Everything You Need to Know About My Competitive Female Powerlifter Diet

As a female powerlifter, I must spend time lifting weights, but if my diet isn’t where it needs to be, I’d essentially be wasting my time even trying to get stronger.

Hey fellow powerlifters! My name is Maddie. I am not an elite powerlifter by any means (although I hope to be someday), but I am decently strong for my age and experience level–I recently competed in a national-level USA Powerlifting competition.

As you’re reading this post, just know that what works for me might not work for you because eating is very individualized.

This post is all about my diet as a female powerlifter.

*Note: This post includes several Amazon affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link (at no extra cost to you). Please read full disclosure here. Also, I am not a doctor or dietician. I am a personal trainer. It’s always best to speak with your doctor before making any changes to your diet and/or lifestyle.

Consuming enough calories is extremely important to my diet plan as a female powerlifter: I aim to eat 2,500 calories daily, and I’ve found that I am able to “maingain” there.

However, when I was losing weight a long time ago, I consumed closer to 1,600 calories. I’ve since done a reverse diet which is how I am able to eat so much food now. If you’re looking to learn more about a powerlifting diet to lose weight, the post below will be of huge benefit to you.

(RELATED POST: Powerlifting for Weight Loss | 3 Big Factors You NEED To Consider)

The only macro that really matters to me is protein—I try my best to eat 180-190 grams daily (approximately 1 gram per pound of bodyweight). My carb and fat intake varies, but my diet is typically pretty high carb and lower fat.

As for what to eat before powerlifting, many female powerlifters eat a high-carb diet because carbs give us quick energy, and they’re also protein sparing. Carbs give us energy for our lifts. And consuming carbs after a workout rebuilds our glycogen stores, while also preventing muscle loss and repairing our broken-down muscles.

So, carbs are not the enemy!

In all honesty, fancy supplements are not necessary to be successful in a female powerlifter diet, but they can definitely help you maximize your success. So, if you’re looking for a powerlifting diet on a budget, know that it is totally okay to cut off supplements completely.

As for my personal experience, I have tried several pre-workouts, but they are pretty expensive, so I usually just stick to an energy drink like Reign, Bang, or the C4 pre-workout in a can. Sometimes I even suffer through my lifts on no caffeine at all.

In addition, I’m currently taking creatine monohydrate. It definitely makes a difference strength-wise. Just keep in mind that individuals respond to creatine differently, but many people do swear by it.

And lastly, I’ve had my fair share of protein powders because they make it easier to reach my daily protein goal. Just be sure you invest in good-quality powder if you do decide to purchase some.

I personally like the Quest Vanilla Milkshake Protein Powder in my smoothies. I also love the Quest Cookies and Cream & Salted Caramel Protein Powder by themselves.

*One of the BEST post-workout drinks for a female powerlifting diet plan are the Fairlife protein shakes. They have the perfect ratio of carbs to protein for muscle recovery, and they taste SO good (especially chilled).

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and probably my most consistent. Usually I eat three scrambled eggs (with shredded cheese and ham) and a protein bar. Sometimes it varies, but eggs are definitely my go-to breakfast food.

If I do feel like mixing it up, I’ll go for a chocolate chip Kodiak Cakes mug cake or peanut butter oatmeal. As you can see, my breakfast is pretty high protein and high carb; the carbs give me a good boost of energy which allow me to start my day off right.

My powerlifting diet lunches definitely aren’t as set in stone as my breakfasts are, but most of the time I eat a chicken/turkey/ham sandwich accompanied by Oikos Triple Zero Yogurt and a fruit of some sort.

My dinners vary a lot, but I’ll give you some examples of meals I commonly eat:

• Chicken, rice, and vegetables
• Turkey chili
• Salmon, tuna, or another fish (typically with rice)
• Homemade pizza on Lavash bread – here is a good recipe!
• Chicken or steak fajitas
• Lean beef burger

*I typically like to meal prep my dinners.

I do eat a lot of snacks throughout the day; some of my favorites include Halo Top ice cream, Fairlife chocolate milk, fruit, protein smoothies, Orville smart pop, and Dove dark chocolate.