Do I need to lose fat before I start "toning?"

jessicahillierx

So I am not an unhealthy weight. I am probably what some people may call "skinny fat." I have an average BMI but because I've never eaten particularly well or exercised I do carry a bit of podge around my tummy and hips.

I do want to lose this weight but I would like to tone up my tummy and do some ab work outs as well (I know you can't target weight loss btw I want to lose weight all over and then work on my core etc specifically). Would people recommend I begin to lose weight first? Or do it at the same time? Any skinny/fat tips would be great too!

quiksylver296

Lift heavy (for you) using compound lifts (bench press, deadlifts, and squats). Stronglifts 5X5 is an excellent program. I suspect you don't need to lose much weight, but build muscle instead, to get the look you want.

LAWoman72

No. You don't need to wait. In fact, I started working out hoping to "tighten" and at least start measuring smaller faster than 18 months from my start date, since I knew the actual weight loss was going to take at LEAST that long. I didn't want to grind through miserably that entire time so I started working out to see at least some progress faster. It actually did work out that way for me. I started looking, measuring and feeling smaller much faster than if I'd waited for enough fat to come off to be measuring smaller (at least based on my experiences at different weights).

I have some good muscle now underneath the fat. But that incentive has gotten me down almost 60 lbs. so far.

ninerbuff

I have ALL my overweight clients lifting and "toning up" (no such thing as "toned") their muscles as they lose weight.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition