Petite (100-115 lbs) Transformation Guide: How Thin Women Build Curves

A woman at 100 to 115 pounds builds muscle and curves by lifting four days a week, eating 1,500 to 1,800 calories, which is 200 to 400 above maintenance, and getting 90 to 110 grams of protein a day. Keep cardio low. Expect slow scale gains of about a quarter to half a pound a week, mostly muscle.

Who is the Petite archetype?

This guide is for women between 100 and 115 pounds, usually rectangle, pear or inverted triangle shaped, with an ectomorph or ecto-mesomorph build. You have a lean frame, you find it hard to gain weight, and clothes hang off you instead of fitting. You want shape without padding.

Why have you not gained muscle so far?

Usually three reasons: you eat less than you think, especially on busy days; you do a lot of cardio or classes; and you train with light weights for high reps without adding load. A lean frame does not need more workouts. It needs more food and heavier, progressive lifting.

An older version of this guide set calories at 2,300 to 2,700 a day. That is too high for most women in this range and would add more fat than needed. The spec range below is a better starting point.

How many calories and how much protein?

• Calories: 1,500 to 1,800 a day, a surplus of 200 to 400 above maintenance. Start at 1,650. If you weigh 100 to 107 pounds, start at 1,600. If you weigh 108 to 115, start at 1,700.
• Protein: 90 to 110 grams a day, about 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram (Morton et al., 2018)
• Fat: about 25 to 30 percent of calories
• Carbs: the rest, spread through the day and around training

Split protein over four meals of 25 to 30 grams (Schoenfeld and Aragon, 2018).

What does a week of training look like?

Full body training four days a week, about 45 to 60 minutes each:

• Monday: full body A
• Tuesday: full body B
• Wednesday: rest or a light walk
• Thursday: full body A
• Friday: full body B
• Weekend: rest, walks and mobility

What are the main lifts?

Full body A:

• Barbell hip thrust: 4 sets of 8 to 10. Add 5 to 10 pounds when you hit 10 reps on all sets.
• Goblet squat or leg press: 3 sets of 8 to 10
• Dumbbell bench press: 3 sets of 8 to 10
• Lat pulldown: 3 sets of 10
• Dumbbell lateral raise: 3 sets of 12 to 15

Full body B:

• Romanian deadlift: 3 sets of 8 to 10
• Bulgarian split squat: 3 sets of 8 per leg
• Seated dumbbell shoulder press: 3 sets of 8 to 10
• Cable or dumbbell row: 3 sets of 10
• Cable abduction: 3 sets of 15 per side

Rest 90 seconds to 2 minutes on big lifts. Keep cardio to walking. Rectangle shapes get the most from glute and side delt work. Pear shapes can push upper body volume a little higher.

What should a normal day of eating look like?

• Breakfast: 2 eggs, oats made with milk, a banana
• Lunch: 4 ounces chicken, 1 cup rice, vegetables
• Snack: Greek yogurt with granola
• Dinner: 4 ounces salmon, a potato, vegetables with olive oil

That comes in around 1,650 calories and about 105 grams of protein. If you struggle to eat enough, add a smoothie with milk, fruit, oats and peanut butter.

What should you expect at week 1, week 4 and week 12?

Week 1: The scale may rise 1 to 2 pounds. That is water and stored carbohydrate refilling your muscles, not fat.

Week 4: Expect a steady gain of about 0.25 to 0.5 pounds a week. Working weights on squats, hip thrusts and rows should be up 10 to 15 percent.

Week 12: Expect 3 to 5 pounds gained in total, mostly lean tissue if protein and training stayed consistent. Your waist should move no more than about half an inch while glutes and shoulders measure larger.

Change something if the two-week scale average does not move for two weeks: add 150 calories, mostly carbs. If your waist grows faster than your hips, pull 100 calories.

Is this plan right for you?

Do you weigh 100 to 115 pounds and struggle to gain? Do you want curves and strength more than a smaller number? Can you lift four days a week? If you said yes to two of these, this plan fits. If you are underweight for your height, have a history of disordered eating, or are a teen, talk to your doctor first.

If you weigh 80 to 100 pounds, read high protein diet for Pixie. Men in this range should read the Trim guide. For the next band up, see the Slim guide.

What is the next step?

Take the XPL quiz to confirm your archetype, check coaching options and pricing, or see the services page.

Written by Zavier King, personal trainer in Houston and online coach at XPL. ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Nutrition Coach.