The Steps to Becoming a Female Bodybuilder

The journey to becoming a female bodybuilder is full of compromises. You will need to decide what you are happy with and what you would like to change about yourself. Diet and exercise play a big part in how you look. Your daily routine will consist of measuring food, cooking, eating and working out. If you plan on competing you will need to find a trainer to help you prepare for the contest. A lot of preparation goes into getting ready for a contest such as training, dieting, choosing the outfits you will wear onstage, picking music for a posing routine and applying your fake tan. Even if you have never been an athletic person, becoming a female bodybuilding competitor is within your reach.

1. Determine what your goals are. Are you planning to compete or do you just want to get in better shape and put on a little muscle. Do you have a little fat to lose or a lot? Your training diet is something that will be a part of your new lifestyle. During competition your will be cycling to lose fat and gain muscle. During the off season you can relax a little and eat a diet with a little more carbs and fat. But be careful not to overdo it. Female bodybuilders must keep from gaining too much weight during the off season.

2. Buy some workout equipment. Free weights and elastic bands are great for working out at home or while on the go. Get a gym membership so you have access to the weight room, pool and sauna. You can also sign up for a few yoga and aerobic classes. Personal trainers are on staff to help you with form and proper use of the machines.

3. Plan your fat burning diet plan. Clean out your cupboards and throw away all junk food and sugary snacks. Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day to keep your metabolism high. Eat high protein foods such as lean turkey and chicken, eggs, peanut butter and low fat dairy. Female bodybuilders need protein to grow muscle with good definition and calcium to build strong bones support. Carbs should be slow converting complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole grain breads and cereals, oatmeal and barley. Vegetables are good raw or cooked and should be prepared with a little herbs and seasoning for flavor. Keep fat down to 30% of your total caloric intake. Eat your biggest meal early in the day and eat light in the evening. It is best not to eat after 6 pm to avoid storing fat while you sleep.

4. Search for a nutrition and fitness expert to help you prepare for competitions. Many pro bodybuilders offer training and consulting during the off season. They will teach you the proper way to pose for judging and what to expect from your first contest. It is very important to learn as much as you can about the sport you are becoming involved in. DVDs are available of contest highlights of past competitions to help aspiring newcomers prepare to compete for the first time.

5. Devise an exercise routine and schedule. Female bodybuilders do need to train their body parts to sculpt and tone muscle but you will not need to work out as hard as your makle counterparts. No matter how hard you train, you will not get huge muscles like the men do. You lack the testosterone to do that.

6. Exercises that build muscle are squats, leg presses and bench presses. Start out with a simple schedule and change it as needed. Train each set of body parts on alternating days to keep from over stressing the muscle. For example train the chest, back and arms on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and the abs, thighs and calves on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Take Sunday off and rest up for the next coming week.

7. Consult bodybuilding online publications such as bodybuilding.com for articles on dieting and nutrition and training to build muscle. Other magazines like Flex, Muscle and Fitness and Muscular Development offer advice for beginning bodybuilders to help you get started on the right path. Articles on nutrition and supplements will teach you about making sure to give your body what it needs to grow.

8. Contact the NPC and IFBB for instructions on registering for a competition. Become a member of the National Physique Committee by visiting their website and submitting an application. You must be a member to enter NPC and IFBB contests.

Reference:

Information About the IFBB

Bodybuilding.com: Women's Super Feature

Join the NPC