By Patricia Baldwin
I am always amused when people tell me they do not want to build muscle, they only want to "tone." Muscles are toned; it is their natural state. Fat on the other hand is flabby, also its natural state, although some fat is healthy and also attractive in the right places, on women for example who naturally carry a higher fat percentage than men.
Many people seem afraid of "getting too big," as though that can happen by accident. You do not suddenly wake up with an extra 20 pounds of muscle: it may take years of intense working out, and for some of us our genetics do not even make it possible. Being afraid of becoming too muscular is simply silly!
It's kind of like being afraid of making too much money by accident, or losing too much weight quickly when eating a healthy diet. These things simply are not reasonable. They do not happen.
Similarly, when people say they want to "tone" what they really mean is build muscle and lose fat, regardless of what they may think.
People who claim they want to tone and those who want to build muscle have exactly the same goals, and the same techniques work for them. Toning consists of building some muscle and losing some fat so that muscle is visible. Same with those who want to just "gain muscle." In fact people generally do not even notice the muscle gain or fat loss, they simple notice that you look healthier, at least at first.
The best way to make progress is a combination of exercise and diet. Either one alone has a high probability of failure, even though men think that just exercise will help them meet their goals and women think that just diet will help them meet their goals. Yes, these are male/female stereotypes, and often correct!
For exercise, a mixture of resistance exercises, weights and/or machines, and cardio is ideal. In general, free weights work better than machines for building muscle. Any cardio is good, and simply walking will do wonders for people that are just getting starting. Cardio a few times a week and lifting weights perhaps 3-5 times a week is an awesome way to begin. Workouts do not need to be long to make significant progress, and after a while most people get nearly addicted to working out.
Diet is another story. It requires conscious effort, but you should be able to find healthy foods you enjoy and even substituting a healthier choice for a double cheese burger and fries a couple times a week is a great start!
Many people seem afraid of "getting too big," as though that can happen by accident. You do not suddenly wake up with an extra 20 pounds of muscle: it may take years of intense working out, and for some of us our genetics do not even make it possible. Being afraid of becoming too muscular is simply silly!
It's kind of like being afraid of making too much money by accident, or losing too much weight quickly when eating a healthy diet. These things simply are not reasonable. They do not happen.
Similarly, when people say they want to "tone" what they really mean is build muscle and lose fat, regardless of what they may think.
People who claim they want to tone and those who want to build muscle have exactly the same goals, and the same techniques work for them. Toning consists of building some muscle and losing some fat so that muscle is visible. Same with those who want to just "gain muscle." In fact people generally do not even notice the muscle gain or fat loss, they simple notice that you look healthier, at least at first.
The best way to make progress is a combination of exercise and diet. Either one alone has a high probability of failure, even though men think that just exercise will help them meet their goals and women think that just diet will help them meet their goals. Yes, these are male/female stereotypes, and often correct!
For exercise, a mixture of resistance exercises, weights and/or machines, and cardio is ideal. In general, free weights work better than machines for building muscle. Any cardio is good, and simply walking will do wonders for people that are just getting starting. Cardio a few times a week and lifting weights perhaps 3-5 times a week is an awesome way to begin. Workouts do not need to be long to make significant progress, and after a while most people get nearly addicted to working out.
Diet is another story. It requires conscious effort, but you should be able to find healthy foods you enjoy and even substituting a healthier choice for a double cheese burger and fries a couple times a week is a great start!
There is plenty of information available online, for example at Muscle Building and Build Muscle and Lose Fat. the most important thing is to get started. Of course checking in with your doctor first is always recommended!
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