|
I have
to be honest...the first thing I do when someone
tells me they "just want to tone up"
is slap my palm to my forehead and groan. It's
not because I'm frustrated with that person...quite
the contrary!
The
reason is the whole insidious but popular myth
that it's possible to just "get toned"
in the first place!
It's
a myth that is found every aspect of popular fitness
and it's time to put a stop to it once and for
all before it robs yet another unfortunate person
of their results.
Please
realize, I'm NOT frustrated with the the person
asking me the question about how to "get
toned," but I AM frustrated with a fitness
industry and popular media that LEADS people to
believe they can make changes to their body without
any real meaningful work and without actually
building any honest-to-goodness, fully-functioning,
metabolism-boosting muscle!
To
be blunt and to put it another way, tricep kickbacks
with a soup can will NOT stop your underarms from
flapping in the wind.
You
see, I'm frustrated because this is a myth that
keeps people doing useless training that gets
them nowhere. And then they give up and may write
off all fitness and training as useless for them.
This
is something I can't stand to see because I desperately
WANT you to succeed in changing your body and
getting healthier (it's why I'm in the business
I'm in). But ineffective training information
can stop you right in your tracks.
Now
if you're reading this article because it's your
goal to "get toned," PLEASE keep reading
because I'm going to lay it all out for you right
now...
1.
You can't "tone" muscle. You can build
muscle. You can lose muscle. Or your muscle can
stay the same.
2.
You can't "tone" fat. You can gain fat.
You can lose fat. But you can't "tone"
it.
The
look that most people would describe as "toned"
is ALWAYS a result of building muscle (or keeping
the muscle you've got!) and losing fat...PERIOD.
If you don't have muscle mass, you can lose fat
but you'll just be a smaller version of what you
are right now.
The
problem arises when a person uses exercises and
programs that bend to the desire not to build
a single extra ounce of muscle for fear of "getting
big bulky muscles." By doing that, you basically
throw out most, if not all, of the most effective
things you can do for fat loss!
Unfortunately,
what you pretty much achieve with a goal of "toning
up" is nothing at all.
And
please believe me, I'm not saying this to be mean
or discourage anyone from exercising. I'm saying
this becuase you DESERVE to know the truth...
Toning up is a myth.
If
you want results, you just need to train with
challenging exercises and targeted fat-loss programs.
It's not glamorous but it works!
And
before I go any further, I do need to lay another
myth to rest really quickly...merely touching
a dumbell or barbell is NOT enough to build massive
muscles and make you "bulk up," ESPECIALLY
if you're female.
I can
only WISH it were that easy! To really build the
amount of muscle it takes to get that "bulky"
look, you need to train specifically for muscle
growth and eat plenty of food. It's hard work
and it definitely doesn't come as easily and many
people fear!
But
by staying away from those challenging weight
training exercises, you're NOT going to get the
best fat-loss results possible.
You
DON'T need to do bicep curls with a jar of pickles.
You need to do squats and lunges and work the
big muscles of your body that DRIVE your metabolism
to burn fat 24 hours a day.
You
DON'T need to lie on the floor and do five hundred
crunches to tighten your stomach. You need to
do interval training for cardio to burn the fat
off to show those abs!
Bottom line: if you are serious about wanting
results for the effort you put in but an exercise
or program isn't challenging you, it won't get
you there.
If
you DON'T want results and you prefer to spin
your wheels, no problem! Just grab a magazine
at the grocery store and do the latest toning
program that "all the celebrities are using!"
Like
I mentioned above, it takes more than touching
a dumbell to get massive muscles...but a little
hard work will go a LONG way towards building
the body you want!
So
now that you know what to do (burn fat and build
muscle), how do you do it?
Glad
you asked!
Below,
I've listed some excellent resources you can check
out to get started on your journey...
1. How
To Lose Fat NOW - A Basic Fat-Loss Program That
You Can Put To Work Today!
2. BASIC
Nutrition - A Quick, Common-Sense Guide To What
You Should Be Eating to Stay Healthy and Get Results
Right Now
3. All
Fitstep.com Fat Loss Articles and Information
4. Turbulence Training Membership Site
This
is packed with excellent information on fat loss,
bodyweight training, training at home and at the
gym and much more! Craig Ballantyne's membership
site has got plenty of programs and exercises
to get you started and keep you moving in the
right direction.
Click
here for more info on the Turbulence Training
Membership Site
5. Burn the Fat - Feed the Muscle
One
of the most comprehensive and powerful books on
fat-loss ever written, Tom Venuto takes you step-by-step
through everything you need to know how to lose
fat and keep it off.
Click
here to learn more about Burn
the Fat, Feed the Muscle
REVIEW
of Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle
6. Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss
Crafted
over 16 years, Metabolic Surge is the result of
the combination time-tested training experience
and the latest scientific research on the most
effective methods of fat loss. By following specific
dietary and training programs, you will see EXTREMELY
RAPID fat loss, all while hanging onto every ounce
of muscle mass.
Click
here for more info on Metabolic Surge - Rapid
Fat Loss
Conclusion:
Building
the body you want is definitely possible! It's
my hope, after reading this information, you've
got a fresh perspective on the kind of things
you can do to REALLY get the results you want
and not fall into the "toning up" trap
that stops so many people in their tracks with
training and eating.
Because
with the right training and right nutrition, you'll
get to where you want to be MUCH faster.
|
