Toning --What Women Want!

Toning

The most frequent question I get asked by women is “what exercises should I do if I want to tone my body?” Some of the most common body parts that women want to tone are triceps (upper arm area), the mid-section (the “muffin-top” -- stomach and love handles) and of course the butt and thigh areas.

Here’s my input on Toning:

Muscle tone is a term that we use to describe a body part that has a minimal amount of fat covering lean muscle tissue. When a muscle is not covered by layers of fat, it will appear closer to its actual shape and therefore appears “toned.” The body part will have shape and definition to it and will appear healthy and strong. Some people consider a muscle covered by fat a “bulky” muscle. I just call it fat.

It’s important to note that it’s not the actual muscle tissue that gets fat and bulky, it’s the layer of fat around it that gives it that form. If your eating habits do not support fat loss, then no amount of exercise will help you achieve a toned look. It all depends on how much fat tissue you’re carrying and how much of it is covering your lean muscle tissue. But you do have to have some muscle -- the more lean muscle you have, with the least amount of fat covering it, the more toned your body will appear.

It’s also not about what exercises help you tone the body. It’s about the amount of body fat vs. lean tissue. Exercises to magically shape and tone your muscles are non-existent; the same is true for exercises that are supposed to build big, bulky muscles. This is just one of the myths that we’ve been led to believe.

The real way to achieve a tight, toned body is to make healthier choices in the kitchen and every time you pick up a fork. If you add resistance training to your regimen and some interval-based activities, such as sprints on the bike or in the swimming pool, you’ll get that toned body you want.