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Own the Moment: Bolster your strength and fitness with tips from a leading health coach
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To celebrate the launch of the all-new AI-enhanced Galaxy 25, S25 Ultra, S25 Edge and S25+ series of devices which can radically enhance and empower your day-to-day, we meet up with Elena de Marco, co-founder of Dublin’s Strong Pilates and Fianna Athletic Club, to discover how she has brought her unique blend of scientific expertise and hands-on experience to encourage Irish women to make the most of their strength, health and fitness.
Born and raised in Spain, Elena de Marco studied in Spain, Boston, and Dublin, completing a four-year degree in Nutraceuticals for Health and Nutrition at the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) before going on to earn a PhD from UCD, where her pioneering research explored how different sources of protein intake influence muscle response in older adults.
While she is a qualified CrossFit and Reformer Pilates coach, Elena now focuses on overseeing the day-to-day operations and long-term vision of her businesses, drawing on both her academic background and practical experience to create environments where health, performance, and community thrive.
How do women’s and men’s nutritional needs for training and fitness differ?
While both women and men need the same essential nutrients, our bodies handle them differently, especially when it comes to training and fitness. One key difference is that women tend to rely more on fat as a fuel source during exercise, while men use more carbohydrates. Hormones like estrogen play a big role here, especially across the menstrual cycle, which can affect energy levels, recovery, and even cravings. Women also need to be especially mindful of nutrients like iron and calcium, which are vital for performance, bone health, and long-term wellbeing.
I’m a big advocate for a balanced approach to eating that applies across gender, age, and fitness level. One of the most effective and simple methods is building meals around roughly one-third non-starchy vegetables, one-third lean protein, and one-third complex carbohydrates. Personally, I tweak that to half veggies and one-quarter of the other two for maintaining body composition. I also recommend one to two snacks per day, spaced between meals, each with a mix of protein, healthy fat, and carbs – like Greek yoghurt with nuts, seeds, fruit and granola, or a whey protein shake with peanut butter and banana. Focusing on whole, minimally processed foods, staying hydrated, and reducing alcohol and processed food intake is honestly one of the most powerful (and underrated) strategies for better energy, recovery, and health.
From there, it’s about adjusting based on your size, genetics, goals and training routine. I always start with a few non-negotiables: aim for around 25g of protein in each meal and snack, enjoy complex carbs and healthy fats, don’t underestimate fibre and colourful fruits and veggies, and drink plenty of water.
Interestingly, my husband (and fellow co-founder of Fianna Athletic Club and Strong Pilates), Grant, and I actually cook and eat completely separately, which people find surprising and not very romantic, but it works brilliantly for us. While our nutritional needs differ slightly, it’s mostly about preferences and routines. I’m (inherently after so many years of studying nutrition) obsessed with nutritional balance, so every meal or snack I eat includes carbs, protein, and fat, plus tons of raw veggies like peppers, tomatoes, and big vinegary salads loaded with olives and chopped onion. I don’t eat meat, simply because I love animals too much.
Grant is more focused on hitting his carbs and protein, and veggies… well, he’s trying! We’re not big into cooking so our grocery haul (which he usually does!) is full of easy staples: rice, soups, bread, veggies, fruit, eggs, fish, and yoghurt, and we just mix and match during the week to keep it all balanced but easy to fit our super busy days.
What would be your top tips for women looking to improve their health and fitness?
One thing I absolutely advocate for, and it’s something I see time and time again in the gym, is the transformative effect of strength training for women in so many ways beyond body composition. I always say: don’t fear the heavy weights! I hear women say, “I don’t want to get bulky,” but the truth is, building muscle takes months (if not years) of focused, progressive training, plus proper fuelling and dedication. Just think about this: fat is relatively easy to lose; muscle is harder to gain. When you do start to build muscle, you don’t look bulky – you look lean, toned, and vibrant. You feel strong, capable, and more confident, and your body becomes far more metabolically healthy.
One beautiful shift I see often is when women start training alongside other strong, confident women, they become one. There’s this contagious sense of empowerment that happens, they start lifting heavier, pushing their limits, and soon enough, they’re curious about fuelling their bodies better. That’s when under-fuelling stops and the real performance gains begin, because they start understanding the importance of getting enough carbs, protein, and fat to support their goals and recovery.
It’s important to mention that hormones definitely influence energy levels, recovery, and cravings, especially across the menstrual cycle, so it’s important to be kind to yourself during those dips and adjust where needed. Some days you’ll feel like crushing a workout, and others you won’t, and that’s completely normal. Fuelling well, prioritising sleep, and knowing when to rest make a big difference.
If I had to sum up five pieces of advice for women looking to improve their health and fitness, I’d say:
1. Lift weights weekly: Strength training two to three times per week supports metabolism, confidence, and long-term health. Muscle is protective tissue, especially as we age. Pro tip: don’t train solo, join a class – it is so much easier to push your limits in a group setting
2. Build balanced meals and snacks: Each plate: 1/3 lean protein, 1/3 complex carbs, and 1/3 (or more) non-starchy veggies. And have balanced snacks between meals, don’t wait until you are starving for too long to sit down and eat.
3. Progress over perfection: It is so cliché but still true nonetheless, skip the “all or nothing” mindset. Small, consistent habits equal significant and sustainable long-term results.
4. Find your people: Surround yourself with strong women (and men), it’s empowering and contagious. The right gym community will change how you train and feel (I cannot emphasise this enough!).
5. Focus on strength, not size: Don’t fear “bulking” – it takes years of heavy training to build “too much” muscle. You’ll feel stronger, leaner, more capable… and happier!
A bit of science behind all these? Studies show women benefit massively from resistance training: Improved body composition, better insulin sensitivity, stronger bones, healthier ageing (Westcott 2012; Phillips 2016). And of course, protein is key – aim for approx. 25g per meal/snack, or 1.6–2.2g/kg bodyweight daily if active (Morton et al., 2018).
How can fitness trackers and health tech wearables help improve women’s health and fitness?
In my experience, fitness trackers and wearables, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch7, Buds3 and Ring, are amazing tools to help women take control of their health, especially because they bring so much awareness to what’s happening in your body day-to-day.
For training, tracking your heart rate zones is incredibly useful. It helps you understand how hard you’re actually working, not just how you feel. I always recommend testing your heart rate at different times and during different types of workouts to get a better sense of your effort as a percentage of your maximum capacity. Over time, this helps you fine-tune your training, avoid burnout, and see real progress.
What I personally find most helpful, within the Health App on my Galaxy S25, is the Sleep Score tracking, Energy Score, and Stress Monitoring. These areas are easy to ignore but make a huge difference in how we perform, especially with hormonal shifts throughout the menstrual cycle. Seeing a low energy score or poor sleep data can be a gentle nudge to take a rest day or adjust your intensity.
The cycle tracking feature is also a big win. Being able to track and anticipate changes in energy, mood, and cravings across your menstrual cycle helps women train more intuitively and effectively.
At the end of the day, this health app and health tracking scores are not just about steps or calories. They give women a bigger picture of their health, helping us feel more in tune with our bodies, more empowered in our choices, and ultimately more consistent in our wellbeing routines.
How important is muscle health when it comes to ageing well and longevity?
Muscle health is essential for ageing well and maintaining independence. There’s a concept called “squaring the life curve” – imagine a graph where strength, independence, and quality of life stay high with age, only declining rapidly right at the end. This is the ideal: still being able to travel, move well, and handle everyday tasks with ease as we get older.
One major threat to this is sarcopenia, defined as the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, which can start as early as your 30s and worsens if not addressed. That’s why I always encourage building muscle while you’re young and continuing resistance training and eating high-quality protein as you age.
Importantly for women, research shows muscle decline can be sharper than in men, especially post-menopause. One study found women have a 20% higher risk of sarcopenia over time, and other research shows women tend to hit critical levels of muscle loss earlier, partly due to starting with lower muscle mass.
This makes strength training and protein intake even more important for women. My own grandmother is a great example. She does gentle resistance classes daily, gets out for a walk, and has whey protein in her morning yoghurt. Simple, consistent habits make a huge difference.
Ultimately, muscle isn’t just for aesthetics or for bodybuilders; it’s key to energy, mobility, independence, mental wellbeing, and metabolic health. And the earlier we take it seriously, the better the payoff for life.
Own the moment – with the all-new AI-powered Galaxy S25 series, Buds3, Smart Ring and Watch7. The Samsung S25 family elevates the way you work, create, stay healthy and play. A sleek, premium design wrapped in a strong aluminium frame with an immersive screen, sophisticated camera and now slimmed down for a more comfortable grip, this is a phone that makes an impact.
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