Getting a toned body involves a three part process: a person must eat healthful foods, lift weights, and work the body’s cardiovascular system. In addition, if a person avoids junk food, smoking, and limits her alcohol consumption, it will also help her achieve a toned body.
Eating healthful foods is the first step in achieving a toned body. In general, a person should try to eat lean meat and fish, plenty of vegetables, and several servings of fruit each day. In addition, whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, and barley are excellent sources of carbohydrates. In general, simple carbohydrates, such as sugar, white flour, and white rice, should be avoided.
There are websites that people can use to help them determine how many calories they typically burn each day as well. The calculations factor in weight, height, and activity level and can help some people achieve a toned body. If a person eats fewer calories than she burns, she will lose weight. If she burns and consumes an equal number of calories, her weight will remain the same. If someone eats more calories than she burns, she will gain weight.
The next step is to lift weights. It is not necessary to lift extremely heavy weights to become toned. In fact, three to five repetitions of lighter weights may work quite well for most people. The most important thing is to work all the body parts. Only focusing on arms or legs may leave the rest of the body untoned.
There are two methods of weight lifting. Some people prefer to cycle through the entire body each time they lift weights. For example, on the day they lift weights they will work their arms, legs, back, abdominals, and buttocks. They may change the exercises each time they workout, but they workout the entire body.
The other method of lifting weights entails breaking down the body parts and focusing exclusively on one or two body parts each day. For example, one day a person may workout her back and legs. The next day, she may workout her arms and abdominals. Consequently, she can do several different exercises for each body part. Over the period of a week, the muscles of the entire body will be covered.
The third step to achieving a toned body includes completing a cardiovascular workout. Not only is a cardiovascular workout a good way to burn calories and become more healthful, but it will also help a person become toned. Running, walking, swimming, biking, jumping rope, and rowing are all cardiovascular activities. In addition, a person can use a treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical machine, or rowing machine to accomplish a good cardiovascular workout.
Other activities that can help someone achieve a toned body include yoga and Pilates. Both activities work to stretch and elongate the muscles of the body. In addition, they use resistance from the body to strengthen the muscles as well. When used in conglomeration with cardiovascular activity, healthful eating, and weight lifting, they can be valuable toning exercises.