Anyone looking to add muscle seeks a diet that fuels her workout routine and helps support strong muscle tissue. For female teen athletes, crafting a proper diet is especially challenging. Girl teens looking to build up their muscles need to not only focus on muscle-building foods but on a diet that supports the dual challenges of nourishing a growing body and an active one.
General Nutritional Needs
You won't get very far in your bodybuilding goals if you're too tired or sick to work out. On average, teen girls should have about 2,200 calories a day. Athletes may need to take in more, depending on the sport or weight training they pursue. To build and maintain muscle structure, figure on between 45 to 60 milligrams of protein a day. Once they begin menstruating, teen girls also need at least 15 milligrams of iron to make up for the mineral depleted by blood loss. Growing skeletomuscular systems also require at least 1,200 milligrams of bone-building, calcium-rich foods. While carbohydrates provide fuel more than muscle, every person needs the nutrient. If you’re a prospective muscle-building teen girl tempted to skip the carbs, you won’t get very far if you’re too fatigued to pump iron or swim your required laps.
Specific Foods
Good foods for both iron and protein include fish, chicken, lean red meat and dried beans. Spinach and other green, leafy vegetables also supply iron, as do enriched cereals. For both protein and calcium, turn to low-fat dairy foods like cottage cheese, milk, low-fat cheese and yogurt. Other protein-rich possibilities include nuts and peanut butter. Many of these foods also contain vitamin D. A study published in "The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism" found that vitamin D plays an important role in muscle building for teen girls. Fortified cereals and milk contain vitamin D, as do some types of fish, egg yolk, cheese, mushrooms and liver. Look to whole grain bread, cereal, pasta and rice to supply healthy carbohydrates.
Putting It Together
Consider breaking your daily diet into six smaller meals eaten throughout the day. Look to ingredients, such as fish or cheese, that offer a variety of nutrients for muscle building, fuel and nutrients that bolster your immune system. Breakfast might be peanut butter on a whole-wheat muffin and a glass of milk for protein, calcium and carbs, while a portable midmorning snack could entail nuts and string cheese for iron, calcium and protein. A lunchtime sandwich of tuna and tomato on a whole-grain bun, along with orange juice, provides iron, protein and vitamin C. Snacks before and after working out, such as fruit, a small salad, nuts or yogurt, offer a balanced blend of protein and other muscle-building nutrients. Make sure your dinner contains plenty of vegetables as well as whole grain carbs and a lean protein. Of course, you need plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and energized for your regular and muscle-building activities.
Caution
Focusing on just one nutrient can lead to poor health, warns Nemours' Teens Health website. Protein is the nutrient most often linked to muscle building, but it’s a bad idea to focus your meals solely around protein. Not only will you miss out on other nutrients you need to stay healthy and energized, such as vitamins and carbs, but you can make yourself sick from excess protein. Too much of the nutrient can lead to kidney disease, calcium depletion and dehydration.
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