Strong is the New Skinny: 3 Steps to Gain Muscle as a Woman!

No, ladies, you’re not going to get “bulky” from lifting heavy weights. Those jacked crossfit women appear “bulky” because of their elite muscle-building genetics, YEARS of perfectly dialed-in diets & workouts, and in most cases, the use of steroids. Also, “toning” or eating copious amounts of carbs & running endless miles (while having a rumbling tummy everyday) won’t get you “toned.” Muscle building does; aka hittin’ the weights & eatin' right!

PLEASE remove this preconception from your arsenal of thoughts:

Weight-lifting will make me manly.

Gosh dang it... it simply isn't true.

Being a woman who lifts heavy weights won't make you bulky, manly, or look like a she-Hulk. In fact, it'll do just the opposite.

With a consistent weight-lifting and resistance training program, expect to become super toned all around, burn more fat (vs. chronic cardio), and shape your curves exactly how you want them. Plus, men are attracted to a strong, built woman, inside AND out.

There are just three steps to gaining muscle, which applies to all humans:

1. Eat the right amount of calories.

2. Eat the right amount of protein, carbs, and fat.

3. Perform consistent muscle-building workouts.

STEP 1: Eat the right amount of calories.

1. Maintain a moderate calorie surplus: 5 - 10%.

• This should allow you to gain 0.25 to 0.5 pounds per week with minimal to no fat gain. However, if you were to exceed this 10% calorie surplus, it will not help put on more muscle, but it most likely will put on more fat at the same rate.

2. If you’re over 25% body fat, focus on getting down to ~20% before trying to strictly gain more muscle.

Why? Well because it...

• Keeps you insulin sensitive so you don't sabotage metabolic health.

• Keeps hormones balanced.

• Makes it more enjoyable than the miserable, restrictive cuts.

STEP 2: Eat the right amount of protein, carbs, and fat.

If your only goal is to shred fat, then calories can be your main scope. But if you want to improve body composition via gaining muscle AND losing fat, you need to focus on the macros: protein, carbs, and fat.

The goal for both is not only how many calories or how many carbs, fats and proteins, it’s what sources are you getting these from? (Hopefully it isn’t coming from cookies and croissants!).

Here are the basic keys to follow for a smooooth health hike to one sexy beach bod:

1. Eat 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight.

• This will make muscle growth quicker and more efficient (aka you’ll recover faster) while keeping you satiated longer to support fat loss goals. Fatty cold water fish like wild salmon and sardines, grass-fed beef and whey isolate, pasture-raised eggs and chicken are all viable options.

2. Eat 0.3-.4g of fat per lb of bodyweight.

• This amount of fat will keep meal planning fun and scrumptious and will be easier to hit caloric goals while maintaining healthy metabolism and energy. Diverse healthy fats from avocado, fatty cold water fish, extra virgin olive oil and coconut are great focus points.

3. Eat the rest of your calories in carbs.

• Carbs are your fuel for your workouts, but stick to lower-glycemic, complex carbs for the most part like cooked quinoa, steel-cut oats, sweet potatoes, rice, beans, etc. Don’t forget about nutrient-dense fruits like apples, blueberries, and dates and veggies like broccoli, asparagus and dark leafy greens!

There are 4 calories per gram of protein and carbohydrate and 9 calories per gram of fat.

Keep this in mind for this simple math on how to discover how many carbs you need in this high-carb fitness diet:

• Multiply protein goal x4 (remember 1g protein / lb bodyweight)

• Multiply fat goal x9

• Add these numbers together THEN subtract this number from you total caloric goal

• This number is you carb goal for the day in calories

• Divide by 4 to discover grams of carbs per day goal

Okay here’s an example for me: I’m a 190lb dude that has a caloric goal of 3,000 calories. I am aiming for 190g of protein a day.

• 190 x 4 = 760 calories from protein

• 80g (goal) x 9 = 720 calories from fat

• 760 + 720 = 1,480 calories

• 3,000 - 1,480 = ~1,500 calories from carbs

• 1,500 calories divided by 4 calories/g = ~375g carbs daily

My total macro breakdown:

• Fat: 80g

• Protein: 190g

• Carbs: 375g

YOUR TURN!

STEP 3: Perform consistent muscle-building workouts

I know most of you amazing women really enjoy the elegant yoga and pilates-esque flow movements, but if you want to really upgrade your physique and fill in those pants, I strongly encourage you to make these following exercises your new best friends:

• Deadlifts

• Squats (back, front, goblet, etc)

• Hip Thrusts

• Overhead Presses

• Bench Press

• Pull-ups

• Rows

These movements will turn you into that strong, empowered woman you know you are; a Greek Goddess. These are what will make you stronger, leaner, and harder to kill, not running countless hours or going to a hot yoga class every week.

Making weight-lifting a habit is truly not going to be easy. The gym is flooded with testosterone and it can be VERY intimidating (especially if they are all eye gazing you down). You’re going to have to sweat hard, smell bad and get your hair all crazy every week, but that’s something you’re willing to sacrifice for a stronger body, mind and spirit, right?

Here’s the blueprint to built, ladies:

• Perform compound movements like deadlifts

• Keep cardio to a minimum

• Focus on heavy lifting

• Emphasize lower body movements more than upper

“So, Christian... Where do I get started when I stroll in the gym?”

Lucky for you I designed a SIMPLE workout you can begin utilizing today!

Try this program out for the next 8 weeks.

I recommend you train 4x a week, no more!

CVCWELLNESS

SUPERWOMAN PROGRAM

*Rest 2 minutes between heavy, compound sets

Day 1: SHOULDERS, CHEST & CALVES

Seated Shoulder Press

• 3 light warmup sets, 30 seconds rest, 50% 1 rep max (1RM)

• 3 sets, 6-8 reps (8-10 if new to weightlifting)

Goblet Squats

• 3 sets, 10-12 reps

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

• 3 sets, 8-10 reps

Flat Bench Press

• 3 sets, 8-10 reps

Standing Calf Raise (slow and controlled squeezing wins the race)

• 3 sets, 8-10 reps

Seated Calf Raise

• 3 sets, 6-8 reps

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Day 2: BACK, BUTT & ABS

Barbell Deadlift

• 3 light warmup sets, 30 seconds rest, 50% 1 rep max (1RM)

• 3 sets, 6-8 reps (8-10 if new to weightlifting)

Barbell Hip Thrusts

• 3 sets, 8-10 reps

Barbell Row

• 3 sets, 8-10 reps

Single-Arm Seated Cable Row

• 3 sets, 8-10 reps

Ab Super(woman)set: 3 to 6 supersets (do the following 4 exercises back-to-back for 1 complete superset)

Lying Leg Raises

• 15-20 reps

Reverse Crunches

• 15-20 reps

Cable Crunches (knees on ground, cable behind neck, contract core downward)

• 8-10 reps

Air Bicycles

• Till Failure!!

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Day 3: LOWER BODY

Barbell Squats

• 3 light warmup sets, 30 seconds rest, 50% 1 rep max (1RM)

• 3 sets, 6-8 reps (8-10 if new to weightlifting)

Leg Press

• 3 sets, 8-10 reps

Romanian Deadlift

• 3 sets, 8-10 reps

Single-Arm Seated Cable Row

• 3 sets, 8-10 reps

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Day 4: ARMS & ABS

Bicep Curl

• 3 light warmup sets, 30 seconds rest, 50% 1 rep max (1RM)

• 3 sets, 10-12 reps

Close Grip Barbell Bench Press

• 3 sets, 8-10 reps

Alternating Hammer Curl

• 3 sets, 8-10 reps

Seated Overhead Dumbbell Tricep Press

• 3 sets, 10-12 reps

Ab Super(woman)set: 3 to 6 supersets (do the following 4 exercises back-to-back for 1 complete superset)

Lying Leg Raises

• 15-20 reps

Reverse Crunches

• 15-20 reps

Cable Crunches (knees on ground, cable behind neck, contract core downward)

• 8-10 reps

Air Bicycles

• Till Failure!!

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HECK TO THE YEAH! Seems too simple right? Well, fitness and muscle-building is, but the industry has brainwashed us to think it has to be complex af.

Just 9 to 12 heavy sets each workout. If you’re still feeling energized at the end, feel free to add in some isolated sets to “burn out” (i.e. leg extensions or bicep curls for upper body days).

Hit me up via email or comment below if you have any questions, recommendations or just want to connect! I am here for you.