latte
Creatine for women: a supplement worth adding to your hydration routine.
Creatine is the most studied supplement on the market. Which is good news because as a dietitian I’m here for the evidence-based recommendations; and there are many good reasons to incorporate a 3-5g scoop of creatine in your next glass of water (or juice if you’re fancy like that).
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound stored primarily in skeletal muscle that assists in regenerating our cell’s primary energy source (adenosine triphosphate or ATP). This means that it helps to delay muscle fatigue and allows you to get more out of your workouts. But that’s just one bonus. There are many more such as helping to support cognitive resilience under stress, reducing age-related musculoskeletal decline, and helping to buffer mood changes during phases of the menstrual cycle. That last one in particular is key if you’re in that “peri” stage of life.
For the Plant-based Eater: Since creatine in the diet largely comes from consuming meat and fish, it is especially useful to supplement if you prefer a plant-based diet. Studies consistently show that people on vegetarian or vegan diets have lower creatine concentrations in muscle (and often brain) tissue compared with omnivores. Which means that you’ll see a bigger bump in performance when you supplement.
The Bottom Line: Either before or after your workout, scoop 3-5g of creatine monohydrate powder into a glass of your favourite hydrating beverage (e.g., water, flavoured water, juice, or electrolyte beverage). Stir to combine and enjoy the knowledge that you are supporting your muscles to make the most of that workout. Pro tip: Check the nutrition label on the package, there should only be one ingredient! Some supplement companies add “extras” that jack up the price and contribute to gut distress.
Fueling and protein intake matter more than perfection
Especially when you’re a woman adding strength training to an already full life. Your body is not grading you on how “clean” your last snack was; it’s responding to the average of what you do most of the time. If you’re consistently under‑eating (especially on training days) your body has to decide whether to use the little energy you give it to keep you alive, keep your hormones functioning, or build muscle. Spoiler: muscle building usually loses that fight. So instead of chasing the perfect macro‑balanced meal, it’s far more effective to make sure you’re actually fed, you’ve got some carbs for energy, and you’re hitting decent protein most days.
Protein, in particular, is a bit of a linchpin once you start strength training. You’re literally asking your muscles to break down and rebuild over and over, and they can’t do that on vibes alone. Getting a protein source at each meal and one or two snacks does more for your strength, recovery, and midlife hormone health than stressing over whether your Tuesday lunch had exactly 27 grams. The goal is not perfection; the goal is a pattern you can repeat on busy work days, low‑energy days, and “I ate cereal for dinner” days. If the big building blocks of 1. enough energy, 2. enough protein, and 3. somewhat regularly, are in place, the small imperfections don’t matter nearly as much as diet culture would like us to believe.
For the Plant-based Eater: Here are some easy high-protein mix and match formulas to help build your perfect bowl (because we all know that plate-bowls are superior).
- Marinated tofu + quinoa + roasted vegetables
- Sautéed mushrooms + brown lentils + roasted/baked sweet potato + tahini drizzle
- Scrambled tofu + whole grain toast + tomato + lettuce + hummus spread
- Greek yogurt + scrambled egg + sautéed vegetables + roasted squash
- Shelled edamame + brown rice + cucumber + red onion + sesame-ginger dressing
- Tempeh bacon + hummus + leafy greens + sliced tomato + quinoa
- Black beans + avocado + salsa + brown rice
The Bottom Line: Aim for at least a ¼ of your plate to be a high protein food. Complement it with whole grains and ½ a plate of veggies and you’ll be golden.
Ready to make this work for your life?
If you’ve read this and you’re thinking, “Okay, but what does this look like for me and my actual life?” that’s where working together can really help. As a dietitian, I can look at your training schedule, energy levels, lifestyle, and food preferences (plant‑based or otherwise) and translate all of this into a simple, doable plan that fits your reality. Book a discovery call for more information.
Looking for the nitty gritty information? Check out these papers:
1. Smith-Ryan AE, DelBiondo GM, Brown AF, Kleiner SM, Tran NT, Ellery SJ. Creatine in women’s health: bridging the gap from menstruation through pregnancy to menopause. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2025 Dec;22(1):2502094. doi: 10.1080/15502783.2025.2502094. Epub 2025 May 15. PMID: 40371844; PMCID: PMC12086928.
2. Lopez, H. (2007). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. Journal of The International Society of Sports Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-4