How to get toned muscles?

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  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    Hi. I'm 23 years old, female, 5'4", and weigh 132.5 lbs right now. I started MFP March 20th 2012 at 234 lbs and have been very successful in losing weight by counting calories and cardio, cardio, cardio... I have occasionally gotten on my home gym system to do weights or have used small dumbbells during a cardio exercise, but I am unhappy with how I look when naked. I have flab in my stomach and thighs that I wish would go away. I know I have muscles because I can feel them, but I can't see them. Now, I don't want to be RIPPED or anything, but I'm unsure what to do in order to get defined muscles.

    Can someone help on what to do? I'm a very picky eater so I'm not sure how I'd be getting protein in if that's required. I hate shakes so I think this will be a struggle. I feel hopeless about all of this. I'm scared because I hear of bulking and cutting and how many calories you'd have to eat. I'm also deathly afraid of the number on the scale going up. I've so wanted to weigh 125 but I don't think I'll be happy there if my stomach is hanging and my thighs are bulging.

    Measurements right now are pretty good.
    BF% is 21
    Bust is 30.8 inches
    Waist is 23.25 inches
    Hips are 30.25 inches
    Thighs are 18.8 inches
    arms are 9 inches.

    but I really want to get toned.

    Please help me understand lifting and how to eat when lifting. Thank you!

    1) Start pushing more iron around....start a weight lifting program like Strong Lifts 5x5
    2) Don't do so much cardio
    3) Do continue to count calories, and lose the fat....stay below daily caloric needs
    4) Do make sure you are getting proper macros filled in your daily goals (fat, protein, carbs)

    Only way to get "toned" muscles is to lift weights to develop the muscle,
    And then burn the body fat to get them to pop.
  • wanttolose40lbs
    wanttolose40lbs Posts: 239 Member
    I've been on this site for a while but just got serious at the beginning of the year. I eat at a deficit, rarely reach my protein levels, and I have lost a lot of flab by lifting. I went from doing just cardio to lifting, running and cardio. I couldn't believe the difference in my body shape once I started lifting, and the fat seemed to just melt away. I have lost a lot of inches on my upper body and waist and couldn't be more pleased
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    Well, I think you have your answer...more lifting. One thing that has been touched upon by most people but not really stressed is that you need to do less cardio or at least keep your deficit relatively low. Without much fat left to lose, if your deficit is too great, you will lose more muscle. You need to find that balance where you can very slowly lose fat and keep the muscle you are working hard to expose.
  • TheCherryMama
    TheCherryMama Posts: 20
    well. Let's get some things straight.

    Toning is kind of a fake word that was made up the women's fitness magazines.

    You're muscles can get stronger/more dense- they can shrink or they can grow. That 'toned' thing is a combination of low (lower rather) body fat- and some solid muscle.

    It sounds like right you need to be doing right now is just worry about lifting. At 132.5 at 5'3"- I highly suspect you are not 21% bodyfat- that seems to low for that height weight (I could be wrong by my bestie is 5'5" and she floats around 125-135 and she typically isn't defined enough to be 21% unless she's low 120's or even under.

    So. Get thee to a gym and learn how to lift. I wouldn't worry right now about bulk or cut- I would just eat at kind of a level pace and lift. lift lift lift.

    This next year can spring board you into the best body you have had with the gains you can get (the aforementioned newb gains)

    Check out
    Strong lifts
    New rules of lifting for women
    Starting strength
    Strong curves.

    THIS!!!
    I lift big and heavy and box, but I don't look bulked. But I am very strong, and I do like to carry one kid in one arm and really heavy things in the other arm through the super market... Awwww ripped! Hee hee... its a great feeling being checked out. Like some one else said it doesnt over night, stop when you feel its right. But the look and feel is awesome! I really hate that toned word, its a dirty word like gluten free cookies. Even if it gluten free cookie, its still junk!
  • ToraChan2310
    ToraChan2310 Posts: 45
    When I become "tone", it was when my body fat and weight went down.

    Its exciting to be able to see your muscles working while you're using them, and seeing the definition in your body is a HUGE motivator to work harder
  • tristaj90
    tristaj90 Posts: 330 Member
    Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I picked up New Rules of Lifting for Women yesterday and am already on page 165. It's a great read and I'm learning a lot. I need to invest in a few free weights but I will be incorporating a strength program in with my T25 I'm currently doing. I'm also going to increase my intake in calories from the 1200-1300 currently to 1500-1600 on days with lifting. I'm going to also try to get more protein somehow, or look into amino acid supplements since amino acids are the building blocks of protein.

    Again, thank you for all the advice!

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