Females who strength train!

J3SSP3NNY

I would love some personal perspectives on females who strength train.

My boyfriend has been AWESOME in getting me started. And I'm just worried that his advice (eating wise) is more geared towards males. (I LOVE YOU BABE-JUST WANT GIRL PERSPECTIVE!!!)

I have bumped my calorie intake to 1500 a day-from 1330. My man says he wants me to eat 1800 a day soon...SCARY!
He says that I should be getting at least 120g of protein a day-which I can see. I have really come no where near that. (More like 80g a day) I strength train 3 times a week for about an hour and a half a session. This is my upper body and core atm. I am running intervals 30-45mins 5-6 days a week so we aren't focusing on my legs yet.

SO LADIES: When you started out, how many calories did you eat a day and how much protein? I'm 23, 5'4" and 150lbs.

Thanks so much! Have a great weekend!

Helgazon

Hi there-- I'm doing the New Rules of Lifting for Women workout so I strength train 2-3 x week and also do intervals. I'm 52 and 5'4 and weigh 140lbs. My approach is to eat back my calories (which means I eat 1600--1800 a day) and if I feel tired, to rest --take a day off. I try to get to 100g protein a day, a shake helps, and make sure I drink LOTS of water and eat fiber so the protein doesn't gum up the works. So far it seems to be working, I'm slowly losing weight and inches and I can definitely see more muscle. I'd say don't be afraid to eat but make sure it's all good food that can fuel your body. It's worth looking at the dietary suggestions in New Rules of Lifting for Women book because they too say you have to eat absolutely a minimum of 1500 cals/ day (preferably more) and eat protein.

UrbanRunner81

look up new rules for lifting for women is great start.

I started that but I am doing this one now since this is more my style I feel : http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html

I hear strong lifts is good, too.

I try and eat 1g of protein for lean body mass. I have like 110 lbs lean mass, so I aim for that. I try and eat .5g of fat for my total body weight and the rest I don't worry about. If I go over on fat but under on saturated fat then I am happy.

I eat a lot. over 2000 a day. You got to eat over your BMR.
Figure it out here: http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

It tells you how much you should eat on your activity level.

J3SSP3NNY

Hi there-- I'm doing the New Rules of Lifting for Women workout so I strength train 2-3 x week and also do intervals. I'm 52 and 5'4 and weigh 140lbs. My approach is to eat back my calories (which means I eat 1600--1800 a day) and if I feel tired, to rest --take a day off. I try to get to 100g protein a day, a shake helps, and make sure I drink LOTS of water and eat fiber so the protein doesn't gum up the works. So far it seems to be working, I'm slowly losing weight and inches and I can definitely see more muscle. I'd say don't be afraid to eat but make sure it's all good food that can fuel your body. It's worth looking at the dietary suggestions in New Rules of Lifting for Women book because they too say you have to eat absolutely a minimum of 1500 cals/ day (preferably more) and eat protein.

Thank you so much! I will pick up this book tonight when I go to the mall! Guess I shouldn't have doubted my man's advice at all ;P

And the fiber suggestion-I've totally noticed a change in my plumbing and it's irrating!!! >:@ lol

J3SSP3NNY

look up new rules for lifting for women is great start.

I started that but I am doing this one now since this is more my style I feel : http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html

I hear strong lifts is good, too.

I try and eat 1g of protein for lean body mass. I have like 110 lbs lean mass, so I aim for that. I try and eat .5g of fat for my total body weight and the rest I don't worry about. If I go over on fat but under on saturated fat then I am happy.

I eat a lot. over 2000 a day. You got to eat over your BMR.
Figure it out here: http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

It tells you how much you should eat on your activity level.

Thank you very much I will use that tool!

AlayshaJ

5'4, 117 lbs. I eat between 1,800-2,100 before exercise cals.I actually lost three pounds with out meaning too. Haven't gained any since then. So I can only assume I am slowly losing fat while gaining muscle. I aim for 120+g of protein. Usually get more though

I usually strength train 5-6 days a week and run/cardio 3-4 times a week for 30+ min

docktorfokse

I'm doing 5/3/1 right now. I'm on 1300 calories per day and I usually get at least 120g of protein pretty easily. My goal in MFP is 143g and I aim for at least 1g per pound of lean body mass, so about 130g. I'm 5'2" and 177 pounds, by the way.

Helgazon

Thank you so much! I will pick up this book tonight when I go to the mall! Guess I shouldn't have doubted my man's advice at all ;P

And the fiber suggestion-I've totally noticed a change in my plumbing and it's irrating!!! >:@ lol

I know! Protein does that... I've found I need to include lots of veggies and also beans/ lentils in my diet and drink LOTS of water. Protein absorbs water so you need more than you've been drinking if you up the protein.

J3SSP3NNY

Thank you so much! I will pick up this book tonight when I go to the mall! Guess I shouldn't have doubted my man's advice at all ;P

And the fiber suggestion-I've totally noticed a change in my plumbing and it's irrating!!! >:@ lol

I know! Protein does that... I've found I need to include lots of veggies and also beans/ lentils in my diet and drink LOTS of water. Protein absorbs water so you need more than you've been drinking if you up the protein.

I've definitely been trying to drink more water. Usually 12-16 servings a day. I will focus more on this too. Now that I know I can be eating more calories it will be super easy to make sure I get more fiber in.

J3SSP3NNY

I'm doing 5/3/1 right now. I'm on 1300 calories per day and I usually get at least 120g of protein pretty easily. My goal in MFP is 143g and I aim for at least 1g per pound of lean body mass, so about 130g. I'm 5'2" and 177 pounds, by the way.

It sounds like (from what everyone is telling me) that you're not eating enough calories to build your muscles? Are you seeing definition? Are you still losing weight/inches?

WonderKP

I'm 23, 115lbs, and I try to at least have 100g of protein. What really helps me get there are Whey Protein shakes...so I can easily add more protein into my day without extra carbs. I've heard its good to eat as many grams of protein as you have lbs of lean mass(or weight?) so thats kind of how I go by.

How come you aren;t working your legs? Don't you want to tone your butt/thighs? Running alone will not do as much as lifting will.

Kenzietea2

Pre-pregnancy (22 weeks right now):
I ate 1700 PLUS most of my exercise calories. I lost 35lbs in about 6-8 months with heavy lifting. I tried to hit minimum 100g's protein a day but sometimes fell a bit short.

I did supplement with shakes for extra protein, especially on work out days.

HeidiMightyRawr

When I first started out ever I wasn't watching what I was eating, and gained quite a bit. Protein was probably around 100g at most.

When I joined MFP I started on 1500 net calories, so more on exercise days (as I ate, and still do eat all my exercise cals) but near the end of my weight loss that just wasn't working anymore, so I bumped it up to 1750 net calories and lost the last 5lbs relatively easy Protein around 100g.

All that time I was lifting around 3x a week.

Then I did a bulking phase to purposefully gain extra muscle and ate at a surplus, now I'm cutting. This time round since I have more muscle mass, I'm successfully losing (0.5-1lb a week) on 2000 net, and lifting 4-5 times a week, so my total calories are around 2300-2500 apart from on weekends (rest days) when they're 2000. Since then my protein has been around 1g per lb of body weight. I'm currently 21, 5'8, and 144lbs.

My advice would be to try out 1800. You're not going to gain on that amount (highly unlikely anyway) so you could always give it a go. Many people on here have success with eating more while they are lifting. If it doesn't work for you after a good few weeks trying it out, then you can scale back the calories a bit until you are losing.

LorinaLynn

About 40 years old, 130-ish pounds, 5'5 and I'm maintaining on about 1800 calories a day, plus exercise calories, so typically around 2100 a day. I aim for 100-130g of protein. Mostly from lean meats, but sometimes shakes and protein bars because I'd rather eat a 200 calorie chocolate bar with 15g of protein than a regular candy bar with 1g.

I was losing on 1500 plus exercise calories, which was around 1800-2000.

autumnk921

To me it sounds like your man is telling you the right stuff....Us girls can lift like men but still look like women!!

Coco_Puff

Check out the group on here : Eat More To Weigh Less" Tons of info about heavy lifting and more important, eating to fuel your workouts. Good luck on finding the book, I gave up trying to find it in stock anywhere and ordered it from Amazon!

Also wanted to mention, mineral oil is great to keep you regular. I drink a tablespoon everyday! I also try to include a tablespoon of a healthy oil in my cooking each day.

thistimeismytime

I usually eat over 2000 total cals, and have no trouble losing. I think your boyfriend is THE BOMB--listen to his advice. I aim for 1 1/2 gm of protein per pound of LEAN body mass (not total weight)--which is about 150 gm+ per day....it's a challenge, but not that bad when you get used to it...and I'm seeing fairly quick and dramatic changes in my body shape. Best wishes!

aproc

I think you should listen to your boyfriend. Even 1800 sounds kind of low but it is a good start if you've been eating such low calories for a while. You have to have a surplus to build muscle. 1800 is around my maintenance. I'm eating around 2200 everyday now at 5'8 and 127 pounds.

stephyy4632

5foot 5inches 32years young 170 ish pounds and I`m set at 1600 plus exercise cals and i`m working on upping my protein at the moment ( I also just started lifting )

docktorfokse

I'm doing 5/3/1 right now. I'm on 1300 calories per day and I usually get at least 120g of protein pretty easily. My goal in MFP is 143g and I aim for at least 1g per pound of lean body mass, so about 130g. I'm 5'2" and 177 pounds, by the way.

It sounds like (from what everyone is telling me) that you're not eating enough calories to build your muscles? Are you seeing definition? Are you still losing weight/inches?

I lose weight and inches just fine, and for the most part the whole "starvation mode" thing is exaggerated. Your body won't starve unless you're literally going several days with no food.

Awkward30

I eat around 1500, I'm 5'3.5" around 143 pounds. I don't use mfp "properly" because I use a bodybugg to measure my burned calories, so that's a total of 1500, not net