Ways Women Can Build Muscle Without Looking Too Muscular

Specialty: Sports Nutrition and Physical Fitness

Jackie Womble is a registered and licensed dietitian who specializes in corporate wellness, sports nutrition, and physical fitness. She is an American College of Sports Medicine certified Exercise Physiologist and Certified Spinning Instruc... more

When it comes to women building muscle, there’s a lot of skepticism. “Will I look muscular like a bodybuilder?” “Will I be able to fit in my clothes?” Well, the truth is, women should build lean muscle. Muscles contain mitochondria, the cell organelle that synthesizes energy and boosts metabolism (3575' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >2016/11/161102132208.htm' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >1). Building muscle also helps prevent muscle loss after 30 and keeps your body looking toned (2), (3). So, no, you will not look muscular bodybuilder. Read on to know the 15 best ways women can build muscle without looking too muscular. Swipe up!

Workout

1. Strength Training

Strength training is the first step to take if you want to build muscle and strength (4). A typical strength training routine includes lifting weights (dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, and weight plates). It helps improve the strength of your muscles.

These exercises cause a lot of wear and tear in the muscles. When you rest or sleep, the muscles rebuild themselves – only, this time, they are broader and stronger.

Use your body weight, a TRX training band, or any resistance band to transform simple exercises into strength training. Here’s a sample strength training routine.

2. HIIT It!

Include HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) in your exercise routine to maintain a lean frame and get a chiseled body. HIIT includes fast and agile moves for 30 seconds with 10 seconds of rest in between the sets.

This short duration, high-intensity workout targets the fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are essential for building muscle (6199482/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >5), (6). Endurance training or long-duration exercise like long runs or walks target slow-twitch fibers, which will not help build muscle.

Do the following exercises: high knees, alternate straight leg kicks, burpees, squat jumps, jumping lunges, rope jumping, battle rope, side jackknife, Russian twist, leg ins and outs, crunches, and sit-ups.

Make sure you take 60-90 seconds rest before switching to the next exercise. Take 10 seconds rest between the sets.

3. Push Yourself

Push yourself to do more reps, faster, and with precision. If you keep doing the same exercises with the usual number of sets and reps, you will not progress.

The more you practice, the more your muscles will adapt to the weights. Unless you increase the weight or add some level of difficulty, your muscles will remain the same size.

Tip: Work out 3 to 5 days a week and do strength training every alternate day to give your muscles time to recover.

Apart from working out, you must also take care of your diet. Here are the diet strategies you can follow.

Diet

4. Consume Enough Protein

Lifting weights and doing HIIT will break down muscle protein. You need protein to rebuild the muscles. Sources like fish, chicken breast, soy chunks, beans, nuts, seeds, lentils, eggs, and mushrooms can help build and repair the muscles.

Sedentary women are required to consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. But to build muscle mass, consume 1.7-1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. If you weigh 132 pounds (62 kg), you should consume 105-112 g of protein per day (7).

5. Have Pre- And Post-Workout Meals

Pre- and post-workout meals will help you ace the workout and recover fast from it, respectively (8).

Lifting weights requires energy, and by consuming a carb-rich, moderate protein pre-workout meal, you will provide your body with the required energy. Consume a protein-rich post-workout meal so that your muscles recover and rebuild fast.

6. Consume Healthy Fats In Limited Amounts

The healthy fats found in nuts, seeds, ghee, avocado, rice bran oil, and avocado oil are rich in vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps flush out toxins (9). These food sources also contain omega-3-fatty acids, which help lower inflammation in the body (10). These healthy fats also help boost the recovery process when your body is resting.

7. Consume Good Carbs In Limited Amounts

Include high-fiber carbs, such as fruits, veggies, and whole grains, in your diet. They provide dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which are essential for optimum health. These nutrients will ensure that you do not feel weak or fall sick easily.

8. Take Supplements

Supplements are great for people with highly busy schedules or who are very active. They provide the nutrition that you are missing out on from whole foods. Protein supplements are great for gaining lean muscle mass. However, you must talk to your physician and a registered dietitian before you take any supplement.

9. Limit Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol is metabolized as extra calories in the body, and too much of it in the system can lead to weight gain (11). You will also not have the energy and stamina to workout. If you want to build muscle, stick to a glass of wine, one to two days per week. Going overboard will end up slowing down your progress.

The next five points discuss one of the most ignored but important aspects of building muscle. Take a look.

Lifestyle

10. Rest

Resting helps in muscle recovery. If you don’t rest, you will injure yourself and may not get back to the gym. Rest between the exercises and sets and after going home for at least 20 minutes. Avoid lifting weights every day.

11. Wake Up Early

Waking up early will prompt you to go to bed early. That way, you can go to the gym in the morning or evening. You will also have time to fix a quick breakfast before you head out or consume a protein-rich dinner after you come back from the gym in the evening.

12. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is important for allowing your muscles to recover from wear and tear (12). Get at least 7 hours of sound sleep. Your brain also needs the rest to function (13).

13. Meditate

Building a toned and strong body requires a certain degree of discipline. Meditation can help you stay focused and maintain a good lifestyle. It is tough in the beginning, but do not give up. Gradually, you will learn to train your brain and control your hunger pangs, lethargy, anxiety, and other emotions that may prevent you from getting the desired results soon.

14. Surround Yourself With Positive People

Positive people help inspire and motivate others. Surrounding yourself with positive people will make it less likely for you to fail in your personal and professional endeavors. Be it at home, work, or the gym, look for people with great energy and vibe so that you can learn from them and not give up on your goals so easily.

15. Talk To Experts

If you are a beginner, it is best to have a personal trainer, who will suggest a proper exercise routine. Consult a registered dietitian for a customized diet plan. You can also talk to other people who share similar goals to build a community of support. Building social support is important so that you stay focused and do exercises correctly.

Conclusion

Exercising regularly, eating healthy food, and getting physical and emotional rest can help steer your life to a new, better direction. But before you start, talk to a trainer and a registered dietitian for exercise and nutrition guidance. Take care!

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days a week should I workout to build muscle female?

Get at least two days of strength training/TRX/ bodyweight training to tone up your muscles. Do not go for strength training on consecutive days.

How much muscle can a woman gain in a month?

It depends on your diet, exercise plan, age, body type, current weight, stress, sleep, etc.

Do you gain weight when you gain muscle?

Muscles have more weight than fat. So, yes, you will gain weight.

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