Why don't people like the phrase "tone up"

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  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    Don't worry, I'm not spot reducing, or trying to, lol. I actually like my *kitten* just the way it is, It would be nice if it were a little perkier however... I work all my muscle groups along with cardio. I think when I get my body fat to where I want it, I will start incorporating the heavier lifting.


    heavy weight lifting is what gets your bf% down low!!
  • girlnumber57
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    ......
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    I am going for more of a toned look. What I mean by that is my body will look more like David Beckham than like The Rock. So, I'm going for leaner, thinner, muscular look, than a big bulky muscular look. The difference is the more toned look incorporates more cardio, like running and that kind of think. You don't often see big bulky weight lifters running. Sometimes, but not often. I think it's a different approach in both diet and exercise. At least, I'm real-time testing my theory. The key is low, low body fat. That's the struggle. :)
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Don't worry, I'm not spot reducing, or trying to, lol. I actually like my *kitten* just the way it is, It would be nice if it were a little perkier however... I work all my muscle groups along with cardio. I think when I get my body fat to where I want it, I will start incorporating the heavier lifting.


    heavy weight lifting is what gets your bf% down low!!

    It definitely makes your *kitten* perkier.
  • theologynerd
    theologynerd Posts: 264 Member
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    I waited to lift and regret it. I got to my goal weight and was SO disappointed with what I saw in the mirror. Totally skinny fat, which of course, sounded GREAT when I was fat! Anyways, I was a size 9/10 at 150 lbs., and within 6 weeks of lifting, I was a size 5/6, and at the exact same weight. I was 149 this morning, and fit into a size 4 jeans at the mall today. So yeah, lifting really changes things around! I too am working on lowering my bf% and gaining muscle. I think it will be a slower process for you and I, OP, since we're trying to do both, but slow and steady wins the race. Definitely make sure you're tracking your measurements, or you'll feel like nothing is happening (a great example being going from size 10 to size 4 while the scale recorded a one pound loss).
  • nkklllll
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    I view "toning up" as looking more fit.....don't like to say bulky because it seems manly, lol. But to everyone who says you can't spot reduce, that's simply not true. I do alot of ab work to "tone up" the area and it works for me. And many women do this because after having children, there's a bulge that can only be tightened up with additional ab work.

    It is a scientifically proven fact that you cannot spot reduce, e.g. lose fat from a specific area of your body by only working that part of your body. If you only work a specific area of your body, of course the muscles will look more defined . . . because they're getting bigger. If you have a low percentage of body fat, you will only have a couple places to lose it from (ladies, you stomach, boobs and butt. men, stomach and butt).
  • victorious27
    victorious27 Posts: 250 Member
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    I don't like the words "tone" or "toning" because it's been used to pander to women who are afraid of large muscle. Women shouldn't be afraid of being muscular. Muscles are beautiful, healthy and empowering. And women won't build muscles of great size, and what they can build takes a great deal of effort due to lower testosterone levels. There is no reason women should fear muscles. Second, the low-weight, high-rep routines people have been promoting to "tone" don't do anything except maybe increase endurance. Women pay for classes, trainers, magazines etc and get very little benefit. These routines don't build strength, muscle size, definition, or even retain muscles. I think definition is what most women really want when they say "tone" but that's accomplished through fat loss and muscle retention. Fat loss is accomplished through calorie deficit and heavy weight lifting is most effective for muscle retention during a calorie deficit.

    It really doesn't have anything to do with "fear" it has to do with wanting to still look feminine. And to "tone up" is a feminine phrase, compared to "bulking" or whatever else you may say.

    I want to "tone up" but I know that in doing that, I'm gaining muscle and losing fat. Does that mean I want to be bulky because I want to gain muscle? H-E double hockey sticks to the no! I want to tone my body and still look feminine while also knowing that I have some force behind me. Therefore I say "I want to tone up" because I only want to feel stronger. If looking it comes with it, then hooray!

    But it has nothing to do with fear. Or else those women "toning up" wouldn't be weight lifting.
  • victorious27
    victorious27 Posts: 250 Member
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    "toned" is the female equivalent of "ripped." they both mean low body fat percentage.


    ^ this. I agree with this, with the exception that toned doesn't mean rippling with muscle liked "ripped" would. In my opinion, anyways, lol