Gaining muscle for female petite body type

HelenJang90

Any suggestions for gaining more muscle for female petite body type ? Im 5’,100#, 18-20% body fat. I do 30 mins cardio 5x week. 60-90 min strength training 3x week. My biggest struggle is probably not eating enough, but currently using MFP for 1800 cal diet, 50/30/20 macros, using 1 serving BCAA and protein shake during strength training days.

Tic78

If you have the training part in check then you just need to eat more.

You shouldn’t just be consuming protein shakes on training days. You want to hit your protein goal everyday.

If you struggle to eat enough calories then make smoothies. Add things like full fat milk, porridge oats, banana, peanut butter, scoop of whey and maybe a drop of honey. You can make really high calorie drinks if you feel you can’t force anymore food down.

If drinking calories doesn’t appeal then fats have 9 calories per gram so take a spoon full of peanut butter every time you walk through the kitchen. Drizzle olive oil on salads. Eat a handful of nuts.

Being consistent with calories and manipulating your intake is the key to gaining or losing weight.

middlehaitch

It’s the same method for us petites as it is for everyone.

Either do a recomp eating at maintenance, or a bulk and cut cycle or two.

Chose a good progressive, compound lifting programme, (Link below) and for protein aim for ~0.8g per lbs of lbm. (I’m an inch taller, same weight and aim for 80-100g)

Gaining muscle is a slow process. Women with food and training on point can expect ~1lbs a month gain.

Cheers, h.
Some really useful info and good programmes in this thread.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

sijomial

BCAAs are pretty much useless, whey protein would be a far better choice and agree with Tic78 - hit your protein goal every day not just on training days. Muscle protein synthesis and breakdown are happening 7 days a week not just on training days.

mom23mangos

How long have you been training for and have you gained any weight? I'm about your size and it took me about 2 years to gain 8-10ish lbs of muscle. You just have to be patient.

mndamon

Meal replacement shakes (but not actually replacing a meal) could be a decent option if you're not noticing any gains. Having protein shakes on days when you aren't doing strength work and on strength days may help too just to keep that protein intake higher. If you don't mind having two types you could do whey protein shakes after a strength workout and then use a casein protein powder at night before bed.

Chieflrg

Safe to say you will need 105-110g of protein daily.

I would consider cutting down to two cardio days of thirty min.

Use a hypertrophy program with sufficient volume to start.

Eat enough to gain on average .5lb a week.

HelenJang90

mom23mangos wrote: »

How long have you been training for and have you gained any weight? I'm about your size and it took me about 2 years to gain 8-10ish lbs of muscle. You just have to be patient.

So far ...3 months lol

DancingMoosie

What kind of strength training program are you doing? Enough calories will cover the gaining weight part, but your training will be key to building muscle. I'm bulking (up to 118 from 113 at 5'3.5") doing squats, bench, deadlifts, pullups 2x week each, with other lifts (ohp, row, split squats, etc) thrown in. Main lifts have all increased.