Weight lifting is one of the best ways to build muscle, which in turn can increase metabolic function, improve coordination and strengthen the bones. The proper weight lifting diet for women who are attempting to build muscle is the same as the diet for men who lift weights.
Protein
Protein is essential to a muscle-building diet. Even a small increase in the amount of protein in your diet can aid in muscle development. Eating about one gram of protein per kilogram of body weight per day is ideal for women who are trying to build muscle through weight training. Determine your protein needs by dividing your weight in pounds by 2.2 to figure out your weight in kilograms. Eat the equivalent amount in grams of protein each day. Healthy sources of protein include lean red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, low-fat cheese, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, beans and legumes. You can also use protein powders, available at any vitamin supplier. Mix these powders into shakes and drinks to consume. To develop muscle, protein should make up 15 to 20 percent of your daily calories.
Calorie Needs
To keep from gaining weight when adding protein to your diet, you will need to eliminate the same number of calories in carbohydrates and fats. Don't eliminate too many carbohydrates from your diet though. Carbohydrates are needed to fuel the muscles while exercising, so you should still consume 50 to 60 percent of your diet in carbs each day. The final 20 to 25 percent of your daily food intake should be made up of healthy fats, like those found in olive oil and nuts.
The number of calories you must eat while weight training is depends on several factors, including body type and weight. Some weight lifters use a basic formula to determine the calories they need to consume while training. The formula is simply to multiply your weight by 15 to get the total calories needed. If you want to increase your body weight, add 250 to 500 calories to your diet per day. If you want to lose weight, subtract 250 to 500 calories per day. A more accurate way to determine the calories you need to eat to maintain your weight is to keep a food journal tracking your calories and weigh yourself once or twice a week until you determine the number of calories you can eat per day without weight gain.
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