For years, women were told that the path to health was to eat less fat, choose egg whites over whole eggs, swap full-fat yogurt for fat-free, and hold the butter.

Thankfully, nutrition science and our understanding of women’s health has evolved in recent years. Since our first cookbook launched a decade ago (Happy 10th Birthday to Run Fast Eat Slow!), Elyse has been preaching the importance of healthy fats for athletes.

Fat isn’t something to fear. Your body needs it. And if you’re an active woman who runs, trains, works, raises kids, or simply asks a lot of your body every day, eating enough nourishing food including healthy fats and complex carbs is especially important.

Hormones are complicated, and there isn’t one magical food that will “balance” them or boost testosterone. But what you eat absolutely gives your body the materials it needs to produce hormones, maintain bone health, recover from exercise, and support a healthy menstrual cycle.

One of the biggest mistakes I see active women make is simply not eating enough or obsessing over protein at the expense of balanced meals (read: It's Time To Ditch These 5 Outdated Nutrition Tips For Something Better).

Here are some of my favorite foods to regularly include for happy hormones.

1. Whole Eggs

Please don’t throw away the yolk!

Egg yolks contain fat, cholesterol, choline, vitamin D, vitamin A, B vitamins, selenium, and other nutrients your body needs.

Cholesterol often gets a bad rap, but it’s actually an essential substance in the human body. Cholesterol is the starting material your body uses to make steroid hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol.

Whole eggs are also an easy source of high-quality protein, which makes them one of my favorite foods for active women.

Try: Eggs with avocado and sourdough toast, a veggie-packed frittata, or a couple of eggs alongside a Superhero Muffin for a satisfying post-run breakfast.

2. Full-Fat Yogurt

If you’ve spent years automatically reaching for nonfat yogurt, consider giving the full-fat version a try.

Full-fat plain Greek yogurt provides protein, calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, and dietary fat—all nutrients that are particularly valuable for active women.

Fat also makes meals more satisfying and helps your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

I love full-fat Greek yogurt topped with berries, nuts, seeds, and granola. It’s also one of my favorite ingredients to add to smoothies, sauces, dressings, and baked goods (try adding yogurt to our Superhero Muffin Mix for a delicious boost).

3. Nuts and Seeds

Almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, ground flax, hemp seeds, and sunflower seeds pack a surprising amount of nutrition into a small package.

Depending on the variety, they provide:

• Healthy fats
• Protein
• Fiber
• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Selenium
• Iron
• Omega-3 fatty acids

Zinc and magnesium, in particular, play roles in numerous processes related to hormone production, metabolism, sleep, and recovery.

I love mixing up a weekly batch of trail mix with nuts, seeds, dark chocolate chips and pretzels for an energizing afternoon snack. They’re also a big reason you’ll find ingredients like almond flour, chia seeds, and pumpkin seed protein in my Superhero Mixes.

4. Butter

Yes, butter can have a place in a nourishing diet.

That doesn’t mean you have to go overboard and add butter to your coffee, but it does mean we shouldn’t fear cholesterol from healthy fats. Baking with butter can be a healthy addition to your diet. 

Butter provides fat and fat-soluble vitamins, and, just as important, it makes wholesome food satisfying and delicious. The more satisfying a meal is, the less likely you’ll be reaching for a packaged snack an hour later.

I use butter in my Superhero Muffins because I want food to taste delicious and provide lasting energy.

5. Avocados and Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

While I love butter, most of the fats in our diets should come from foods rich in unsaturated fats.

Two of the easiest ways to get them are avocados and extra-virgin olive oil.

Add avocado to eggs, grain bowls, sandwiches, and salads. Drizzle olive oil generously over roasted vegetables, grains, soups, and salads. 

6. Fatty Fish

Salmon, sardines, and other fatty fish provide protein along with the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

Omega-3 fats are important components of cell membranes and support cardiovascular, brain, and overall health. Fatty fish can also provide vitamin D, another nutrient involved in many processes throughout the body.

Aim to regularly incorporate omega-3-rich foods rather than relying exclusively on supplements.

7. Don’t Forget the Carbs

Carbohydrates are especially important for athletes.

Your body needs enough total energy to support both your training and basic physiological functions. Chronically under-fueling—whether that’s cutting calories, skipping meals, avoiding carbs, or training hard without replacing the energy you’ve burned—can disrupt reproductive hormone signaling and menstrual function.

That’s why I’m a big believer in eating complex carbs like oats, potatoes, yams, rice, fruit, quality bread, and muffins (of course!).

Carbohydrates aren’t something active women need to earn. They’re fuel for our brains and body.

The Bigger Picture: Eat Enough

This may be the most important takeaway.

You can eat all the chia seeds and Greek yogurt in the world, but if your body consistently isn’t getting enough energy to support your activity level, nutrition can become a stressor rather than a source of support.

In athletes, chronically low energy availability can interfere with reproductive hormones, bone health, recovery, immunity, and performance. This is one reason I’m so passionate about helping women move away from diet culture and toward fueling their bodies generously.

Sample Daily Menu:

Before a morning run:

A Superhero Muffin and coffee with whole milk (and hydration of course like lemon water or coconut water)

Second breakfast/post-run:

Two scrambled eggs with grated cheese, half avocado and sourdough toast or fruit.

Lunch:

A hearty rice bowl loaded with leftovers (black beans, shredded chicken, roasted veggies, olive-oil based sauce or dressing, pumpkin seeds, etc).

Anytime Snack:

Greek yogurt with berries and homemade granola or Trail Mix with fruit. 

Dinner:

Miso Butter Salmon (recipe in RFCFES), roasted potatoes, veggies with hummus, salad with vinaigrette.

Dessert:

Yes, dessert! I always crave a sweet treat after a big meal.

The Takeaway

Supporting your hormones isn’t about finding one superfood or following another restrictive diet.

It’s about consistently giving your body enough energy, protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals to do everything you’re asking it to do.

Your hormones and your workouts thrive on delicious nourishment.

This article is for general educational purposes and isn’t intended to diagnose or treat a hormonal or medical condition. If you’re experiencing changes in your menstrual cycle or symptoms that concern you, talk with your doctor.