How to - Lose Inches & Tone Up, Not Get Bulky.

Nobody ever came to me asking for more body fat

As usual I'm going to give you a short answer and my normal long-winded answer going over avoiding getting bulky in the gym. This past Saturday (2 days ago from writing this) I had a client tell me she wanted to get lean and tone up but was worried about getting bulky. Her goal was to drop inches and body fat. After hearing her goals, I replied, "Welp in the last 16 years I've done this I've never had a client come to me and say - Tommy, I want more body fat." Good news is I've had lots of practice working with clients on similar goals. So, next paragraph is the short ish version of what do follow / do and then below the long version.

Short(ish) Version of Not Getting Bulky

If you have a bank account or worked at a cash register Im sure you have been required to check and balance the money going in and out. In some form or fashion paying attention to what happened that day. Your food and exercise isnt much different. How many calories are we consuming and how many are we burning. If you are in a calorie deficit you will be shrinking and if weight training you will be building lean, tone muscle. There are a few exceptions to the rule that I will discuss below however at the end of the day its finding a calorie deficit and increasing your burn.

Longer Version

Ok so calories in vs. out. Got it, aka law of thermodynamics and conservation of energy. If you are worried about being hungry dont. If you drop your food intake just slightly (500 calories less) and your macros are fairly balanced (getting enough protein) then you should be just fine. However in the long term there are several catches.

As you begin dropping weight or body fat your metabolism slows. This is natural. You wont burn as many calories day to day. Think of it like gas milage with a vehicle. A large truck uses a lot of fuel fast but if you have a small call its more efficient. The same is true for your body. If you have less mass day to day you will burn less. One small way to off set this is to add more muscle on to your body. If you do this you may need to up your calories to your maintenance level as it's quite hard to add muscle and be in a deficit. That is one example of where you may need to eat a little more food than you are used to....after you have dropped some body fat.

Last, lets discuss body types and training phases. Some people can build muscle faster than others. If you are one of those people I envy you lol. Its a Hypertrophy means 75-85% of your max weight and 3-5 sets with 6-12 reps. Either high reps and supersets like HIIT training or maximal strength style 3-5 heavy reps with lots of rest. This is following protocols from the National Academy Of Sports Medicine. Body type, training phase, and type / amount of food will dictate what you will look like. As always, if you have questions please reach out and ask away! Thanks for reading!!!

FAQs

What types of workouts help me lose inches and tone up?

The development of lean muscle is achieved through comprehensive full-body strength training exercises such as lunges. These, in combination with moderate intensity cardio like brisk walking or biking, will make you lose even more fat. Balanced ought to facilitate weight loss and the attainment of a healthy physique, while preventing unnecessary weight gain.

How often should I exercise to tone my body?

It is the intention to engage in physical exercise three to five days each week, including cardiovascular activity training. This frequency will enable your muscles to rest and concurrently enable you to burn fat and build your muscles.  In order to achieve the actual results of toning in the long run, you must be regular.

What’s the difference between losing weight and losing inches?

The mass of your body that contains fat, muscles and water, reduces when you lose weight. All losing inches entails is to lose fat in some areas of your body to make you appear tight. A loss in inches normally translates to a loss in fat and firming up of the muscles, although it may not show in the scales.

Does cardio or strength training work better for toning?

Both cardiovascular training plays a crucial role in achieving body toning. Cardio allows you to lose weight and burn calories, while power education creates lean muscle and makes your muscle groups look better. A great way to get a toned frame is to do both.

What makes SoFit SoCal’s approach different for clients who want to tone up?

SoFit SoCal prepares individual training plans based on the objectives of each individual and concentrating on functional exercises and proper technique. Their holistic method consists of strength training, cardio, and dietary counselling, which makes the customers fit without any danger of gaining excess weight.