Protein, recovery and hormones

Protein matters. Total energy matters first.

You cannot build from materials that never arrive. Protein supplies amino acids for muscle repair and remodelling, but protein alone cannot rescue a body that is chronically under-fuelled.

For healthy adults who train, a practical protein target is around 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. A large meta-analysis found that gains from additional protein tended to level off around 1.6 g/kg/day during resistance training, although the estimate has uncertainty and individual needs vary.^[1] Sports-nutrition guidance commonly gives a wider 1.2 to 2.0 g/kg range depending on training load, energy intake and goals.^[2]

More is not automatically better. Kidney disease, pregnancy, disordered eating and other health conditions need individual guidance.

Where can protein come from?

Animal sources

Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, eggs, fish, chicken, lean meat and milk provide complete proteins in relatively compact portions. A 200 g bowl of Greek yoghurt, a tin of tuna or a palm-sized serving of chicken can each contribute a useful meal-sized amount.

Plant sources

Tofu, tempeh, edamame, seitan, lentils, beans, chickpeas, textured vegetable protein and soy yoghurt all count. Combine plant foods across the day rather than trying to make every mouthful “complete”. Plant-based eaters may find the upper end of the protein range useful because digestibility and amino-acid profiles differ between foods.

A simple plate might be tofu with rice and vegetables, lentil pasta with tomato and seeds, or beans with quinoa and a tahini dressing. Food does not need to look like fitness food to support strength.

Carbohydrates are not the enemy of hormones

Carbohydrate is a useful fuel for repeated, higher-intensity work. Your muscles store it as glycogen. If you arrive at every session under-fed, training can feel harder, performance can drop and recovery has less to work with.

Sports guidance scales carbohydrate to demand. Rough ranges start around 3 to 5 g/kg/day for light training and rise to 5 to 7 g/kg/day for moderate programmes.^[4] Those are athletic planning ranges, not a command for every person. A desk-based day with one short class is different from a long training day.

For a normal Strength Lab or Reformer class, include carbohydrate in the meal one to three hours before if that feels good: oats, bread, rice, potatoes, fruit or pasta. After training, pair carbohydrate with protein when you need to restore energy for the next session. The very precise “anabolic window” has been oversold. Your whole day still matters most.

Women and men share more nutrition needs than social media admits

Both women and men need enough total energy, protein, carbohydrate, fats, micronutrients and fibre. Sex does not create two entirely different metabolisms.

Women do face specific contexts. Menstruation can increase iron requirements. Pregnancy and breastfeeding change energy and nutrient needs. During perimenopause and after menopause, preserving muscle and bone deserves more attention, which makes regular protein, resistance training, calcium and vitamin D particularly relevant. The female-athlete position statement also stresses that individual symptoms vary, and the evidence for cycle-based nutrition prescriptions remains limited.^[5]

Men can under-fuel too. The 2023 IOC consensus on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport describes disrupted reproductive function, bone health, metabolism and performance in athletes of all sexes when energy availability stays too low.^[6] Much of this research comes from athletic populations, so it should not be used to diagnose every tired person after a busy week. The core point stands: a body cannot indefinitely spend energy it never receives.

How food affects hormones, without the “hormone-balancing” fog

Hormones are signalling molecules, not a set of switches controlled by one superfood.

• Insulin helps move glucose from the blood into tissues. A rise after eating carbohydrate is normal physiology, not a failure.
• Thyroid and reproductive hormones can be affected when energy availability remains low. In women this may show up as menstrual disruption. In men, testosterone can also be affected.
• Oestrogen helps regulate bone turnover. Its decline around menopause contributes to faster bone loss, which is one reason nutrition and loading both matter.
• Cortisol responds to training, sleep, illness and psychological stress. Food can support recovery, but no snack removes the need for rest.

If periods disappear, fatigue persists, injuries accumulate or your relationship with food feels increasingly rigid, that deserves proper clinical attention. It is not a discipline problem.

Fibre is the recovery nutrient people forget

Protein gets the branding. Fibre quietly supports bowel health, feeds parts of the gut microbiome, improves satiety and is associated with lower cardiometabolic risk. Guidance commonly uses about 14 g per 1,000 kcal, which works out to roughly 25 g/day for many women and 30 to 38 g/day for many men.^[7] These are population targets, not a competition.

Easy ways to add more:

• Add berries, pear or banana to breakfast.
• Mix beans or lentils into soups, salads and sauces.
• Choose whole grains you genuinely enjoy.
• Keep frozen vegetables for the days when chopping feels impossible.
• Add nuts, seeds or ground flax to yoghurt or oats.
• Eat the potato skin when you can.

Increase fibre gradually and drink enough fluid. Very high fibre immediately before training can be uncomfortable, so move the biggest portions to meals with more time around them.

Eat enough. Include protein regularly. Keep carbohydrates in the conversation. Let plants take up real space on the plate. Then give your body time to do something with it.