5 Things To Know If You're Trying To "Tone Up" For Summer
“I want to get toned,” is the most common reason people come to me for personal training. The fitness industry makes it sound simple: workout and you’ll tone up! Unfortunately, it’s not that simple, and it’s this misunderstanding that keep a lot of people from seeing results that they’re working so hard for. Keep reading to learn more about what might be standing in your way and how you can solve the problem.
The idea of “toning up” is widely misunderstood
Knowing that women are scared of “getting bulky,” the fitness industry created feminine phrases to get women through their doors: “tone” and “sculpt” being the two most popular. And those two phrases are usually followed by the words, “long, lean muscle.”
The most consequential outcome of specifying that exercise formats like Pilates or Barre use light weight to “sculpt long, lean muscle” has led women to believe that traditional weight lifting using heavier weights results in building bulky muscle. It also insinuates that there are two types of muscle: long, lean or bulky.
Scientifically, there are two different types of muscle fibers: slow twitch and fast twitch. Slow twitch muscles are fatigue resistant and help us to control our posture and partake in activities like walking, cycling, distance running, and swimming. Fast twitch muscles are fatigue prone and relied on for shorter durations for powerful movements like weight lifting, jumping, and sprinting.
Those are the only two types of muscles we have. There is no “long lean” muscle or “bulky” muscle. The size and appearance of your muscles will vary based on your workout regimen, your training experience, your diet, and your genetics.
The most important takeaway for those who are scared of getting bulky: To “tone up” means to increase the appearance of muscle on your frame. No matter what verb you use – tone, sculpt, build – if you want your arms to have muscle definition, you need to work on building the muscle in your arms. And building muscle requires weight lifting and increased protein consumption (more on that later). Women who you may consider to be bulky are likely training harder and eating more than you ever plan to. They do not look like that by accident, I promise.
Adding visible muscle to your frame takes time
So we’ve established that in order to increase the appearance of muscle on your frame, you need to build muscle. Now here is the second most misleading thing the fitness industry tells you: That you can “tone up” – or increase the appearance of muscle on your frame – in just 30 days, 8 weeks, or 12 weeks. The truth is your ideal physique could take months, even years to achieve.
There are two equally opposing and necessary phases involved in increasing the appearance of muscle on your frame: building muscle and shedding fat. And they cannot be done at the same time. I repeat: You cannot build muscle and shed fat at the same time.
In the same way you need words to build a sentence and bricks to build a wall, you need food and protein to build muscle. However, when you’re trying to shed fat, you’re intentionally depriving your body of food. So what do you do if you want to both shed fat and gain muscle?
You plan for two different dieting phases: a surplus and a deficit. In your surplus, you are eating a little more food than your body needs with an emphasis on protein while weight lifting consistently to build muscle on your frame. A surplus phase can last anywhere from 8-20 weeks. Once your surplus phase is complete, you can then enter a deficit in which you eat less than your body needs while still prioritizing protein to shed fat while maintaining as much muscle as possible. This again will last for anywhere between 8-20 weeks.
People who commonly say “I’m doing everything I can without seeing results!” often are not giving their body enough food to build muscle because they’re constantly on a diet.
It takes adequate food intake
If you are constantly on a diet, your workouts are just helping you to maintain the muscle you already have. To build new muscle, you must take a break from your diet and either enter a maintenance or surplus phase. A Certified Nutrition Coach can help you to figure out how many calories you should be eating per day based on your height, weight, gender, and daily level of activity. They’ll also help you to figure out how much protein you should eat to achieve your goals. The combination of a strategic weight lifting program and a proper diet that focuses on eating enough is the key (and frankly the only way) to build muscle.
It cannot be achieved through cardio
Notice that up until this point we have only talked about weight lifting. What about cardio? Well, that part is really up to you. Cardio doesn't build muscle. Cardio can burn more calories than weight lifting, but calorie burn does not build muscle. Weight lifting builds muscle. In fact, the more muscle you have, the more efficiently your metabolism functions and the more calories you burn as you go throughout your daily life. If you love cardio and want to incorporate it into your routine, 1 or 2, 30 minute sessions per week is more than enough. If you hate cardio, walking and getting enough steps each day is plenty.
It’s not as simple as “move more eat less”
This is a very old phrase used in the diet and exercise industries and leaves out one of the most important components to your success: strategy. In order to succeed, you cannot simply move more and eat less. Instead, you must know how much energy your body needs to maintain your weight. You must also know what number of calories is appropriate for a surplus and deficit phase. Finally, you must have an exercise program that aligns with your goals and your diet.
With time and consistency, you will see results. You just might need some help. Which is why I’m here! If you’d like to learn more about what their process can look like for you, click here to schedule your complimentary, no-strings-attached consultation. It will be the first step to efficiently and effectively reaching your goals!
