Men and women are built differently and; Although there are many similarities when it comes to what we need in the way of food, our differences are enough to warrant special attention. The main goal of most women is probably to get rid of excess body fat and get some great looking curves. For the female bodybuilder, the main goal is to gain muscle and lose fat.
Your first step will be to determine your calorie intake. If you only eat 1200 calories a day, you won’t get anywhere. Keep in mind that because women build muscle at less than half the rate that men do, your calorie intake won’t be as significant. This is due to decreased testosterone levels in women.
Most women would do well to add 10% of their body weight to their current caloric intake. The general rule of thumb is to multiply your body weight by 14 or 15. This number will be the number of calories you should eat every day.
Second, you need to calculate your carbohydrate and healthy fat intake for each day. Women looking to lose weight usually cut back on both, but women looking to build muscle often need to add something to their diets rather than eliminate it. Women are better prepared to burn fat for energy and may be more sensitive to high calorie intake from food. This is the reason why women are more encouraged to opt for an evenly balanced diet. Keep your carbs and fats at relatively even levels given your level of caloric intake.
Lastly, you need to consider calorie cycling. This just means that you will put your highest calorie burning days on the same days that you do your hardest workouts. This will eliminate any excess fat gain while putting on muscle. If it’s incredibly easy for you to gain a few extra pounds, then you’ll benefit from this approach.
Be sure to eat more than 3 meals a day. Decrease the amount you eat, but increase the number of times you eat per day. Never sit with that feeling of hunger for too long before eating a snack. If you are overweight, choose healthy snacks instead of fat. As a general rule, make your meals breakfast, mid-morning, lunch, pre-training, post-training, dinner and before bed.
Be sure to constantly measure your progress so you know the diet you’re developing is working for you. If you find that you are gaining fat, you can adjust the levels of fat, carbohydrates, and protein.
Stay with the regiment and you will see the results. Be patient and track your progress so you can feel positive about your workouts. If you are not seeing results, gently modify your diet. Don’t try to follow a man’s diet, your bodies are too different to produce the results you want. You are unique and you need a unique diet.