Powerlifting is a popular sport. It’s also one of the few sports where women are just as competitive as men. As the number of women in powerlifting continues to increase, so does the demand for information on how to train and eat for this sport. Especially because there are only a few resources available that offer specific information for female powerlifters.
Nat, the head coach of Nemesis Powerlifting and Performance, is a state and national champion. Nat is a fantastic example of a female powerlifter who has completed the ISSN-SNS nutrition certification as well as Cert 3 and 4 in fitness.
According to Nat, due to the scarcity of information, many women have turned to bodybuilding or Crossfit diets which may not be ideal for female powerlifters. She is passionate about assisting others in becoming stronger, improving their relationship with food, and achieving significant success on the platform!
This article explains in detail how to get started with your diet if you are interested in becoming a female powerlifter!
Proper female powerlifting diet
A proper female powerlifting diet consists of foods that are nutritious and provide your body with the right kind of nutrients to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It should also provide you with the energy you need for your workout regimen. In addition, certain foods will help you build muscle which is important if you want to lose weight and maintain your fitness.
A female powerlifting diet does not include foods that might be detrimental to your health like fast food, processed foods, or sugary sweets. Instead, it focuses on consuming lean proteins, fiber-rich foods, and vegetables!
Macronutrients:
Macronutrients are proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. The macronutrients that you need for a female powerlifting diet are more specific than what you would need for a normal diet. Proteins and carbohydrates are very much needed to fuel your workouts. It’s important to consume both of these nutrients to achieve the best results. Let’s see them in detail:
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates provide energy during your workout routine. Generally, carbs are avoided and dreaded as it builds up the body weight. One should not avoid carbs intake completely but should take in optimal amounts. They are the generators of energy to actively engage in a workout. For powerlifters, it is advisable to consume higher carbs before and after workouts. You can include 2 to 2.5 grams of carbs per pound of body weight every day. Carbohydrates can be found in foods like rice, grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Fats:
The common misconception is that fats must be eliminated outright. It is utterly wrong! Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are called good fats and those must be included in your diet. Trans fats are bad fats that must be avoided and saturated fats have to be taken in moderate quantities.
Fats help you in changing your body to a lean figure with more muscle. During a longer workout session, initially, the body uses carbs and when it runs out of available carbs, it next uses fats to burn. In the absence of fats, the body gets tired. Fats contain double the amount of energy when compared to protein and carbohydrates. So proper intake of fats immensely contributes to attaining strength and power. The daily intake of fats must be 25 to 30% of total calories.
Proteins:
Proteins are a highly important nutrient in female powerlifting diets. Proteins are the building blocks of the body. Protein is found in meat, eggs, beans, dairy products, legumes, grains, and soy products. All powerlifters should focus on getting an optimal amount of protein every meal and every day. Muscle protein synthesis occurs after a workout. Intake of proteins during the above process aids in muscle healing and quick recovery. Female powerlifters can take up to 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.
Calories
If you’re counting calories, then you should know that there are different types of calories. There are calories that come from carbohydrates, protein, and fat. You need to make sure you’re getting enough of all three. For instance, your body needs more protein if you want to maintain muscle which will help with weight loss. The protein will also support your immune system because it builds tissue.
Just calculating calories won’t be the proper method. The proper proportion of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins should be there. Then only a powerlifter can achieve the best results in terms of weight as well as performance.
Food Choices
When you’re trying to lose weight and build muscle, you need to make sure that you eat the right foods.
Focus on protein-packed foods like eggs, skim milk, chicken breast, and many others. You can also pair these foods with carbohydrate sources like rice or potatoes. These foods will give you the energy that you need for your workout regimen and will help you bulk up as well.
Additionally, it is important to stay away from sugary and processed foods as they don’t provide your body with the nutrients it needs to perform at its best level. That being said, it’s not just about what you eat but when too!
Your post-workout meal is very important so make sure to give yourself a lot of time after a workout before eating anything else. This is because at this time your body is still repairing itself from the workout and needs nutrients more than ever before.
Supplements for Muscle Gain:
Supplements are absolutely optional. It is up to the person whether to take it or not. There are a number of supplements that can help you build muscle. If you’re looking to gain some muscle, these foods are for you.
Whey protein: Whey protein is an excellent source of protein and helps your muscles recover after workouts.
BCAAs: BCAAs (branch chain amino acids) provides the right balance of proteins and help with building and repairing muscle tissue.
Creatine: Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that has been found to increase muscle mass and strength in adults who use it regularly. It enhances each cell’s energy production and brain function.
Protein powders: Protein powders are an easy way to get the protein you need in your diet, and they come in a variety of flavors so you can mix them easily into shakes or smoothies.
Conclusion:
When it comes to powerlifting, people focus on many things – the type of workouts, techniques, scale, but they forget about something very important: Diet. It’s not just about calories in versus calories out. You need to be eating the right foods as mentioned in our blog post. The qualified trainers at Nemesis Performance are here to provide one-on-one powerlifting training. From structuring your workout routine to framing a specific diet that suits your body, we do them all. Contact us today to start your rewarding powerlifting journey.