Women lifting/diet

SO, I would like to know about the diet of women who take lifting seriously. I am just getting into it, I already LOVE it. I just don't want to put 5 days a week into the gym and not get the results I REALLY REALLY want. I've got the protein part down. I know what I need there. 1g per pound of lean body mass.

What I am wondering is the other 'stuff'. Should I be limiting my carb/sugar intake? I know we need carbs, and some sugar, but is it going to hinder getting the noticeable definition from lifting? I know the health benefits of eating clean.. though I have a really hard time eating clean. I stay within my macros, but sometimes don't eat the best things all around. Will this hinder the weight lifting in itself?

Thank you so much in advance!

Replies

  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    That would be dependent on your goals. If you're trying to put on muscle mass or if you're trying to preserve muscle mass while eating at a deficit.

    Either way they're pretty much the same all around.

    Get adequate protein. (1 gram per pound of lean body mass while on a deficit, more if you're trying to bulk)

    Strength/ hypertrophy train.

    Eat in a surplus to gain and a deficit to lose.

    Get adequate fat intake. (.35 grams per pound of LBM.)

    And limit your cardio.
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
    she mostly emphasizes staying within the macros and you're allowed slightly more cals and carbs or fat on bulking than cutting.
    with your allergies you just need to make sure you can get your veggies and other nutritious stuff as much as possible.
    there are tons of ways to eat dessert without it really being bad for you. or make a really good home made version, but only
    make 1. like a home made peanut butter cup, only one so you aren't tempted. or stash them in the freezer.
    my fav is still black bean brownies. you can not tell it's in there. even my kids couldn't tell. the most basic version of that is
    1 can of beans + 1 box of brownie mix.

    PROTEIN Black Bean Brownies Recipe (High Fiber/Protein)

    Here is the recipe:

    1/4 Cup (20g) Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
    1/4 Teaspoon Salt
    1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
    1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    1 Scoop (30g) Protein Powder (Vanilla, Chocolate, or Natural)
    1/4 Scoop (61g) Unsweetened Apple Sauce
    3 Tablespoons (32g) Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
    1/4 Cup Sweetener
    3 Large Whole Eggs
    4 Tablespoons (20g) Baking Cocoa
    15 Ounces (425g) Black Beans (Drained/Rinsed)
    2-3 Tablespoons (30-45g) Chocolate Chips (Optional)

    Calories per brownie without chocolate chips (makes 8 brownies):

    Calories: 145
    Fat: 7.75g
    Saturated Fat: 5.75g
    Sodium: 185.8mg
    Carbs: 13g
    Fiber: 4g
    Sugar: 1.1g
    Protein: 8.6g

    Calories in the whole recipe without chocolate chips:

    Calories: 1160
    Fat: 62g
    Saturated Fat: 46g
    Sodium: 1487mg
    Carbs: 104g
    Fiber: 32g
    Sugar: 9g
    Protein: 69g

    Calories per brownie with chocolate chips (makes 8 brownies):

    Calories: 162.5
    Fat: 8.75g
    Saturated Fat: 6.375g
    Sodium: 185.8mg
    Carbs: 15.5g
    Fiber: 4.25g
    Sugar: 3.1g
    Protein: 8.8g

    Calories in the whole recipe with chocolate chips:

    Calories: 1300
    Fat: 70g
    Saturated Fat: 51g
    Sodium: 1487mg
    Carbs: 124g
    Fiber: 34g
    Sugar: 25g
    Protein: 71g

    Combine all of your ingredients inside of a food processor or blender (a food processor is preferred). Process or blend all of them together aside from the chocolate chips if you're using them. Take out a 8x8 or 9x7 baking dish and spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mix into baking dish. Stir in the chocolate chips or put them on top after putting your mix inside the baking dish. Bake on 350 for 25:00-30:00. Try not to eat them all!
    Tip: You can put anything you want in/on top of this recipe such as white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, raisins, nuts, and so on


    Vegan Almond Goji Dessert Balls
    http://youtu.be/ncfjEUVViqU video
    http://www.bexlife.com/2012/06/4610/ written version

    all of her recipes are ridiculously simple.
    and geared toward the person just recently transitioning to healthy foods

    anything on oh she glows blog,with recipes categoriezed by allergy types
    gluten free, nut free its all vegan so majority is pretty healthy
    this is the one with home made peanut butter and reese's
    she also makes her own milk, several kinds
    and her larabars are very popular, check those out
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
    she's bulking
  • kelny
    kelny Posts: 11 Member
    SO, I would like to know about the diet of women who take lifting seriously. I am just getting into it, I already LOVE it. I just don't want to put 5 days a week into the gym and not get the results I REALLY REALLY want. I've got the protein part down. I know what I need there. 1g per pound of lean body mass.

    What I am wondering is the other 'stuff'. Should I be limiting my carb/sugar intake? I know we need carbs, and some sugar, but is it going to hinder getting the noticeable definition from lifting? I know the health benefits of eating clean.. though I have a really hard time eating clean. I stay within my macros, but sometimes don't eat the best things all around. Will this hinder the weight lifting in itself?

    Thank you so much in advance!

    Try setting your macros to 40% carb, 30% protein and 30% fat.
    Best carbs are complex carbs - wholegrain, brown rice etc.
  • Justjamie0418
    Justjamie0418 Posts: 1,065 Member
    I can follow the macros fine, I just didn't know if it specifically had to be 'clean'. Like can I eat sauces/rolls/artificial sweeteners etc and such as long as it fits in my macros? I didn't know if it would decrease the muscle growth.

    Also as Katy stated, I have pretty bad food allergies, really really sucks that I cant eat a lot of fruits and veggies that I NEED to eat. I also have a large family and while I do pretty well on nights I really WONT eat the food they want (mac and cheese and hot dogs, lasagna, etc) I really do try to eat within my macros the best I can with a little of their dinner incorporated into mine.
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
    Everything I've read warns about the blood sugar spike if it is not complex carbs, and why eating fruit is fine bc it has fiber and other nutrients. i'll look, to see if I can find anything about articifial sugars or something and muscles, but really you'll be eating mostly whole foods, because you don't need to have sugar free stuff if you need more calories. so it sounds like if you just eat protein and or fiber with it you 'll be ok, I have 2 guy friends on here they eat whatever, fast food even sometimes they just fit it in their macros and they are fine, one is bulking, i'm not sure about the other one.
  • meeulk
    meeulk Posts: 246 Member
    bump
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Are you wanting to gain weight or lose weight?

    What lifting program are you doing?
  • This might totally just be me, but when I lift heavy I ALWAYS end up bingeing on carby food afterwards because I limit my carbs and it gets me in the poop, my body asks for carbs, and I always deny it of them and end up in a frantic binge. You really just need to find what works with body, and change things around until you know for sure your body is happy with what it's being fed :-)
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
    this is the routine she posted on her blog, she'll be on later to answer
    in more detail, or if she revised
    she also said she wants to do a bulk

    Day 1 - Upper Body:

    - Bench press- I am just lifting the bar as of now 45lbs

    - Bent over barbell rows -70 lbs

    - Dumbbell shoulder press- 20 lbs
    - Skull crushers-15 lbs

    - Barbell bicep curl-45 lbs
    Day 2 - Lower Body:

    - Barbell squat-55 lbs

    - Stiff-legged deadlift -35 lbs until I get my form right
    - Leg extension -30lbs- Leg curls-50 lbs - Standing calf raises-70 lbs - Lying leg raises - Exercise ball crunches Day 3 - REST Day 4 - Upper body: - Dips -98lbs resistence- Pull ups -98 lbs resistence- Lateral raises 12 lbs- Triceps pushdown - Cable curls Day 5 - Lower Body: - Deadlift -again 35 lbs until I get form right - Leg Press -140 lbs- Dumbbell lunges 20 lbs

    - Seated calf raises 60lbs
    - Dumbbell shrugs 20 lbs- Decline Crunches - Hyperextensions Days 6 & 7 - REST
  • Justjamie0418
    Justjamie0418 Posts: 1,065 Member
    Thanks Katy!

    Yes that is what I plan to do for my routine, I am hoping for drastic improvement with the weights. I am pretty weak in some areas. I really want to build muscle mass, and get ripped/definition. But I really don't want to bloat out and get fat looking either. I understand bulking and cutting, I am just not sure exactly which path I should go for now. I want to lose about 15 pounds.. but want to gain that muscle too.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I've complied some articles in this blog:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BusyLady406/view/so-ya-wanna-bulk-475896


    Lyle McDonald recommends that women should be about 19%-24% body fat before they start a bulk. Any idea where you are at?

    Beside getting enough protein and having a good routine, the other components of your diet aren't that important. I tended to eat a lot of high fat dairy and high fat meat. Made it easy to get enough protein and calories without stuffing myself.

    The routine looks okay, but I'm not an expert. If you want to lift 4-5 days a week upper/lower are the way to go. "Volume" is what you want for hypertrophy. So yeah, start with big compound lifts then add in accessories for each body part.
  • Justjamie0418
    Justjamie0418 Posts: 1,065 Member
    I am around 24/25%

    The routine I planned on was 3 sets of 10-12 reps and then switching in a few weeks to 8-10...
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
    for the DB lunges are you holding 20 in each hand or is that total?
  • Justjamie0418
    Justjamie0418 Posts: 1,065 Member
    each hand :)

    And all the bar exercises are including the bar. Whichever one I'm using plus weights. I could really do more squatting and dead lifting, hell, even bench pressing, but I have been using resistance bands until now and my form is awkward.
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
    how would the routine differ if it's for a cut?
  • Justjamie0418
    Justjamie0418 Posts: 1,065 Member
    I have no idea.. except cutting calories and adding cardio maybe?
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    how would the routine differ if it's for a cut?

    For cuts you are trying to preserve muscle which can be done with lower volume. Plus when you are dieting you often don't have the energy required for the higher volume anyway. You could do 3 sets of 5 and not as many things.