‘I’m going to tone up for summer’ or ‘I want a toned physique’ are common phrases in the world of health and fitness. But what exactly does it mean to have a toned body? And how do you get it? 

In this blog, we’ll explain what body toning means and go over the best ways to achieve a toned physique. 

What is Body Toning?

Firstly, body or muscle ‘tone’ isn’t a real thing in the way that muscle growth is real. To tone up simply means lowering body fat and firming up muscle to create an overall lean and athletic look. Hello washboard abs!

Because toning requires the body to develop muscle while simultaneously keeping a low body fat percentage, achieving the desired results can be tricky. The success of toning depends not only on our actions in the gym but also on what we do in the kitchen.

Food is Fuel

It’s important to keep eating the necessary calories for your body to function. Remember, part of the toning process is to develop your muscles. If you stop eating, your body will break down muscle mass for fuel, which is the opposite of what you want! To tone up, your calorie intake should sit just 10-15% under your daily calories burnt. This small deficit will help you lose body fat in a safe and sustainable way.

Carbs are Not Bad For You

Don’t withhold all carbs from your diet. They’re your body’s preferred type of fuel. Instead, change the type of carbs you’re eating. Swap starches (bread, pasta, etc.) for fruit, veggies, and whole grains. You can also add healthy fats like nuts and avocados to your diet to make sure your body has all the ingredients it needs to shape up your muscles.

Eat Plenty of Protein

Your protein intake is essential when you’re trying to lose body fat and develop muscle mass at the same time. The protein leucine (found in whey, dairy, and animal products) helps sustain your muscle mass during the toning process. A range of 1.1-1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day is the general recommendation when toning up.

If you have a medical condition that impacts your dietary needs, we suggest you speak to your GP or a qualified dietitian before adjusting your nutrition. 

How to Tone in the Gym

Intervals Are Your Friend

If you want to lose fat and develop your muscles, interval training is the way to go. The higher intensity of the intervals will boost your metabolism and burn more calories, even after you’ve finished your training. 

Use All Your Muscles

If you want a well-defined six-pack, it’s tempting to train just your abs. However, toning up doesn’t really work that way. Sure, by doing crunches, sit-ups, and Russian twists daily, you’ll develop your core muscles and burn calories, but you don’t have any control as to where you’ll lose fat. You’re better off working your whole body.

This will A) make sure your body’s muscle mass is well-proportioned, and B) speed up the fat loss process as your bigger muscles (such as your quads, glutes, and hamstrings) use more calories. After all, larger muscles require, in absolute terms, more fuel to contract than smaller muscles.

Don't Be Scared of Weight Training

Training with weights will not make you bulky. To bulk up, you need to be in a calorie surplus and train with (very) heavy weights. Bulking is difficult and requires a lot of determination and time. No one ever ‘accidentally’ bulked up when they were actually trying to tone. Working out with moderate weights at higher repetitions will help you lose fat quicker whilst developing your muscles. 

Full Body Toning Workout

Combining the points made above, we’ve created a toning AMRAP workout (as many repetitions as possible) for you to try! For this workout, we are using a variety of equipment. If you don’t have everything available to you, replicate the movement with the equipment that you do have. E.g., Perform a dumbbell deadlift instead of a barbell deadlift. 

Set a timer to 45-second intervals with 45-second rest periods. In each interval, perform as many repetitions as possible of the following movements:

Goblet Squat

Use a mid-weight kettlebell or dumbbell. Squat down so that your hips are lower than your knees before coming back up. You can adjust the range of motion to suit your ability. 

Kettlebell Swing

Use a mid-weight kettlebell. Hinge at the hips to initiate the movement and swing the kettlebell from between your legs up to eye height. Try to go unbroken for the whole interval!

Deadlift

Set up your barbell or pair of dumbbells with a light to moderate weight. Keep your back straight as you lift the weight from the ground. Once your hips are fully extended, the rep is completed. 

Pull Ups

If you haven’t mastered the pull up yet, use resistance bands for assistance. Pull your chin over the bar to complete the movement. 

Shoulder Press

 You can perform these movements using kettlebells, dumbbells, or a barbell. Push the weight overhead in a straight line until your arms are extended.

Sit Ups

Lie down on your back with your feet flat on the floor, and knees bent. Bend at the hips to raise your head and torso off the ground until you are in a seated position. Use an ab mat for comfort.

Once you’ve completed all six intervals, Start again from the top! You’ll want to go through three or four rounds in total, depending on your fitness level.

Toning your body takes time. Don’t expect to have a perfectly toned physique in a matter of weeks. Implement the steps outlined in this blog and be consistent. Enjoy the process and, above all, have some fun with it!

Written by guest author Lisanne Van Ingen.

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Tags: Exercise Type > Conditioning ; Misc > Workout