Does incline walking tone you?

You need to do resistance training, not cardio, to tone. So no it won't.

Tone/toning is a misleading word used to market things to women. Your best bet to get "toned" i.e., have your muscle definition show, is to cut your BF% first, and strength train second.

You need to do resistance training, not cardio, to tone. So no it won't.

15% incline is a lot of resistance.

Jo- Does it feel like exercise? Then it's probably good for your muscles and your body. Are you going to see visible changes in 8 weeks? Probably not.

For example 40 mins 4mph 15% incline?
Does it tone your legs and thighs etc?

Let me guess: you hang on the rails doing this? If you are, then it's not even legit cardio since 30%-50% of the resistance is removed by holding on.

If you can do it without holding on, you'll help firm up your legs, but it will do nothing for the upper body muscles.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Toned = low bodyfat percentage

If you want to be toned, you have to cut body fat. It's really that simple!

When I rode my bike 150 miles a week, I was still 40 lbs heavier than I am now because I didn't change my diet and I didn't cut my bodyfat percentage. So I was strong as heck on the bike, with leg muscles like a horse, but you couldn't tell from looking at me.

To get toned, just record your food in MFP, eat AT LEAST your bodyweight in protein every day, keep a 300-500 calorie deficit every day, and you'll get toned. It is practically impossible to maintain a calorie deficit and not lose weight.

I do get where you are going with this but eating ata deficit alone won't make someone look toned. That "toned" look not only comes from the lower body fat percentage but from muscle mass as well. Just eating at a deficit won't make someone look toned because by losing weight you ate also losing muscle mass along the way unless you lift to preserve that mass.

That way as the fat sheds your muscles underneath will show which will make the person look "toned"

You need to do resistance training, not cardio, to tone. So no it won't.

Walking at a 15% incline IS resistance training.

I'm a lifter. I believe lifting is the key to being hot. But walking at 4 mph for 40 minutes at that level of incline is a serious workout for the glutes, hamstrings, and calves. I know this because I live in a hilly area, and I walk roughly 20 miles a week up and down those hills, although I do it more for recovery and calorie burn than posterior chain training. But it does help.

That being said, walking alone is not enough to lose fat. Eat at a deficit, lift heavy (if you can), and incline walk yourself silly. And be patient. Fat loss takes time.

Lift weights. If you don't have access to a gym or free weights/machines, there's plenty of bodyweight exercises to do.
[/quote]

"You are your own gym" is a good bodyweight program. You can download the program onto your phone.

You need to do resistance training, not cardio, to tone. So no it won't.

Walking at a 15% incline IS resistance training.

I'm a lifter. I believe lifting is the key to being hot. But walking at 4 mph for 40 minutes at that level of incline is a serious workout for the glutes, hamstrings, and calves. I know this because I live in a hilly area, and I walk roughly 20 miles a week up and down those hills, although I do it more for recovery and calorie burn than posterior chain training. But it does help.

That being said, walking alone is not enough to lose fat. Eat at a deficit, lift heavy (if you can), and incline walk yourself silly. And be patient. Fat loss takes time.

She's made several posts over the weekend about losing 8 pounds in a few weeks, being 5'8" 120 something pounds. Eating like 1200 calories. Haven't gone through and reread everything. She claims she doesn't have an ED or BDD and refuses to tell a psychiatrist about her issues. And acted like a bratty teenager in her responses. Not sure how serious she is every time she makes a new post asking the same question.

OP, I bring that up because you get one chance to make a first impression. And that's how you came across.

If you're serious, stop making posts, and go do something. Lift. Do your incline walking. Increase your caloric intake. And possibly get professional help. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

For example 40 mins 4mph 15% incline?
Does it tone your legs and thighs etc?

Let me guess: you hang on the rails doing this? If you are, then it's not even legit cardio since 30%-50% of the resistance is removed by holding on.

If you can do it without holding on, you'll help firm up your legs, but it will do nothing for the upper body muscles.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

no i dont hold on the rails
only for a couple seconds for the pulse sensor thingy

That's a pretty serious workout then. Don't see how your lower body isn't firmed up. But to firm up the upper body, do some resistance training for it.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

For example 40 mins 4mph 15% incline?
Does it tone your legs and thighs etc?

Let me guess: you hang on the rails doing this? If you are, then it's not even legit cardio since 30%-50% of the resistance is removed by holding on.

If you can do it without holding on, you'll help firm up your legs, but it will do nothing for the upper body muscles.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

no i dont hold on the rails
only for a couple seconds for the pulse sensor thingy

That's a pretty serious workout then. Don't see how your lower body isn't firmed up. But to firm up the upper body, do some resistance training for it.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

okay will do
incase we're all getting the wrong impression, this is an accurate representation of my treadmills 15% incline:

http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/files/2010/03/Evo-EVO2-Treadmill.jpg

so it may not be as serious as u think! someone here thought it was like this:

http://www.askthetrainer.com/image-files/incline-trainer.jpg

LOOOL

Most treadmills have a steep 15% grade which is why I questioned it.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

And at 18, 5'8" and 126 lbs., don't expect miracles. You probably have very low body fat now. Your best exercise right now would probably be to work on your skewed body image or what you think is really a normal, healthy body shape and size. The magazines and tv aren't really showing it.

i have always been like this
just today i was convinced my eyes are different
i took pics and compared to the past and everything
and nobody understands what im talking about like the changes that have happened and between both pics its annoying because there IS a difference
some people just cant see
especially u guys,n i havent posted a pic or anything so u haven't a clue if im thin or not!

How could you possibly not be thin at that height and weight? In my profile pic I am 154lbs at 5'6. I'm not exactly fat am I! And you are taller and weigh significantly less than I do!

I agree with everyone - walking alone will not tone you up. Include some strength training. I read another of your threads where you said you can't afford a gym membership? Squats, lunges etc are free!