Do you need to eat above maintenance to tone?

TheFrostyCanuck
TheFrostyCanuck Posts: 28 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm in maintenance and now would like to tone my body a bit. No huge muscle gains but nice arms and shoulders for example. Do I need to "eat more to bulk up"? Or do I need to continue my healthy eating at maintenance but ensure I'm getting enough proteins and fat for my babh muscles?

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    "Tone" basically means "lose enough fat". And no, you don't. Keep eating at maintenance, keep eating protein, and start lifting if you haven't yet.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat
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  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    If by tone you mean more muscle definition.. then no. Depending on your weight you can either run a small deficit and lift to lose fat and retain muscle. Or if you are happy with your weight (which it sounds like you are since you are maintaining) you can maintain your weight and lift where you can lose fat and build muscle (over a longer period of time).
    If you want to put on mass/size/weight then you would look into eating in surplus (above maintenance).

    You can have protein around 0.8-1g per lb lean body mass / bodyweight, fat around 0.4-0.6g per lb (both minimums) and the rest carbs.
  • TheFrostyCanuck
    TheFrostyCanuck Posts: 28 Member
    JerSchmare wrote: »
    What she said ^^^. There's no such thing as "toning".

    So many make-believe words according to MFP forums!
  • TheFrostyCanuck
    TheFrostyCanuck Posts: 28 Member
    This is all super-helpful and what I was thinking too - until someone told me yesterday I needed to eat at a calorie surplus and made me question my assumption!
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