Men and women are built differently and; although, there are a lot of similarities when it comes to what we need as far as food goes, our differences are enough to warrant special attention. The primary goal of most women is probably to shed any excess fat from your body and gain some great looking curvatures. For the bodybuilding woman, the primary goal is to increase the muscle and lose the fat.

Your first step is going to be determining your calorie intake. If you are only taking in 1200 calories per day, you're going to get nowhere. Be aware that because women develop muscle at less than half the rate men do, their calorie intake isn't going to be as significant. This is due to lowered testosterone levels in women.

Most women will do well to add 10% of their body weight to their current calorie intake. The general rule is to multiply your body weight by 14 or 15. This number will be the amount of calories you should take in every day.

Second, you need to figure out your intake of carbohydrates and healthy fats for each day. Women who are looking to lose weight usually cut back on both of these, but women who are looking to build muscle should often add some into their diets rather than cut them out. Women are better equipped to burn fat as an energy source and can be more sensitive to a high calorie intake of food. This is why women are encouraged more to go for an evenly balanced diet. Keep your carbs and fats at relatively even levels while keeping in mind your caloric intake level.

Lastly, you ought to consider calorie cycling. This just means that you will put your highest calorie intake days on the same days that you do the hardest workouts. This will eliminate any gaining of excess fat while you put on the muscle. If it is incredibly easy for you to gain a few extra pounds, then you will benefit from this approach.

Make sure you take in more than 3 meals a day. Lessen the amount that you eat, but increase the amount of times that you eat per day. Never sit with that feeling of hunger for too long before eating a snack. If you are overweight, then choose healthy snacks instead of fats. As a general rule make your meals breakfast, mid-morning, lunch, pre-workout, post-workout, dinner and before bed.

Make sure that you are consistently measuring your progress so you know that the diet you are developing is working for you. If you find you are gaining fats, then you can adjust the levels of fats, carbs and proteins.

Stick to the regiment and you'll see results. Have patience and keep track of your progress so you can feel positive about your workouts. If you aren't seeing results, gently alter your diet. Don't try to take on a male's diet, your bodies are too dissimilar to produce the results you want. You are unique and need a unique diet.