What Female Bodybuilding Diets Are

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"I cannot stress how important your diet is to support your building goals," says
Martinez. Yes, you'll need protein (to help build all that new muscle) but healthy fats
are also a must (they'll keep you satiated longer, helping you keep your daily caloric
intake low) and complex carbs will be crucial for fueling your workouts.

That's why many female bodybuilders follow an IIFYM or macro-counting diet. "This

form of dieting allows you much more freedom in your food choices, as long as you
stick to eating a certain amount of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins," says Snyder.

That's just the beginning. Here's a full guide to bodybuilding diet and nutrition,
including some more details on how most bodybuilding athletes "bulk" and "cut" to
prepare for a competition. (And, yes, you can follow a vegan bodybuilding diet and
lifestyle too.)

Before You Sign Up for a

Bodybuilding Competition...
There are a ton of bodybuilding organizations out there—the International Federation
of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB), National Physique Committee (NPC), and World
Natural Bodybuilding Federation (WNBF), just to name a few—and they're all a little
different. Before you decide to sign up for a competition, do some research on which
competition and genre of bodybuilding for women might be right for you. They all
require you to wear a swim-style suit and pose in front of judges to be scored.

Bikini: This is the most popular female bodybuilding division. It emphasizes

balanced physiques with a moderate amount of muscle. You wear a two-piece bikini
and pose in front of judges to be scored.

Figure: Muscle-wise, the figure category is a step up from the bikini category. You're
judged on muscular balance and symmetry.
Women's physique: The women's physique division packs on even more muscle,
taking on more of an athletic look.

Bodybuilding: This is the most muscular category of women's bodybuilding. (Think:

Arnold Schwarzenegger, but female.)

Fitness: The fitness category is judged on physique and appearance too, but it also
includes a fitness routine performed to music and includes elements of dance,
strength moves, and gymnastics.