Written in an easy-to-read question and answer format, this book by Anita Bean and Peggy Wellington discusses the common health-related problems faced by exercising women and how to prevent them. Offering women athletes practical and realistic advice, experts in the field help explain everything from eating and exercising during pregnancy to eating for competition. This book outlines the specific and unique nutritional needs of exercising women. It also brings into focus the personal issues women face regarding food intake, body image and weight management.

The book discusses the common health-related problems faced by exercising women, including anemia, amenorrhea, weight management and eating disorders. The authors outline specific strategies to prevent or alleviate these problems through proper nutrition. Plenty of charts, tables and examples are sprinkled throughout each chapter and help clarify the concepts discussed. This book covers a broad, complex subject in a way that makes sense. It translates science into practical advice and guidelines that enable readers to put the information into practice in their own training program.

Each chapter of Sports Nutrition for Women is written by a specialist in the field and contains information on diverse topics such as:

• pregnancy
• practical weight loss strategies
• body image and eating disorders
• body fat and weight management
• amenorrhea
• osteoporosis
• iron and sports anemia
• nutrition for team sports

The only weakness of the book is that many of the references are over ten years old. Since the book was first published in 1995, it fails to cover in depth some of the more recent sports nutrition issues, such as nutritional supplements for sports, performance enhancement products, sports drinks, or the vast array of energy bars made for women.

In the end, this book is highly recommended for female athletes and exercisers who want to learn more about how their bodies adapt to exercise and how nutrition can improve overall functioning.

Anita Bean is a qualified fitness instructor with a degree in nutrition. She is the author of The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition and Food for Fitness.

Peggy Wellington, a freelance sports nutritionist, was an advisor at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. Along with Anita Bean, she is co-director of P&A Sports Nutrition in Great Britain.