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Nutrition for Women's Weight Lifting

Women today are getting fit through lifting weights. Lifting weights can increase strength and stamina, increase energy levels and help women to increase their bone density, reducing their risk of osteoporosis. Another key component to getting fit, is nutrition. It is important to get the nutrients necessary to fuel tough weight lifting workouts.

  1. Identification

    • Weight lifting is a great way for women to build muscle and lose fat. Exercise is important while dieting for a number of reasons. Not only does it speed up our metabolism, but cutting calories too low can result in muscle loss. Weight lifting helps to build and keep muscle mass. This is especially important because the more lean muscle mass our bodies have, the more calories our bodies burn at rest. Lifting weights helps to keep our metabolism running strong. Weight lifting can also help keep our energy level high, and can give our confidence a much needed boost.

    Potential

    • Women who lift weights are healthy and strong. Nutrition is very important in helping the body to maintain lean muscle mass and good nutrition is necessary in order to give the body the fuel it needs to get through tough workouts. Protein is an essential building block of muscle tissue, and many women who lift weights, often follow a diet higher in protein. It is recommended that protein intake in women should be around 10 to 15 percent of the total calories consumed daily. This means that a woman that is 5 ft. 4 inches, weighing 120 lbs. should consume 24.5 g to 43.6 g of protein. This should include lean meats and fish, beans and eggs. Whey protein powder is also helpful in reaching daily totals and is easily mixed with milk or water.

    Considerations

    • Although protein will help you to build muscle and keep it, it is also important to find the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Carbohydrates have gotten a bad reputation, but complex carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal and grits, give your body the necessary fuel to get through the day. Fruit such as blueberries and strawberries are healthy carbohydrates that contain beneficial antioxidants. Some fat is needed to help keep things in balance. Try using olive oil for salad dressing, and nuts such as almonds contain healthy fats. Portion control is important with fat intake, so make sure to stay within serving limits. Fats are also helpful in controlling appetite and will help to keep hunger pangs at bay.

    Benefits

    • The benefits of weight lifting and a solid nutrition plan are endless. You will have more energy, have a feeling of self confidence, have more stamina for daily chores and will help to maintain a healthy body weight. The American Heart Association also recommends weight lifting for women as a way to help maintain good cardiovascular health. "Resistance training not only enhances the benefits of aerobic fitness, but it appears to provide the added benefit of increased functional capacity and independence. It helps people to better perform tasks of daily living, like lifting sacks of groceries," said Mark Williams Ph.D. Williams also states that weight lifting should be combined with aerobic activity, not replace it.

    Warning

    • Weight lifting and proper nutrition can put you on the path to a healthier body. It is important to note that according to the American Heart Association, people that have already experienced cardiac events, should get approval from their personal physician before attempting resistance training. This will allow the doctor to help prescribe a resistance training program that is right for the individual's fitness needs.

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