reached my weight goal, now need to tone up!

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jojeh2011
jojeh2011 Posts: 46 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
so... I've lost about 42 pounds and am at a perfect weight for me. i've been in maintenance mode for about 3 months now, and my new milestone is toning up my abs and legs. i lost weight by doing probably 80% cardio, so I'm really at a loss when it comes to understanding how to strength train. in addition, I have less time to work out these days -- about 30 min each day. currently, i spend all 30 minutes on the elliptical, but am wondering whether i should change it up to build lean muscle. should I do 15 minutes cardio, 15 strength training? more? less?
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Replies

  • TjDee
    TjDee Posts: 25 Member
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    so... I've lost about 42 pounds and am at a perfect weight for me. i've been in maintenance mode for about 3 months now, and my new milestone is toning up my abs and legs. i lost weight by doing probably 80% cardio, so I'm really at a loss when it comes to understanding how to strength train. in addition, I have less time to work out these days -- about 30 min each day. currently, i spend all 30 minutes on the elliptical, but am wondering whether i should change it up to build lean muscle. should I do 15 minutes cardio, 15 strength training? more? less?

    I would focus on strength training. If you are at your perfect and you just want to tone, don't do any more cardio. Building muscle burns fat long after your workout is over. Chalean Extreme is a great 1/2 hour to 40 min in home program for toning.
  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
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    Lift heavy 3 days a week, for about an hour-ish. Eat a lot of protein.
  • mmk137
    mmk137 Posts: 833 Member
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    you can make strength training into a cardio workout.
  • newhabit
    newhabit Posts: 426 Member
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    i'm not saying you ahve to do this but for me i know i could not stick to just lifting free weights on my own without help. so i got a weight lifting dvd program. the one i got was chalean extreme. i didn't pay full price though, i got it on ebay. there are a few other weightlifting instructional dvd programs out there but none of them come to mind. a lot of people can do it on their own but i just cant. i get really bored. so i knew i needed someone guiding me.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    new rules of lifting for women (google)--everything is there. calorie needs. recommendations for cardio. It's really great.
  • hazymary
    hazymary Posts: 190 Member
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    Stronglifts 5x5, it's easy, not alot of time spent....3 X/ week maybe 45 minutes
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    A half hour a day is plenty! Just alternate between cardio and strength training. I run three days a week, and lift weights three days a week. Stronglifts is a good beginner program, because your'e only doing three moves and doing them three days a week. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
  • amann1976
    amann1976 Posts: 742 Member
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    look into a class like bodypump at your gym... classes like that are great for toning... after you get adjusted to it try taking it 3 days a week.

    lots of lean proteins and fibrous carbs will burn the fat away from the trouble areas
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    look into a class like bodypump at your gym... classes like that are great for toning... after you get adjusted to it try taking it 3 days a week.

    lots of lean proteins and fibrous carbs will burn the fat away from the trouble areas

    that's a cardio workout primarily and won't do much for building muscle.
  • amann1976
    amann1976 Posts: 742 Member
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    look into a class like bodypump at your gym... classes like that are great for toning... after you get adjusted to it try taking it 3 days a week.

    lots of lean proteins and fibrous carbs will burn the fat away from the trouble areas

    that's a cardio workout primarily and won't do much for building muscle.

    bodypump isnt cardio it is a lifting class that focuses on light weight with lots of reps... the class is an hour long and you target every part of your body chest biceps triceps back and legs... it is a very good workout i highly recommend it.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    look into a class like bodypump at your gym... classes like that are great for toning... after you get adjusted to it try taking it 3 days a week.

    lots of lean proteins and fibrous carbs will burn the fat away from the trouble areas

    that's a cardio workout primarily and won't do much for building muscle.

    bodypump isnt cardio it is a lifting class that focuses on light weight with lots of reps... the class is an hour long and you target every part of your body chest biceps triceps back and legs... it is a very good workout i highly recommend it.

    light weights and lots of reps = cardio. sorry.
  • ToughTulip
    ToughTulip Posts: 1,118 Member
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    look into a class like bodypump at your gym... classes like that are great for toning... after you get adjusted to it try taking it 3 days a week.

    lots of lean proteins and fibrous carbs will burn the fat away from the trouble areas

    that's a cardio workout primarily and won't do much for building muscle.

    bodypump isnt cardio it is a lifting class that focuses on light weight with lots of reps... the class is an hour long and you target every part of your body chest biceps triceps back and legs... it is a very good workout i highly recommend it.

    light weights and lots of reps = cardio. sorry.

    Exactly. Doing endless reps with light weights isn't going to get you very far.
    Stop buying into what all the girly fitness magazines say.
  • amann1976
    amann1976 Posts: 742 Member
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    look into a class like bodypump at your gym... classes like that are great for toning... after you get adjusted to it try taking it 3 days a week.

    lots of lean proteins and fibrous carbs will burn the fat away from the trouble areas

    that's a cardio workout primarily and won't do much for building muscle.

    bodypump isnt cardio it is a lifting class that focuses on light weight with lots of reps... the class is an hour long and you target every part of your body chest biceps triceps back and legs... it is a very good workout i highly recommend it.

    light weights and lots of reps = cardio. sorry.

    this is directly from the website describing the class...

    BODYPUMP™, the original LES MILLS™ barbell class, will sculpt, tone and strengthen your entire body, fast!

    Great bodies aren't born, they are transformed, using the proven BODYPUMP™ formula: THE REP EFFECT™ a breakthrough in resistance workout training. Focusing on low weight loads and high repetition movements, you'll burn fat, gain strength and quickly produce lean body muscle conditioning.

    BODYPUMP™ is one of the world's fastest ways to get in shape as it challenges all of your major muscle groups while you squat, press, lift and curl.

    The cutting-edge BODYPUMP™ choreography, and chart-topping music is refreshed every three months, so with your choice of weight and highly-trained instructors you can get the group effect and the results you've been looking for!

    BODYPUMP™ is enjoyed by millions of people around the world!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    If you want to build muscle, eat at a slight calorie surplus and lift heavy weights. Cut back on the cardio. Do strength training 3 x a week.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    look into a class like bodypump at your gym... classes like that are great for toning... after you get adjusted to it try taking it 3 days a week.

    lots of lean proteins and fibrous carbs will burn the fat away from the trouble areas

    that's a cardio workout primarily and won't do much for building muscle.

    bodypump isnt cardio it is a lifting class that focuses on light weight with lots of reps... the class is an hour long and you target every part of your body chest biceps triceps back and legs... it is a very good workout i highly recommend it.

    light weights and lots of reps = cardio. sorry.

    this is directly from the website describing the class...

    BODYPUMP™, the original LES MILLS™ barbell class, will sculpt, tone and strengthen your entire body, fast!

    Great bodies aren't born, they are transformed, using the proven BODYPUMP™ formula: THE REP EFFECT™ a breakthrough in resistance workout training. Focusing on low weight loads and high repetition movements, you'll burn fat, gain strength and quickly produce lean body muscle conditioning.

    BODYPUMP™ is one of the world's fastest ways to get in shape as it challenges all of your major muscle groups while you squat, press, lift and curl.

    The cutting-edge BODYPUMP™ choreography, and chart-topping music is refreshed every three months, so with your choice of weight and highly-trained instructors you can get the group effect and the results you've been looking for!

    BODYPUMP™ is enjoyed by millions of people around the world!

    Lolz - you are quoting marketing blurb. And one at that, that uses the term tone. Nuff said!
  • rachelrb85
    rachelrb85 Posts: 579 Member
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    look into a class like bodypump at your gym... classes like that are great for toning... after you get adjusted to it try taking it 3 days a week.

    lots of lean proteins and fibrous carbs will burn the fat away from the trouble areas

    that's a cardio workout primarily and won't do much for building muscle.

    bodypump isnt cardio it is a lifting class that focuses on light weight with lots of reps... the class is an hour long and you target every part of your body chest biceps triceps back and legs... it is a very good workout i highly recommend it.

    light weights and lots of reps = cardio. sorry.

    Exactly. Doing endless reps with light weights isn't going to get you very far.
    Stop buying into what all the girly fitness magazines say.

    ^^ This! I fell for those girly magazines too until I discovered HEAVY LIFTING!

    OP, I highly recommend heavy lifting for body toning. Check out new rules of lifting for women or Body for Life! And 30 min a day is plenty to get a good workout in.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    A half hour a day is plenty! Just alternate between cardio and strength training. I run three days a week, and lift weights three days a week. Stronglifts is a good beginner program, because your'e only doing three moves and doing them three days a week. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

    ^^this or New Rules of Lifting would probably be your best bet. Also, you can look into Starting Strength.
  • amann1976
    amann1976 Posts: 742 Member
    Options
    look into a class like bodypump at your gym... classes like that are great for toning... after you get adjusted to it try taking it 3 days a week.

    lots of lean proteins and fibrous carbs will burn the fat away from the trouble areas

    that's a cardio workout primarily and won't do much for building muscle.

    bodypump isnt cardio it is a lifting class that focuses on light weight with lots of reps... the class is an hour long and you target every part of your body chest biceps triceps back and legs... it is a very good workout i highly recommend it.

    light weights and lots of reps = cardio. sorry.

    Exactly. Doing endless reps with light weights isn't going to get you very far.
    Stop buying into what all the girly fitness magazines say.

    ^^ This! I fell for those girly magazines too until I discovered HEAVY LIFTING!

    OP, I highly recommend heavy lifting for body toning. Check out new rules of lifting for women or Body for Life! And 30 min a day is plenty to get a good workout in.

    first i am not a girl

    second i can bench press well over 300lbs so lifting heavy is not an issue

    the person that started this thread says she wants to tone her body which means she wants longer leaner muscles so lifting heavy 3 4 or 5 days a week is not going to get her there.

    if she was trying to lose more weight then yes lifting heavier weights along with her cardio routine would keep her from looking all saggy like most of those biggest loser contestants but that is not her goal.
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
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    You can always do circuit training. This is a combination of weight training & caridio. I was doing this 3x per week. You can find lots online that give you step-by-step. My favorite right now is the Tough Mudder but since you are a beginner I would recommend their Mudderling (it tells you how to do each move and you really do not need equipment or a gym ...for the pull ups you might need a bar, but there are alternatives. For instance you could use a nearby play ground and use the monkey bars (you can hang for the minute or how ever long you can to start until you build up to do a pull up...I do pull downs with weights for now b/c my neck and back are injured)

    http://toughmudder.com/tough-mudder-boot-camp-training/
  • originalcookiemonster
    originalcookiemonster Posts: 278
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    look into a class like bodypump at your gym... classes like that are great for toning... after you get adjusted to it try taking it 3 days a week.

    lots of lean proteins and fibrous carbs will burn the fat away from the trouble areas

    that's a cardio workout primarily and won't do much for building muscle.

    bodypump isnt cardio it is a lifting class that focuses on light weight with lots of reps... the class is an hour long and you target every part of your body chest biceps triceps back and legs... it is a very good workout i highly recommend it.

    light weights and lots of reps = cardio. sorry.

    this is directly from the website describing the class...

    BODYPUMP™, the original LES MILLS™ barbell class, will sculpt, tone and strengthen your entire body, fast!

    Great bodies aren't born, they are transformed, using the proven BODYPUMP™ formula: THE REP EFFECT™ a breakthrough in resistance workout training. Focusing on low weight loads and high repetition movements, you'll burn fat, gain strength and quickly produce lean body muscle conditioning.

    BODYPUMP™ is one of the world's fastest ways to get in shape as it challenges all of your major muscle groups while you squat, press, lift and curl.

    The cutting-edge BODYPUMP™ choreography, and chart-topping music is refreshed every three months, so with your choice of weight and highly-trained instructors you can get the group effect and the results you've been looking for!

    BODYPUMP™ is enjoyed by millions of people around the world!

    You can squat and curl all you like, but if you are doing endless reps of a light weight, you won't change much. L4FL4F is right. You need to lift heavy.

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