What else should I be doing to tone my body? I'm not seeing much progress.

jlucy93

So I've started running to lose weight back in 2014. Since then, I've lost 30 lbs. I lost most of the weight during the first 2 years. I've been maintaining my weight. I eat around 1500-1600 calories a day, and not the healthiest, but definitely healthier than before. But, after 3 years of consistently running 2 miles 3 times a week, I decided to join a gym to add some weights to my routine. I've been going for about a month. So this post might be a little premature, but still input is appreciated. But I've been going to the gym 3-4 times a week, my eating habits haven't changed that much, except I'll probably intake a little bit more calories days I go to the gym. At the gym, I still always run 2 miles, then I do ab work (regular crunches, russian twists with 10lb weight, and bicycle crunches) each around 60-80 reps. Then I'll move on to machines. I tend to do 3-4 different machines. Usually the row machine, seated leg press, leg extension, overhead press, or chest press. Usually just mix and match these when I'm there. I tend to do 60-80 reps of these as well. Now, I would consider myself as skinny-fat. Where, in clothes I look fine, but in a bathing suit, I have flab on my stomach, inner thighs, and butt. I really want to tone my whole body, but it feels like I am not making any progress ever since I lost the initial pounds. Am I doing something wrong? Has my body gotten used to the routine? I've tried HIIT, but with asthma, it wasn't the best experience. So a routine I can stick to has been better. Any ideas?

usmcmp

Tone comes from having low body fat and adequate muscle mass. It sounds like your weights routine is just random machines. You'll see faster and better progress by following an actual lifting program.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

As for the low body fat part, are you working on maintaining weight or losing weight at this point?

SusanMFindlay

usmcmp wrote: »

Tone comes from having low body fat and adequate muscle mass. It sounds like your weights routine is just random machines. You'll see faster and better progress by following an actual lifting program.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

As for the low body fat part, are you working on maintaining weight or losing weight at this point?

This. Also, make sure you are consuming enough protein. Since you're already at a good weight, a typical recommendation would be 0.8 g protein per pound of your weight.

kshama2001

60-80 reps per exercise sounds like you're not using nearly enough weight. Try way more weight, way less reps. And do them slowly.

Also, consider not doing as much cardio in the same session as weights. Do just enough cardio to warm up. Get your full two miles some other time of the day, or skip it on weights day.

I wasted years and years with high reps/low weights, cuz I thought that's what women were supposed to do, until this forum, a coworker, and New Rules of Lifting for Women set me straight.

AnvilHead

Here's an awesome, very thorough and truthful article about "Toning" - what it is and how to go about it: http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/muscle-tone/

Fflpnari

Lower the reps and up the weight!

WendyLeigh1119

Agree with others. If you're basically cycling around weight machines and cable columns in the gym.... I increase my weight every time 7 FULL reps in great form aren't hard anymore. If you can slam away *say* 90 pounds on your calves in 3 sets at 10 reps per set...increase. It doesn't have to be a lot. Increase 5 lbs...see how it feels. Then 10....etc. I'm NOT "bodybuilding" at all and am maintaining -1000 calorie deficit, so I know the best I can do is maintain existing muscle (and get stronger) without expecting visible mass.

And I still follow the rule of increasing my weight of 7 reps (a few times with less than 30 seconds rest) isn't killing me. Better to increase and do fewer than to toil away doing 40 reps before you feel burn. I'm no expert at weights, but I take classes with barbell and dumbbell as well as hitting the weights alone at about a 70% Strength to 30% pure Cardio ratio to keerp my 2 lbs per week off. And that includes my Saturday and Sunday of total rest.

It's not perfect (Because I go over 1200 calories on weekends), but I'm much stronger and have gone from 172.5 lbs on March 15th to 149.5 lbs as of today. Size 12 to Size 7. And my muscles aren't going to be popping any eyeballs, but that maintenance of existing muscle while losing weight is really important.

The concept of "toned" vs "bulk" is myth. Women and men can train the same way and the only way you're bulking up is if you're taking powders, supplements, and extreme gain/loss diets intentionally like they do.

To "tone" means maintaining your muscles while burning off the fat that covers them. Bulking takes work. High reps/lower weight is fine if you have medical or physical limitations. But if you don't..
Lifting heavier for less reps is more efficient and gets you similar results. Just don't lift to a "pain" level whether it's machines, free weights, classes, or body weight. It should feel like "burn". Not pain or injury.

WendyLeigh1119

Just a personal note...I started off thinking I had to *literally* hit the weight section and then toil away on ellipticals and treadmills afterward to get a good cardio and strength ratio. But I felt like *kitten* all of the time, so I started taking every random class I could fit into my schedule. And I still lost as much fat without toiling away for hours in that "weight room then pure Cardio" mentality.

I set a rule of taking 2 FULL hours minimum of classes that are balanced in strength and cardio and throwing in weight machines, swimming, or even yoga to finish each day and it worked much better for me. Meaning my weight loss continued to be consistent, but I wasn't even touching an elliptical or whatever at all. Some days I take all Les Mills classes like Bodypump (barbell class)....followed by Pilates (slow strength and agility) and then spend maybe 30 minutes on weights hitting areas I missed.

The next day...I'll take a Zumba (all cardio) and a HIIT and do no machines or weights. Then a Body Combat (cardio martial arts) followed by BodyFlow (Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi) and swim moderate laps for maybe 20 minutes.

Mixing it up REALLY worked for me and dramatically improved how I felt mentally and physically after my daily regime. And I just go to my local YMCA. No fancy gyms or studios needed. The classes were horrifying to me because I'm not social and like to "zone out". But when you show up and commit to an hour long class, you tend to push harder and follow form...while solo exercise makes it too easy to settle into routine.

I feel great now all of the time compared to awful, sick, and defeated going solo and stressing about doing "enough" cardio and weights. I dunno if you train at home, but if you do....theres "on demand" subscriptions to things like "Insanity" and Les Mills. And I buy my Swiss Balls, jump rope, weights, and medicine balls at "5Below". You're over thinking whether it's a gym, the Y, or home workout and likely overtraining inefficiently to no advantage to your goal.

TL;DR: Lift heavy things. Do it often. Walk or dance or jump rope. Do it all. Eat well and don't ignore the importance of agility/balance/breathing such as PiYo, Yoga, or Swimming. And you'll feel good and look better.

jlucy93

THANK YOU so much to everyone! I'm a total newbie when it comes to the gym and how to build muscle. But thanks a lot! I'll be sure to increase weights and lower reps. I'll also not be too hung up on cardio!

MelanieCN77

Looks like you got the higher weight/lower rep advice. I can confirm it's the way to go! I lost my weight with the help of lots of cardio to increase my deficit but it left me quite weedy as I lost a lost of muscle. I'm in the gym 6 days a week alternating upper/abs and lower body with some random days and in two months I have some really nice arm definition happening. Visible abs will have to wait till I decide to diet again (not any time soon) and legs are looking good too.

Luna3386

usmcmp wrote: »

Tone comes from having low body fat and adequate muscle mass. It sounds like your weights routine is just random machines. You'll see faster and better progress by following an actual lifting program.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

As for the low body fat part, are you working on maintaining weight or losing weight at this point?

+1

Pick a program and follow it.

kshama2001

AnvilHead wrote: »

Here's an awesome, very thorough and truthful article about "Toning" - what it is and how to go about it: http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/muscle-tone/

Great article! It linked to this one, which is also on point for this thread: http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/workout-routines-for-women/