In the “Getting Girls to Train” series, I aim articles at you, the reader, in hopes that you can use them to help a female in your life — friend, girlfriend, wife, relative, etc. — get into training. In Part 1 I gave some basic guidelines on how to create a strength program for her and in Part 2 we talked about why monotonous time spent doing “cardio” isn’t necessary as well as how to incorporate simple high intensity endurance workouts into a strength program. Today’s Part 3 concerns with ‘eating right’.
If you remember the Improving Diet post, you’ll remember that I’m not a stringent diet groupie. More importantly, I’m not an advocate of completely changing everything about a person’s diet because it’s the hardest habit to alter. Instead, I like to recommend small steps to improve eating, make it habitual, and then take the next step by addressing big things first, then focusing on the little things. It’s analogous to acting as a page, then a squire, and then being accepted into knighthood (with even fewer being raised to lords).
Women who are new to training are no different in that I would ask for gradual changes over time, yet the process is different than a typical guy’s. Societal and government sources would have the public believe granola bars, oatmeal, and orange juice is a healthy breakfast. Carbohydrates, especially the processed variety, run rampant. My first order of business with new female trainees is to get them to eat more protein.
Typically girls, especially those who don’t train, don’t gorge superfluously (unless they’re high?). By getting them to focus on having protein in every snack or meal, they will not only eat more of it, but they won’t have as much of an appetite for other crappier food sources.
Erin Stern has trained for 15+ years and some how didn't get bulky
Protein won’t make a girl bulky, especially since she not only hasn’t had a history of accidentally becoming bulky but more importantly females only have 5 to 10% of the testosterone that a male has. Instead, protein is the most abundant molecule in the body that is a major structural component of all cells — muscle, organs, hair, and skin — and helps regulate metabolism, form blood cells, and supports the immune system. The average woman is deficient in protein intake, and she will significantly improve her health by consuming more if it…even without exercise.
Then we compound this new-found protein intake with a proper program (this or this), and she is on her way to being lean and strong.
My friend Courtney Modecki, a female oddly enough, is in agreement with the “progressive steps” method of improving diet with women. She pointed out to me that it’s a sensitive issue since ranging from eating disorders to emotional issues with eating as a result of obesity. We both agreed that eating breakfast is one of the first progressions we would urge, along with increasing protein intake.
Courtney pointed out that she found it easy to get women to adapt to eating whole eggs. Some girls can be weary of meat (for whatever reason), but eggs are cheap and can be easily prepared to preference. Since each egg has the protein equivalent of an ounce of meat, they are a significant addition to a female diet.
Lastly, whey protein added into smoothies is another form of protein intake that is acceptable and easy to a female new to training. Whey is perfectly acceptable for any type of trainee, although it shouldn’t be relied on for the primary source of protein in a day. 50 grams of protein can be consumed through whey by women — this would typically leave another 100 grams for them to consume in food. In comparison, that number can be 75 to 100 grams for a male, and it leaves 100 to 150 grams for the average guy to eat through food. It doesn’t matter if a majority of the protein is consumed all at once, but typically we aim for a distribution throughout the day to prepare the body for training as well as recovering after.
The diet topic, especially concerning women who need to change it, can be extensive. Courtney and I have will explore this topic in future “70’s Big Female posts” on Mondays.
Yet again, you fail to discuss the Wall, Valyrian steel, Myrish perfumes, or flaying prisoners. This place is going to the dogs.
Look now. Second paragraph.
–Justin
Justin, how about a seminar at Courtney’s crossfit place??? Annandale is super convenient to those of us in DC and Northern Virginia as well as the rest of the mid-atlantic 70sbig followers.
We have already been conspiring this.
–Justin
I’m honestly shocked that the 70sbig readership has matured enough (seemingly overnight) that there can even be an intelligent discussion about protein intake and females.
Just because you’re immature doesn’t mean we are.
–Justin
Another good post. Sent it to the missus. I’ve been having a little trouble getting her to consume whey shakes (she is unable to just ‘glug them down’ as I do) but I think we’re getting there… about as fast as a Dothraki rowing team, but still progress is progress.
YES! +1 from a 70sBig fan in Arlington, VA on doing a seminar in Annandale, VA. I would totally go and hopefully my fiance would too. She also started increasing her protein by eating a real breakfast with three eggs daily, and quickly moved to having a meat item with lunch and dinner too. Great advice here. I’d say this is the most important and enterprising series you’ve written.
I gave that bitch some eggs. Bitches love eggs,
@PatrickStroup – You’ve managed to not contribute and not be entertaining at the same time. Your bitch must be proud.
God Bless you Justin.
I already find my girlfriend very attractive. Now, because of these articles, she is going to start training. I think she emailed you too. All i have to say is thank you. I didnt have to push my girlfriend to train at all. She just happend to read this over my shoulder one night and became interested. If you ever come to Omaha I owe you a steak and a beer.
@skylar. I would hold your tongue woman before I make you my salt wife.
I was amused by Stroup’s comments, fwiw.
someone’s pissed over a chauvinist comment?
this oughta be good.
Justin…regarding cardio. The wife and I are doing Tough Mudder in a few months so we’re jogging on non-workout days to help endurance. Should we move this to workout days or is it OK as is?
The first issue is “jogging”, since it hardly accomplishes anything other than getting the structures of the legs and hips (re)adapted to the act of running. Instead I would have you do higher intensity running workouts at the end of your training sessions. These higher intensity sessions shouldn’t go on rest days since they will produce a systemic effect that would interfere with the recovery processes.
Yet if you’re doing the slow running on off days, it won’t be a huge deal, but will remain ineffective.
–Justin
Long before I ever submitted “70′s Big Female” articles to the site, I had been a huge fan of Justin’s writing and his message. Encouraging women to give up their twig fairy cardio lifestyle and transform into a strong, confident 70’s Big grown-ass women! However, it was actually witnessing his coaching that truly blew me away. He exposed me to the highest caliber of instruction and greatly improved my lifting regimen while absolutely raising the bar. Justin’s coaching skills are unparalleled and he has a gift for not only analyzing form, but communicating his message through cues, so as to elicit the desired adjustments. This leads to better overall mechanical efficiency, safer lifting, and the ability to toss around heavier fucking weights! He is proficient in tailoring programming to fit the unique individual while taking into account their current level and desired goals. Justin knows exactly what makes the female lifter distinctive from her 200+ lb male counterpart and how to adjust for this. Every detail of his programming is deliberate and thoughtful. He takes the time to explain his precise logic behind the design, which has transformed me into a more educated and better lifter. Since starting Justin’s S&C programming, I have been able to break through long-standing plateaus with ease. I have total confidence in his expertise, trust him entirely as a coach, and am so grateful for his guidance.
If you live even remotely close to Chicago, you would be an absolute fool to miss this workshop!
Stroup’s first comment was kind of lackluster, but he really came through in the second round and H.A.M.med on Skylar.
It sounds like getting women to train is like getting men (“boys”?) to stop obsessing over bicep curls and visible abz.
And I’m tired of eatin’ sloppy, slimy eggs…
Your comparison isn’t all that equal.
–Justin
there could have been more comments on this article
specifically more comments expressing anger towards Patrick’s very flagrant sexism
i couldn’t be more disappointed
@Brent
I am surprised you even care.
I just assumed that Patrick was a typical hen-pecked male masquerading as a chauvinist.
What sort of chauvinist cooks eggs for his lady friend?
Brent worships the based god.
Stroup, you mean this guy?
I hate stuff like this.
–Justin
The worst part is that the guy takes himself seriously…
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