If I'm not allowed to use the word 'tone'...

mank32
mank32 Posts: 1,323 Member
in Chit-Chat
... how the fk am i going describe what is happening to my thighs? as i run and sk8 more every day, they are changing shape: getting bigger, and turning into convex constructions of flat planes with angles now (as opposed to the concave and smooth roundness of the past).

i'm not losing fat (i don't have any). and while my muscles are getting a little bigger, the change in shape is what's chiefly noticable. what, exactly, am i doing to my thighs? the last thing i want to do is sound ignorant when i post about all the fabulous success i am seeing from my dedicated efforts (pix to follow soon)... MFP, educate me! :dons flame suit:
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Replies

  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
    Maybe "definition"?
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
    all in favor or dropping "if" from the title and making this a stickie say "I"
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
    Swole
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    They are getting stronger.
  • Mutant13
    Mutant13 Posts: 2,485 Member
    Use 'epididymis'

    Nobody will have any idea what you're talking about, but it's a terribly fun word to say
  • Mother_Superior
    Mother_Superior Posts: 1,624 Member
    Swole

    All the win.
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
    How about "schmexier?"
  • iulia_maddie
    iulia_maddie Posts: 2,780 Member
    Aesthetic brah.
  • MrsSWW
    MrsSWW Posts: 1,585 Member
    Who doesn't 'allow' you to use the word 'tone'. I hereby grant you full permission to use said word in relation to anything you damn well choose to.

    There, all better. :wink:
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
    Who doesn't 'allow' you to use the word 'tone'. I hereby grant you full permission to use said word in relation to anything you damn well choose to.

    There, all better. :wink:

    I am the only granter of things.
  • MrsSWW
    MrsSWW Posts: 1,585 Member
    Who doesn't 'allow' you to use the word 'tone'. I hereby grant you full permission to use said word in relation to anything you damn well choose to.

    There, all better. :wink:

    I am the only granter of things.
    Okay. But only if it's still your birthday week.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    building them up

    personally I don't see anything wrong with using the word "toned" to describe a particular look. The objection is with using it as a verb, i.e. "to tone a muscle"... you can't tone muscles, you can build them up or let them atrophy. Maybe some people use the word "tone" synonymously with "build", but generally it's used in sentences like this "you don't want to lift heavy weights, they'll make you get bulky, here use these light weights to tone them instead" - this is nonsense. You can build them up or not, but what on earth does "tone" mean in this context? It's meaningless. If you want "toned" looking muscles, you have to build them up. People need to get that there's no actual difference between "building" and "toning". If they get that then I don't really care if they use "tone" and "build" synonymously (which would mean they'd say of 300lb bodybuilders "wow, his muscles are really toned" which most people never say, because they think building and toning muscles are two different things).
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    You could use the word striations.


    Or you could keep talking about tone.

    guitar-tone-pot.jpg
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    double post.
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    "Muscle tone" is a concept which does exist and refers to the amount of tension or resistance to stress of a muscle.

    From Wikipedia, "In physiology, medicine, and anatomy, muscle tone (residual muscle tension or tonus) is the continuous and passive partial contraction of the muscles, or the muscle’s resistance to passive stretch during resting state.[1] It helps maintain posture, and it declines during REM sleep."

    Hypotonia, for instance, is a term describing an abnormal lack of tension in the muscles.

    I don't really know why everyone freaks out and gets all flaily and burthuttz around here when the term is used.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    i'm not losing fat (i don't have any).

    ORLY?
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    when body fat percentages decrease, the muscles underneath become more visible.

    when muscles get stronger, they get bigger and harder.

    sounds like one or both of these things may be happening to your legs.


    almost every person has some fat, even if they are very slim. You have some fat.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    you are over thirty, and not avril lavigne. don't use sk8 either.
  • noKTdidnt
    noKTdidnt Posts: 61 Member
    Just use the word "tone". People get too worked up over semantics. In the meantime, we'll be celebrating that we're actually appreciating the impact of our efforts! :-D
  • soldier4242
    soldier4242 Posts: 1,368 Member
    I don't see anything wrong with using the word toned but I do know that it will annoy some people so if you are looking for other words to express the same meaning you could say you are, sculpting your thighs. You could say you are defining your thighs. You could say that you want your thighs to be more cut. There's no shortage of words to convey the meaning you are wanting to get across and in the grand scheme of things it is the meaning that actually matters.

    I have already fought the toning fight and those that are against it will stick to their guns till death. Now you might run in to issues in the future with the word defining or cut but I think that would be a fight for another day.
  • mank32
    mank32 Posts: 1,323 Member
    you are over thirty, and not avril lavigne. don't use sk8 either.

    ouch. i'll abbreviate any dmn way i pls, TYVM. i like shortcuts. :laugh:
  • soldier4242
    soldier4242 Posts: 1,368 Member
    you are over thirty, and not avril lavigne. don't use sk8 either.

    ouch. i'll abbreviate any dmn way i pls, TYVM. i like shortcuts. :laugh:

    I like how it would be ok if you were Avril Lavigne. That is a very specific exception.
  • mank32
    mank32 Posts: 1,323 Member

    I like how it would be ok if you were Avril Lavigne. That is a very specific exception.

    isn't she like 30 now anyway??? she's not that much younger than me if i recall...
  • soldier4242
    soldier4242 Posts: 1,368 Member

    I like how it would be ok if you were Avril Lavigne. That is a very specific exception.

    isn't she like 30 now anyway??? she's not that much younger than me if i recall...

    She was born in 84 so she will be 30 next year. I think the reason she gets the free pass is because of her song "Skater Boy"
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member

    I like how it would be ok if you were Avril Lavigne. That is a very specific exception.

    isn't she like 30 now anyway??? she's not that much younger than me if i recall...

    She was born in 84 so she will be 30 next year. I think the reason she gets the free pass is because of her song "Skater Boy"

    That's sk8r boi
  • NutellaAddict
    NutellaAddict Posts: 1,258 Member
    Ripped
  • soldier4242
    soldier4242 Posts: 1,368 Member
    building them up

    personally I don't see anything wrong with using the word "toned" to describe a particular look. The objection is with using it as a verb, i.e. "to tone a muscle"... you can't tone muscles, you can build them up or let them atrophy. Maybe some people use the word "tone" synonymously with "build", but generally it's used in sentences like this "you don't want to lift heavy weights, they'll make you get bulky, here use these light weights to tone them instead" - this is nonsense. You can build them up or not, but what on earth does "tone" mean in this context? It's meaningless. If you want "toned" looking muscles, you have to build them up. People need to get that there's no actual difference between "building" and "toning". If they get that then I don't really care if they use "tone" and "build" synonymously (which would mean they'd say of 300lb bodybuilders "wow, his muscles are really toned" which most people never say, because they think building and toning muscles are two different things).

    This explanation works for me. I think this may give me another method of approach that I can use in a different thread.
  • twelfty
    twelfty Posts: 576 Member
    correct use of the word isn't a crime, people seem to think it's a term that's only used to describe "lifting light" however if used correctly there's no problem with it

    the term to me describes the visible muscle on your body, this happens by either increasing muscle mass and dropping body fat, or if you're already skinny just building muscle

    it also implies you're not going for the built look like a body builder but just something noticable

    for example:

    "what are your goals for your exercise?"

    "i'm going to build a bit of muscle and drop some fat so i look good"

    "ah a bit of toning then?"

    "yeah"

    simple... if someone comments on your use of the word, school them on your knowledge of what it actually means so they dont get their knickers (panties) in a twist that someone is lifting light weights and their head pops off
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    Someone will get upset no matter how you choose to express it, just use whatever word you want.

    Except sk8.

    :flowerforyou:
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    ahh, just use the word. The "toning police" will get all worked up again. It will be fun. :flowerforyou:

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