Bodybuilding diet for Women

[Narcissa]

I am very curious to know what is the diet for female body builders.
For men I have witnessed the mounds of protein eaten to get lean and gain muscle. And I have always wondered how much different it is for women.

Also, what happens if you want to slim down or bodybuild but you have a food allergy? I am lactose intolerant. Cheese is always strongly advocated to help slim down due to the calcium benefits. But this is simply not a good option for me. Sometimes, it seems no matter what I eat with or without dairy, I always end up feeling bloated and "fat".

Anyway......please post your diets! Inquiring minds would like to learn!
Thanks,
-N.

[Bob Smith]

A diet for women will be the same as a diet for a guy, with the difference being in the number of calories ingested. If you are LI, then staying away from dairy products will not only ease any discomfort, but will also help with the diet. Cheese, IMO, is not a good dieting food.

What is your current weight and bodyfat %? What is your goal?

[Narcissa]

Body fat % is approx 25 weight 137 lb. Goal: 125 lbs, 18% BF.

Sugar is my vice. I will eat oatmeal, soymilk, fish, salads, etc. But then the sugar craving hits......right now it I'm getting over my bronchitits and I'm trying to get back into cardio without coughing.

-N

[Bob Smith]

I would cut back on things like oatmeal and other high-carb, low fat foods. A better choice might be fat-free (or 1%) cottage cheese, that is low in carbs and high in protein and calcium.

Im not a fan of soy products either, but its less of a concern for women than it is for men.

Also be sure that you are lifting weights. A basic 3 day/wk program, along with some cardio and nutrition adjustments, and youll be making progress in no time.

Sugar isnt necessarily evil, it all depends on when you have it. Post-workout is better than first thing in the morning. On a refeed day is better than during the week. Besides that, if you love candy, then the sugar they use is usually of low quality for anything except producing low quality, low price candies.

[Narcissa]

Bob, you were not paying attention the second time around. Cottage CHEESE is not an option for me since - as mentioned before - I am lactose intolerant.
And frankly your knowledge on soy dissapoints me. Soy is rich in calcium and cancer fighting ingredientes, not to mention it contains essential healthy non-animal protein.
How can you not advocate oatmeal? Carbs are necessary in the morning to give one energy and the fiber needed to survive work during the day to make it through to lunch without the stomach growling. Being that oatmeal is not processed, does not contain partially hydrogenated oil, and is proven to lower cholesterol, I do believe it is a wise choice. When you say high carb, I think you are incorrect to state that as a negative aspect. Though oatmeal is a carb, it is not an EMPTY carb. That is the thing that drives me nuts with male bodybuilders. Mom always said we should eat our veggies and fiber. Yet male bodybuilders focus on eating mostly MEAT to build muscle and for the most part shun veggies which I find to be ridiculous. Which brings me to another point, why are you the one - so far - answering my posts on the women's forum when you are a male?? How extensive is your knowldege on the female body and internal digestive process in conjunction with female hormones and growth? I would assume that if you consider yourself an expert on female exercise, then besides the magazines on male bodybuilding you must also go out of your way to extend your knowlege by reading female magazines such as SHAPE and FITNESS to familiarize yourself on the current information provided to us young ladies.
I look forward to your response. Before I decide to take your solicited advice I would like to know your background.
Thank you for your time,
-N

[Bob Smith]

Bob, you were not paying attention the second time around. Cottage CHEESE is not an option for me since - as mentioned before - I am lactose intolerant.

You are correct. My mistake.

And frankly your knowledge on soy dissapoints me. Soy is rich in calcium and cancer fighting ingredientes, not to mention it contains essential healthy non-animal protein.

Which is why I said that eating soy products is less of a concern for women than it is for men. IMO, men should not eat more than ~20g soy per day. Unless of course they want to emasculate themselves.

You should check out the book "The Whole Soy Story."

How can you not advocate oatmeal? Carbs are necessary

Carbs are a non-essential nutrient.

Also, Im not completely against oatmeal, Im against it while on a diet.

Being that oatmeal is not processed, does not contain partially hydrogenated oil, and is proven to lower cholesterol, I do believe it is a wise choice.

Beer also has all three of those attributes, but that does not mean it would be a wise choice while on a diet.

When you say high carb, I think you are incorrect to state that as a negative aspect.

Then we disagree.

That is the thing that drives me nuts with male bodybuilders. Mom always said we should eat our veggies and fiber. Yet male bodybuilders focus on eating mostly MEAT to build muscle and for the most part shun veggies which I find to be ridiculous.

I never said I was against veggies and fiber.

You asked about my background, what makes your mom an expert in nutrition? I dont intend to be snippy with you, but you immediately questioned my knowledge and experience.

Again, as I originally posted, there are few, if any differences in setting up a diet or nutrition plan for a woman as opposed to a man.

Which brings me to another point, why are you the one - so far - answering my posts on the women's forum when you are a male??

I help people, regardless of their sex.

I would assume that if you consider yourself an expert on female exercise, then besides the magazines on male bodybuilding you must also go out of your way to extend your knowlege by reading female magazines such as SHAPE and FITNESS to familiarize yourself on the current information provided to us young ladies.

I rarely read bodybuilding magazines of any kind, as they have little to no current and useful information. I have read Shape and Fitness in the past, but find them to be the female equivilent of Men's Fitness or other foo-foo magazines. Neither are a bastion of quality information.

Before I decide to take your solicited advice I would like to know your background.

I have an undergraduate degree in finance, 3 years sales experience - including in the health and sports industry, I am currently working on my MBA with a concentration in finance and possibly a 2nd concentration in accounting. I have held an NSCA-CPT certification, which is one of the top personal training certifications in the US. I would have gotten a CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist), but at the time I was not finished with my undergraduate degree, which is a requirement of being a CSCS. I have trained dozens of people and helped set up the nutrition program for dozens and dozens more. That includes everything from women school teachers to professional mixed martial artists and everything in between. I have worked with bodybuilders and powerlifters and coached a powerlifting team to two state championships. I am friends with one of the leading nutritionists, and published author, in the industry and routinely talk with him about nutrition and training.

[Grizzly]

I most certainly concur about the women's magazines being garbage. I don't, however, see a problem with oatmeal or carbs in general while dieting. Of course, if one must lower their calories, it has to come from somewhere and it sure shouldn't be protein.

[Phreezer]

Narcissa I can tell by your response that you were not actually looking for advice. You were looking for someone to confirm your already set in stone opinion. You took a very arrogant and superior attitude simply because you were given advice contrary to your pre-formed opinion.

I was going to actually get involved in this discussion, but after reading your posts I believe that you are arrogant and will accept no other opinions that do not already support your own..

I will say this. Soy is shit.. Okay? Get me? For men soy is proven to raise estrogen levels, it causes prostate problems and has been linked to accelerating prostate cancer. It is also a sub-par protein when compared on a nutritional level with Animal Protein.

Other than that, all I can say is your name sums you up rather well.

[Bob Smith]

Phreeze, you bring up many valid points. The reality is that she wont respond to this thread. She read it yesterday about a half hour after I posted my answers to her questions. If she wanted to respond she would have by now. But she realized that I know what Im talking about when it comes to nutrition, that she is wrong (but wont admit it, as you aptly pointed out, and instead she will continue to read Shape believing that its full of actual useful information. If she actually does respond, I would be quite surprised.

[Grizzly]

Posted half an hour ago....in a thread that wasn't this one. LOL

[thick]

DAMN [quote=Phreezer
Other than that, all I can say is your name sums you up rather well.[/QUOTE]

[Narcissa]

Wow.
All the years of watching my boyfriend moderate, adminster, and talk about this site. I am truly dissapointed. The reason why I chose this site was for advice and discussion. To get different opinions and insights. Never thought I would get treated in such a negative manner. Didn't think you guys would resort to name calling when confronted with a feisty challenging woman. I'm sorry, did I call any of you names?

I didn't respond right away because I work during the day, and it can be difficult to find the patinece to sit down in front of the computer at night. Also, responding to you (Bob Smith) required some time to process your response and develop a proper response without you thinking I was "out to get you".
Phreezer. You are simply mean. You don't even know me, you did not even bother to ask me questions to get to know me and find out if you perceived me correctly. Tone is hard to perceive by reading posts. You must have misunderstood the tone in my post. Not to mention, my reply was to what Bob had posted. If you had posted a different response, the outcome would have been different.
Arrogant. Isn't that the kettle calling the pot black? It seems to me you guys can't, or don't know how to take a challenge. Do you expect the women in the forum asking questions to simply sit back, nod, and agree with everyhthing you all have to say. As if you can agree with each other on everything.

FACT: Oatmeal is a carb
FACT: Oatmeal is high in Fiber
FACT: Fiber fills you up and is good for the digestive system
FACT: Carbs supply energy
With these facts, how can I not challenge Bob's comment?
I spoke to HULK -someone Bob looks toward for information - and in regard to your comment about carbs not being an essential nutrient you are partly correct. One can get energy from protein, but obviously in the long run this is not good for the body. Too much of anything can be bad, such as too much carbs.
And what is so wrong with asking for Bob's background on his knowlege of women's health and nutrition?
As for the Soy. Phreezer, you didn't have to retort with such a rude answer. Did the thought not cross your mind that perhaps I was unaware of the raise of estrogen levels in men? After all, I am a WOMAN and this is WOMAN's Forum. Instead of lecturing you could have taught me this in a better manner.

I was planning on apologizing to Bob if I had in anyway irritated him.
But you have both insulted me. Kingergarden! How low is name calling!!
You've made me regret I ever advocated this site.
Perhaps from now on, only female moderators should be allowed to answer posts on the WOMEN'S FORUM.

-N

[Bob Smith]

Narcissa,

Your post did come across as extremely arrogant, which is why you got the responses you did. If that wasnt your intention, then obviously the responses were not merited. We enjoy debating topics of all nature on this board, whether it be nutrition, AAS, politics, etc. Questioning someones position is accepted as long as the questioner doesnt come across as being high and mighty. Unfortunately, that is the way some of us interpreted your post.

Phreezer is a great guy with a wealth of knowledge. I too enjoy helping people of all backgrounds.

As for looking to Hulk for info, I dont even remember the last time Ive seen him on Meso, so I wouldnt consider him a source of my knowledge. I just checked, he hasnt been on Meso since Dec of 2003. I do look to others for information though.

To answer one of your statements, carbs are in fact a non-essential nutrient. Humans do not NEED them. Do they serve a purpose and are useful in various ways, absolutely. I just dont feel a diet should be high carb.

[Narcissa]

PS
I telephoned Hulk.

-N.

[Millard Baker]

Bob Smith and Phreezer are both very knowledgeable, helpful and all-around great guys. They go out of their way to help members in the forum. If I didn't have full confidence in them, they wouldn't be mods.

Given the context of subsequent posts, it does seem they may have been a little harsh. But your initial response may have suggested your intentions were to antagonize them.

Please keep in mind that all the mods here spend a lot of time answering questions and moderating posts. It is not uncommon for some people to sign up and post a couple of innocuous questions just to bait mods/members into arguments. Obviously, this is what we thought you were doing. But to someone who is truly interested in learning via spirited debate and exchange of info, we apologize and welcome you.