Here are 3 mistakes every woman needs to avoid while trying to gain muscle.
Technically, these are 3 mistakes everyone who wants to improve their body composition and make lean gains needs to avoid.
But women are more sensitive to stress so they can't get away with as much.
It's not fair but it does make sense from an evolutionary standpoint. Women are more important to the survival of our species than men. Ya know, the whole baby carrying thing.
Mistake #1: Skipping Essential Meals - Contrary to popular belief, just eating some protein ASAP after training is not a one-size-fits-all solution for muscle building. It's essential to understand that post workout meals are really important to kickstart MPS AND the recovery process. My recommendation: plan balanced meals throughout the day to maintain energy and support your goals as well as a high protein, high carb, low fat meal after training.
Mistake #2: Overdoing a Specific Type of Exercise - While heavy lifting & going HARD have their place, overemphasis without balance can lead to increased stress on the body and diminished returns. My recommendation: incorporate a mix of intense training, moderate cardio, but most of all, focusing on recovery by implementing regular rest days!
Mistake #3: Underestimating the time frame - The allure of quick results often leads to under estimating the time we need to grow. Muscle building is an entirely different process to fat loss. My recommendation: before committing to a gaining phase, make sure you have a realistic timeline mapped out. A minimum of 16 weeks is what I recommend to my own clients.
Women face many unique challenges, but by focusing on foundational habits like food quality, progressive overload, and sufficient protein intake, substantial lean gains can be achieved. A lot of women get frustrated when they're told to basically starve themselves and then don't see progress. Why don't they see progress? Because the diet isn't supporting their actual goal!!!