INTERVIEW: Fuel Like a Footballer, Tips from a Women’s Football Nutritionist

Women’s football has never been faster or more demanding. Watch a WSL match and you’ll see repeated sprints, explosive direction changes and razor-sharp decision-making right up to the final whistle. That kind of intensity does not happen on under-fuelling. According to Ireland National Team's performance nutritionist Olivia Patel, who's worked all across women’s elite football, the secret is simpler than you think: carbohydrates are the backbone of the game.

“Footballers do not need that type of adaptation because we know that they are always going to be playing at a moderate to high intensity. So therefore, we need carbohydrates,” she explains. Without enough carbs, your legs might be tired but your brain can lag too. Decision-making slips, reactions slow, passes go astray. For non-professionals, that might feel like foggy afternoons, mid-workout brain blanks or unexplained irritability despite your third coffee. Elite players do not see carbs as indulgent, they see them as tools. Rice, pasta and potatoes are the foundation of a strong, agile and energised player.

As a non-elite athlete, you do not need to eat like you are about to play 90 minutes. But if you are strength training, running, doing a HIIT class or simply surviving a busy day, carbs support both output and recovery.

Photo Credit; @olivia.fuel4performance

Training on Empty Isn’t Cool

Fasted workouts are still sold as hardcore. Patel is clear: that is bad news for women. “Training fasted is one of the worst things a player could do,” she says. “We do not want players going out training fasted because of the stresses that it will put on the body.” Even for pros, football is rarely low-intensity and the idea of low-fuel adaptation is mostly a myth.

The lesson for everyone else is simple. Intense workouts, whether HIIT, circuits, heavy lifts or competitive sport, will suffer if you start under-fuelled. Patel says it is not about rules, it is about giving your body what it needs to perform. “I encourage them to fuel as best that they can earlier in the day so it takes pressure off as the day goes on.” Even a quick carb snack can make a difference. “Carbohydrates are king,” she reminds us, emphasising the goal is enough energy for your body to thrive, not merely survive.

Prep Starts the Day Before

Match-day magic does not begin in the morning. The day before is just as important. In elite settings, players increase carbohydrate intake to top up glycogen stores. On the day itself, it is about timing and topping up. Recovery follows, often lasting 72 hours. Protein matters too. The body cannot store it like carbohydrates, so regular intake supports muscle repair and adaptation. Post-match carbs help replenish energy and aid recovery. The take-home? Skipping meals before or after a big session will not make you fitter, faster or stronger. It will just slow you down.

The ACL Reality

No discussion of women’s football is complete without injury talk. Patel does not single out ACLs, but she explains how fatigue, concentration and fuelling influence resilience.

“It may be not the fact that it’s directly having an effect on the ligaments and tendons, but if you imagine in a game, sometimes we see that the instant of those injuries will go up when that player starts fatiguing towards the end of the games,” she says. “And I think when you start explaining that to players, they suddenly realise, OK, I am kind of approaching that injury risk zone. So therefore, if I do not fuel up at half-time, effectively, I know my concentration will go down.”

The takeaway is simple. Proper fuelling and recovery keep both body and mind sharp. “I encourage players to fuel as best that they can earlier in the day so it takes pressure off as the day goes on,” she adds. That means fewer fatigue-driven mistakes and a stronger chance of making it through the final high-stakes minutes unscathed.

Credit: Telegraph/Clara Molden

Work With Your Cycle

Women’s football has brought menstrual cycles into sharper focus. There is no universal template. Some players breeze through, others feel more tired during the luteal phase, when progesterone rises and resting metabolic rate nudges up. In those cases, a little extra carbohydrate can help.

Hydration also matters. Hormonal shifts can influence fluid balance, and players with heavy periods sometimes monitor iron to reduce deficiency risk. Patel stresses individualisation. Hunger shifts before a period are not a lack of discipline. They reflect real physiology. Respond with fuel, not restriction and energy and mood will follow.

Photo Credit; Aunt Flow

Foundations Over Fads

Supplements get attention, but Patel always returns to basics. Three structured meals and snacks, protein spread across the day, carbohydrates aligned with activity, fruit and veg for micronutrients and calcium and vitamin D for bone health. Supplements are only helpful once these foundations are secure.

The women sprinting into the final minutes of a match are not relying on willpower alone. They are supported by consistent nutrition. You do not need a squad number to apply the same principles. Eat enough. Prioritise strength. Respect recovery. Feeling powerful beats feeling deprived every single time.

Photo Credit; Arsenal FC

So, whether you’re chasing a personal best in the gym, smashing a weekend 5k, or just trying to survive your busy week, remember this: fuel your body, respect your recovery and trust yourself. Carbs aren’t the enemy, strength is your superpower and feeling energised beats feeling deprived any day. Take a leaf out of a footballer’s playbook, your body will thank you.