Should I do toning exercises when I still have fat to lose?

laurahstephens
laurahstephens Posts: 5
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi Everyone,

I am fairly new to this whole exercise thing and have spent most of my life trying to avoid it. I am not massively overweight I have a BMI of 26.64 but I obviously do have a bit to lose. I am doing Zumba and Jogging as my cardio exercises and was wondering if I should add in some basic strength work - by that I mean sit ups, bicep curls etc. Is it worth starting these when I still have fat to lose? Or should I just keep with the cardio work until I have lost more weight and then start trying to tone up then?

Thanks

Replies

  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    Losing fat has no bearing on "toning up". If you don't do resistance training, you'll lose muscle along with the fat. If you do resistance training, you'll retain your muscle, and therefore look better, although the scale may move a bit slower. I'd start by focusing on the compound lifts or getting a good bodyweight exercise program that progressively gets harder. I wouldn't focus on exercises aimed at one small muscle group like biceps, doing curls, at all, really. Check out Nerdfitness or even Blogilates.com. Fitness Blender and BeFit in 90 are good places to start, too. New Rules of Lifting for Women is also a great resource to get your started lifting free weights.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    See what Jen said? Yep.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    You should definitely be lifting weights- it will help with the fat loss, make you look better along with a whole slew of other benefits. Start yesterday.

    I don't know what toning is so I can't specifically answer that question. But yes to weight lifting.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    Hi Everyone,

    I am fairly new to this whole exercise thing and have spent most of my life trying to avoid it. I am not massively overweight I have a BMI of 26.64 but I obviously do have a bit to lose. I am doing Zumba and Jogging as my cardio exercises and was wondering if I should add in some basic strength work - by that I mean sit ups, bicep curls etc. Is it worth starting these when I still have fat to lose? Or should I just keep with the cardio work until I have lost more weight and then start trying to tone up then?

    Thanks

    YES. Start resistance training ASAP. The scale will move slower, but you will look much better.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    Losing fat has no bearing on "toning up". If you don't do resistance training, you'll lose muscle along with the fat. If you do resistance training, you'll retain your muscle, and therefore look better, although the scale may move a bit slower. I'd start by focusing on the compound lifts or getting a good bodyweight exercise program that progressively gets harder. I wouldn't focus on exercises aimed at one small muscle group like biceps, doing curls, at all, really. Check out Nerdfitness or even Blogilates.com. Fitness Blender and BeFit in 90 are good places to start, too. New Rules of Lifting for Women is also a great resource to get your started lifting free weights.

    Great advice. So OP: yes, you'll be thankful you started now instead of playing catch up later. Good luck!
  • sharonfoustmills
    sharonfoustmills Posts: 519 Member
    yes! yes! yes! toning and strength training exercises will help you by adding muscle to your frame and making skin adapt better to the weight loss

    also, if you add muscle, maintaining muscle burns more calories than maintaining fat, so you will use up more calories too
  • joey200for2
    joey200for2 Posts: 104 Member
    YES!!! What they said and more!!!
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Add strength training last Thursday. (Bicep curls and situps are not strength training)

    Get more specific with your goals. Don't use vague ambiguous terms like tone.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Yes. Get adequate protein to prevent loss of lean body mass while eating at a small calorie deficit to lose the fat. It is much harder to achieve the look you want if you burn up more lean body mass than you need to and try to build muscle later.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Toning is primarily a function of fatloss. So.*




    *Muscles are always lean. That's why they are muscles. that 'toned' look just means there isn't much fat around them.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Losing fat has no bearing on "toning up". If you don't do resistance training, you'll lose muscle along with the fat. If you do resistance training, you'll retain your muscle, and therefore look better, although the scale may move a bit slower. I'd start by focusing on the compound lifts or getting a good bodyweight exercise program that progressively gets harder. I wouldn't focus on exercises aimed at one small muscle group like biceps, doing curls, at all, really. Check out Nerdfitness or even Blogilates.com. Fitness Blender and BeFit in 90 are good places to start, too. New Rules of Lifting for Women is also a great resource to get your started lifting free weights.

    i love it when the first response pretty much deads the thread. this answer is perfect.

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