Suggestions for toning regimen for slimmer women?

TitaniaEcks

Hey, guys, I'm reaching the end of my weightloss phase and am close to where I want to be, weight and size-wise, so I'm thinking of preparing a fitness regimen for maintenance and toning. Since I have never been a gym-goer, I'm not sure what I need to do, and thought maybe you guys could suggest a routine.

I'm not interested in being ripped or adding any bulk, just some simple tone. I don't have much. This woman is a good example of what I want to look like (I know it looks like she's sniffing her pit; just ignore that):



Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

gmallan

What is simple tone?

Basically muscles can get smaller, get bigger or stay the same size. At the same time you can increase, decrease or maintain you body fat levels which controls how lean you will look. You need to decide whether you are happy with your current level of muscle and whether you are happy with your current body fat.

I know you say you don't want to get bulky, but what you need to know is that it's incredibly hard for women to put on muscle mass. I would suggest starting a simple full-body weight lifting program 3 times a week using mostly compoud lifts. Stick with it for at least a month-2 months because you will get some initial water retention which might make you feel a bit bigger (it's necessary for your muscles to repair themselves after you've placed them under stress). If after that time you are not happy with your results or feel like you are getting "bulky" then you can modify you program.

Read this post by Bret Contreras, he explains very well how to train depending on what your goal body type is

http://bretcontreras.com/how-to-attain-a-slender-look-like-jessica-alba-zoe-saldana/

TitaniaEcks

This article you linked is awesome... I'm still reading it and combined with what you said, I think I understand better now what my fitness goal is. When I get to 126 I want to stay that weight but swap 3 lbs of fat for 3 lbs of muscle. I just consulted a calculator, and at that point, that would drop my BF% from 22.2 to 19.8 (I did not imagine 3 lbs of muscle could do that... go figure!) Thus I would stay roughly the same size but appear more toned.

I need to look up what compound lifts are. How long do you figure it takes the average woman to gain 3 lbs of muscle if she's lifting those 3 times per week? Just a ballpark.

gmallan

I think the general rule for a female is 0.5-1lb per month so you'd be looking at 3-6 months. Since you're new to lifting there is the possibility you'll be able to gain a little faster but it definitely doesn't happen over night.

Compound lifts are lifts that engage mutliple muscles, as opposed to isolation lifts where you are only usually aiming to work one.

Compound lifts: Squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, dips, overhead press, bench press...

I'm not exactly an expert and haven't done these programs but there are three that often get recommended here to beginners. The new rules of lifting for women, starting strength and strong lifts 5x5. You could check these out and see if any of these look like something you would be interested in. There so much information out there that it can get confusing sometimes

juliewatkin

A great website for people looking to begin lifting but not comfortable with gyms is this website http://www.stumptuous.com/. I've spent a lot of time reading the information on this site and it demystified quite a bit. Like the other poster said, it's very difficult for women to 'bulk up'.

What I find attractive about lifting is that it isn't about 'toning' or subjective results. It is about objective numbers. You can lift it or you can't. Most people become less focused on how it makes them look and more on whether they do it. The side effect was (for me) gaining an *kitten* and kick *kitten* shoulders and back.

SherryTeach

You do understand that the photo is an advertisement and most likely Photoshopped?

TitaniaEcks

I think the general rule for a female is 0.5-1lb per month so you'd be looking at 3-6 months. Since you're new to lifting there is the possibility you'll be able to gain a little faster but it definitely doesn't happen over night.

Compound lifts are lifts that engage mutliple muscles, as opposed to isolation lifts where you are only usually aiming to work one.

Compound lifts: Squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, dips, overhead press, bench press...

I'm not exactly an expert and haven't done these programs but there are three that often get recommended here to beginners. The new rules of lifting for women, starting strength and strong lifts 5x5. You could check these out and see if any of these look like something you would be interested in. There so much information out there that it can get confusing sometimes

A great website for people looking to begin lifting but not comfortable with gyms is this website http://www.stumptuous.com/. I've spent a lot of time reading the information on this site and it demystified quite a bit.

Thank you both so much for all this. Yow have been more helpful than you know.

The side effect was (for me) gaining an *kitten*

How I wish! My fear is I'm gonna be stuck with a honkey butt forever, LOLOL, but there's nothing to lose by trying, I guess...

You do understand that the photo is an advertisement and most likely Photoshopped?

Well, duh, obviously, but that's not the point. I'm sure I can look like that if I try. Many women on MFP have a body similar to that pic.

juliewatkin

A great website for people looking to begin lifting but not comfortable with gyms is this website http://www.stumptuous.com/. I've spent a lot of time reading the information on this site and it demystified quite a bit.

Thank you both so much for all this. Yow have been more helpful than you know.


I' m glad you like the site. I stumbled upon it years ago and found it not only inspirational but funny as hell. Too often things are super serious and Krista manages to convey a ton of great information in a manner that doesn't take itself too seriously.

I remember spending a lot of time looking at the 'dork to diva' lifting pictures. Her site is what got me lifting seriously.

katiehrgovic

LIFT HEAVY (what you consider to be heavy) WEIGHTS! There is no such thing as "toning". Our muscles either increase or decrease in size, and our body fat either goes up or down. Genetics play a role as well. Testosterone is what makes men "bulky", women's bodies do not produce a fraction of the amount of testosterone that a man's does. (if you see women with "bulky" physiques, they are probably doing steroids) DO NOT FEAR BECOMING BULKY. Pick up a copy of Starting Strength for Women. Eat enough to fuel your workouts. Your body will reward you with a toned physique. It is simple

xapril77x

Bookmarked for reading later...

Mobilemuscle

I guarantee that woman in the pic shown as the example trains hard and heavy. The only things that ever really need adjustment is nutrition and cardio. Weight Training should always be to stimulate muscle hypertrophy

juliewatkin

LIFT HEAVY (what you consider to be heavy) WEIGHTS! There is no such thing as "toning". Our muscles either increase or decrease in size, and our body fat either goes up or down. Genetics play a role as well. Testosterone is what makes men "bulky", women's bodies do not produce a fraction of the amount of testosterone that a man's does. (if you see women with "bulky" physiques, they are probably doing steroids) DO NOT FEAR BECOMING BULKY. Pick up a copy of Starting Strength for Women. Eat enough to fuel your workouts. Your body will reward you with a toned physique. It is simple

Some women bulk up because they are predisposed to being thicker than others; ie. shorter legs and torso, thicker muscles. Please don't assume that thicker women are using. Until a pee test tells me they are, I will assume they aren't. However, it still takes an immense amount of work to put it on. No one will accidentally wake up jacked.

I'm the type that, despite lifting and competing for years, don't look like I lift more than my purse. I've had women come up to me after a meet and say "OMG, I couldn't believe someone your size could move that kind of weight". During a meet a couple of weeks ago, I was compared to a licorice whip. I will never look bulky and certainly not accidentally.

You will notice that your entire body seems to fit more nicely together. Years ago, I got slimmer and slimmer and wondered why, despite my skinniness, I didn't look like I thought I should look. After I started lifting, I got the body that I thought I should have by simply being skinny. I certainly don't look big, but I look harder and better put together.

dhuno

My daughter swears by these workouts on youfube: Tracy Anderson's workouts. (I tried to link but couldn't do it.)

You can search for many more. It sounds like just what you're looking for- toning but not adding bulk. Hey, I love my daughter, she's cute, so it can't hurt to try, right?

yoovie

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/08/23/batman-bodyweight-workout/

BAM

Youre welcome :P

Rebek_h

If you are a newbie to strength training and you are already pretty lean it won't take you long at at all to tone.
Minimal cardio (if any) and find a simple lifting programme. Start with 3 days per week, this is all you will need. It can be increased after a few months if needed. If you start with too much you will struglle to increase the volume once your progress slows. Do not be scared to lift heavy, this will not make you bulky and you will need to increase your muscle mass to look toned!
The more muscle mass you have the more caloires burned just lazing about on the sofa. Win win!

Sued0nim

It would be interesting to know whether @TitaniaEcks has followed any of the advice in this 3 year old thread and what the results were

jenilla1

The woman in the pic looks like she lifts, OP.

jenilla1

Sued0nim wrote: »

It would be interesting to know whether @TitaniaEcks has followed any of the advice in this 3 year old thread and what the results were

Agreed.

rileyes

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/