Building muscles can be challenging especially for a girl. Due to the lower levels of testosterone girls and women have compared with men. However, with some simple lifestyle changes that are built around heating healthy and muscle-building exercises, girls can also increase their muscle mass and strength. Women should be more proactive when it comes to building muscles.
Strength Training
Strength training is the first step to take if you want to build muscle and strength. A typical strength training routine includes lifting weights (dumbbells, barbells, kettle bells, and weight plates). It helps improve the strength of your muscles.
These exercises cause a lot of wear and tear in the muscles. When you rest or sleep, the muscles rebuild themselves – only, this time, they are broader and stronger.
Use your body weight, a TRX training band, or any resistance band to transform simple exercises into strength training. Remember, you must mix your workout to build a lean, toned, and strong body. Scroll down to know what you’ve got to do.
HIIT
Include HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) in your exercise routine to maintain a lean frame and get a chiseled body. HIIT includes fast and agile moves for 30 seconds with 10 seconds of rest in between the sets.
This short duration, high-intensity workout targets the fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are essential for building muscle. Endurance training or long-duration exercise like long runs or walks target slow-twitch fibers, which will not help build muscle.
Do the following exercises: high knees, alternate straight leg kicks, burpees, squat jumps, jumping lunges, rope jumping, battle rope, side jackknife, Russian twist, leg ins and outs, crunches, and sit-ups. Make sure you take 60-90 seconds rest before switching to the next exercise. Take 10 seconds rest between the sets.
Push Yourself
Push yourself to do more reps, faster, and with precision. If you keep doing the same exercises with the usual number of sets and reps, you will not progress. The more you practice, the more your muscles will adapt to the weights. Unless you increase the weight or add some level of difficulty, your muscles will remain the same size.
Tip: Work out 3 to 5 days a week and do strength training every alternate day to give your muscles time to recover. Apart from working out, you must also take care of your diet. Here are the diet strategies you can follow.
Diet
Consume Protein
Lifting weights and doing HIIT will break down muscle protein. You need protein to rebuild the muscles. Sources like fish, chicken breast, soy chunks, beans, nuts, seeds, lentils, eggs, and mushrooms can help build and repair the muscles.
Sedentary women are required to consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. But to build muscle mass, consume 1.7-1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. If you weigh 132 pounds (62 kg), you should consume 105-112 g of protein per day.
Consume Healthy Fats
The healthy fats found in nuts, seeds, ghee, avocado, rice bran oil, and avocado oil are rich in vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps flush out toxins. These food sources also contain omega-3-fatty acids, which help lower inflammation in the body. These healthy fats also help boost the recovery process when your body is resting.
Pre And Post-Workout Meals
Pre and post-workout meals will help you ace the workout and recover fast from it, respectively.
Lifting weights requires energy, and by consuming a carb-rich, moderate protein pre-workout meal, you will provide your body with the required energy. Consume a protein-rich post-workout meal so that your muscles recover and rebuild fast.
Consume Good & Low Carbs
Include high-fiber carbs, such as fruits, veggies, and whole grains, in your diet. They provide dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which are essential for optimum health. These nutrients will ensure that you do not feel weak or fall sick easily.
Take Supplements
Supplements are great for people with highly busy schedules or who are very active. They provide the nutrition that you are missing out on from whole foods. Protein supplements are great for gaining lean muscle mass. However, you must talk to your physician and a registered dietitian before you take any supplement.
Limit Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol is metabolized as extra calories in the body, and too much of it in the system can lead to weight gain. You will also not have the energy and stamina to workout. If you want to build muscle, stick to a glass of wine, one to two days per week. Going overboard will end up slowing down your progress.
Lifestyle
Rest
Resting helps in muscle recovery. If you do not rest, you will injure yourself and may not get back to the gym. Rest between the exercises and sets and after going home for at least 20 minutes. Avoid lifting weights every day.
Enough Sleep
Sleep is important for allowing your muscles to recover from wear and tear. Get at least 7 hours of sound sleep. Your brain also needs the rest to function.
Wake Up Early
Waking up early will prompt you to go to bed early. That way, you can go to the gym in the morning or evening. You will also have time to fix a quick breakfast before you head out or consume a protein-rich dinner after you come back from the gym in the evening.
Meditate
Building a toned and strong body requires a certain degree of discipline. Meditation can help you stay focused and maintain a good lifestyle. It is tough in the beginning, but do not give up. Gradually, you will learn to train your brain and control your hunger pangs, lethargy, anxiety, and other emotions that may prevent you from getting the desired results soon.
Surround With Positive People
Positive people help inspire and motivate others. Surrounding yourself with positive people will make it less likely for you to fail in your personal and professional endeavors. Be it at home, work, or the gym, look for people with great energy and vibe so that you can learn from them and not give up on your goals so easily.
Talk To Experts
If you are a beginner, it is best to have a personal trainer, who will suggest a proper exercise routine. Consult a registered dietitian for a customized diet plan. You can also talk to other people who share similar goals to build a community of support. Building social support is important so that you stay focused and do exercises correctly.
Conclusion
Exercising regularly, eating healthy food, and getting physical and emotional rest can help steer your life to a new, better direction. But before you start, talk to a trainer and a registered dietitian for exercise and nutrition guidance. Take care!
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