A female bodybuilder has special nutritional needs to support muscle development and prepare for competitions. Focus on whole foods to minimize intake of saturated and trans fats, sodium, refined flours and excessive sugars, which undermine the goals of muscle growth and fat loss. Only strength training can build muscle, but following the right diet plan maximizes your results.
Features
A female bodybuilder eats a quality meal containing a serving of healthy carbohydrate, 20 to 40 g of protein and a small amount of unsaturated fats every three to four hours, according to the magazine Muscle and Fitness in March 2005. This provides almost constant nutrition to your muscles and revs your metabolism. In order to develop muscle, female bodybuilders must take in more calories than the average woman. Anthony Ellis of Iron Magazine recommends taking in a number of calories that is between 18 and 20 times your body weight to build muscle. For a 130-lb. woman, this would amount to 2,300 to 2,600 calories per day—depending on activity level and training stage. Skipping meals and skimping on calories only starves the muscles, and can prevent optimal results.
Protein
A female bodybuilding diet plan includes more protein than an average diet. While .25 to .5 g of protein per pound of body weight is adequate for the average woman, a female bodybuilder needs more to build and maintain greater amounts of muscle. Both males and females need about 1.5 to 2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day, according to Kristine Clark, Ph.D., R.D. of Penn State’s Center for Sports Medicine, who is quoted on the Oxygen Magazine website. Rather than rely on supplements, go for whole sources of lean protein such as flank steak, pork tenderloin, tuna, egg whites, and chicken breast. Low-fat dairy products such as cottage cheese, plain yogurt and ricotta cheese are other rich sources of protein and calcium.
Considerations
A female bodybuilder’s diet plan must also include carbohydrates and healthy fats. Carbohydrates provide fiber to keep digestion regular and energy for workouts. Go for vegetables, fruits and whole grains to obtain the most nutrition from your carbs. Even though female bodybuilders seek to bring their body fat levels down to 14 percent or lower, some fat still is essential to achieve optimal competition shape. Fats, such as omega 3s and monounsaturated varieties, support hormone production, skin and hair health and vitamin absorption.
Sample Meals
Serving sizes depend on your particular caloric needs, which are influenced by your goals, size and activity level. Each meal during the day should include a lean protein, healthy carbohydrate and a small amount of good fat. Oatmeal with an egg white omelet and fresh fruit; baked salmon served alongside a small sweet potato and broccoli; deli turkey on sprouted whole grain bread with avocado; and chicken breast with brown rice and asparagus are examples of appropriate bodybuilding meals. A critical meal in a female bodybuilding plan comes post-workout, when muscles that have been broken down need appropriate nutrition to repair. Go for an easily digestible protein, such as a smoothie containing whey protein powder immediately after you finish your last repetitions.
Water
Water or green tea are important to your diet plan as well. Hydrated muscles repair and grow more efficiently than dehydrated muscles. Adequate water intake also helps with muscle and vein definition, which is important to competition success. The kidneys use water to help flush out the byproducts of your increased protein intake.
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