The term “getting toned” quite honestly is used by people who don’t understand exactly what getting toned means. Building muscle and losing body fat is what “getting toned” really is, so next time you or someone says that you don’t want to build muscle but you want to get toned, you are not going to achieve your goals.
The fear of becoming “bulky” is a saying I hear daily from women who don’t understand what exactly toning up is.
You may have seen men who struggle to build muscle and I have a secret to tell you; men build muscle easier than women because of testosterone. This means that it is difficult to build muscle and almost impossible to have enough muscle and be lean enough to be bulky.
So how exactly do you get toned?
1.) Eat Better Food
This doesn’t mean that you have to eat salads, fresh veggies, and starve yourself to get lean. Eating better food means you need to choose to eat more non-processed natural foods that you need to cook instead of eating junk.
There are plenty of tasty foods that you can eat to lose weight. Having a cheeseburger or eating some Taco Bell sparingly is still okay, just quit making it a habit.
2.) Eat More Protein
Eating more protein goes hand in hand with eating better food and helps build lean muscle. Eating steak, chicken, turkey, ground beef, fish, cheese, beans, and other protein rich foods will help keep you satisfied during the day and will help you recover from your hard workouts.
Don’t be intimidated by supplements such as protein shakes. Some protein shakes taste great and taste even better when mixed with milk. Once you have an understanding of your calories in vs calories out, you will be able to plan out some protein shakes as possible meal replacements or protein replacements.
3.) Go To The Gym
You can lose body fat and get healthy without having to go to the gym, but if you want to create the athletic and sexy physique you are dreaming of, you really need to go to the gym.
Weight training can be intimidating for men and women, so finding a gym that you are comfortable in is a must. Doing your main compound lifts including Squats, Bench Press, Deadlifts, Barbell Rows, and Pull Ups are going to be crucial for toning up.
Check out our workouts section above for a gym routine that fits your schedule. Find a partner, watch YouTube, or hire a trainer to help teach you proper form on these movements and then work to progressively get stronger. There is no downside to being stronger.
4.) Be More Active
Everyone worries about going to the gym to “get their cardio on.” What about playing outside with your kids or enjoying a great run or participating in a sport? Cardiovascular training is important and improving your conditioning is extremely important to your quality of life, why would you limit yourself to a machine that is boring?
There are so many activities that you can do including biking, hiking, running/walking, playing sports, dancing, or anything else that involves you being on your feet and moving. The more you move around during the day, the more calories you burn.
5.) Don’t Listen to Fads
Nothing will let you down more than spending $80 on a program that promises you a “beach body in 6 weeks” or “shredded abs in 30 minutes a day.”
Trying fad workouts and fad diets haven’t gotten anyone anywhere for a long period of time. The people you see in the commercials are paid actors and quite frankly they are hoping to fool you into buying their program in hopes of you wanting to take the easy way out.
Toning up and becoming more athletic is hard and takes a lot of work to accomplish. Starving yourself or only eating soup will not get you anywhere.
Conclusion
If you’ve made it this far and wonder where the ‘secrets’ are, I’m sorry to disappoint you. Hard work, consistency, and a little sweat will get you further than any magic pill or fad.
Quit using the excuse of being afraid of becoming “bulky” to not get in the gym and bust your ass, work your ass off, and get the results you deserve.
If you have any comments or questions, leave them below!
