How much strength training is enough to tone?
Verity1111
Posts: 3,309 Member
This is the one area I am clueless about.... So I have a 20lb kettle bell my BF got me for Mother's Day and I plan on doing weighted squats daily. I have been going to the gym every couple days so it will be maybe 3 times a week for now (maybe more but let's say 3). Once August hits it will be mainly walking and whatever I can do in the tiny space I have at home. I want to tone and maintain muscle as I lose weight. I am 180lbs and 5'4" and I have lost 45lbs. My goal weight is 127lbs (53lbs left to lose). At the gym I usually do something like leg press 3 sets 20 reps 100-120lbs (or sometimes 6 sets 12 reps of the same weight), chest press in sets until my arms give out pretty much (I can only chest press like 35-40lbs lol), glute kickbacks with 70lbs and I did 3 sets of 7 per leg last time (I had an injury last year and didnt walk for 5 months so Im trying to take is slow with my ankle...I still have 8 screws a plate and a wire in there)... I also do squats at home (unweighted). Ive been doing 20-30 at a time but I will slowly up them as I can since Im out of shape right now. I will be doing weighted ones now. Anyway, what can I do to help the impact? How much do I need to do per day or week for it to make a difference? & yes I will be upping the weight as I go. I am doing what I can handle right now without hurting myself on the machines.
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Replies
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1 squat a day can make a difference! Anything more than what you're currently doing will help.4
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Just add on weight as you go. Once say 10 reps with the weight becomes easier, add on 5 pounds or so. This will help you become stronger. This will help give you the look you are looking for. I'd look into a program though if I were you. There probably are some kettlebell ones. Or maybe Jamie Easton's live fit trainer on body building, there is an app (search body building)2
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Thank you both for the advice!! I just don't want to go from fat to skinny fat lol2
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"toning" isn't really a thing...if you are wanting to build muscle you may want to look into a structured lifting program...4
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Until you get close to your ideal weight, you will not see muscle definition, if this is what you mean with toning. Looking "toned" has more to do with low body fat than with what exercise routine you are following. Just do whatever you enjoy, and it will be fine, unless you have e.g. specific strength goals in mind2
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All you need is 10000 steps a day5
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Check out The New Rules of Lifting for Women or Strong Curves. Both are great books with a lot of useful information. IMO, each has its own strength: NROLFW has great background information on some of the science behind gaining strength but I didn't like the way the program was set up. Strong Curves has a nice selection of several structured programs, one of which you can do entirely at home with minimal equipment.2
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There is no set amount per day. The appearance of being toned is going to come from both having muscles and lower bf% to show them. Also you don't have to do strength training daily. Exercising daily is fine, it just doesn't all have to be strength focused.
One thing to keep in mind is progressive loading. Which isn't only limited to more weight. That's the easiest, but you can do more reps, take less breaks, change tempo (go slow or add pauses).3 -
Toning is looking more defined... From losing fat. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do resistance training!1
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Ironandwine69 wrote: »All you need is 10000 steps a day
For maintaining muscle? Won't that just calories? It isn't really strength training.1 -
Yes guys what I mean is I want a defined look, so what can I do to maintain the muscle I have as much as possible while losing weight.
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I've been using a fitness glider. It's a cardio machine, but it works all the major muscle groups. Other than that? Fit tubes and bands and dumbbells.1
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estherdragonbat wrote: »I've been using a fitness glider. It's a cardio machine, but it works all the major muscle groups. Other than that? Fit tubes and bands and dumbbells.
Is that the same as an elliptical machine?0 -
Verity1111 wrote: »estherdragonbat wrote: »I've been using a fitness glider. It's a cardio machine, but it works all the major muscle groups. Other than that? Fit tubes and bands and dumbbells.
Is that the same as an elliptical machine?
Probably not.
The Gazelle(most common fitness glider) is sort of kind of like an elliptical... but totally different.0 -
stanmann571 wrote: »Verity1111 wrote: »estherdragonbat wrote: »I've been using a fitness glider. It's a cardio machine, but it works all the major muscle groups. Other than that? Fit tubes and bands and dumbbells.
Is that the same as an elliptical machine?
Probably not.
The Gazelle(most common fitness glider) is sort of kind of like an elliptical... but totally different.
I see... never heard of it. I don't think LA Fitness has them by me, which is where I go.0 -
TeacupsAndToning wrote: »As other people have said, looking "toned" (and by that I mean slim with muscle definition) has to do with having a lower body fat percentage. So you have to continue to eat at a deficit and strength training is always beneficial.
Yes I know but thats why I was wondering how much strength training would be helpful to maintain muscle mass? and if what Im doing is enough. I phrased it badly lol0 -
Verity1111 wrote: »stanmann571 wrote: »Verity1111 wrote: »estherdragonbat wrote: »I've been using a fitness glider. It's a cardio machine, but it works all the major muscle groups. Other than that? Fit tubes and bands and dumbbells.
Is that the same as an elliptical machine?
Probably not.
The Gazelle(most common fitness glider) is sort of kind of like an elliptical... but totally different.
I see... never heard of it. I don't think LA Fitness has them by me, which is where I go.
It's almost exclusively a home device.1 -
Verity1111 wrote: »TeacupsAndToning wrote: »As other people have said, looking "toned" (and by that I mean slim with muscle definition) has to do with having a lower body fat percentage. So you have to continue to eat at a deficit and strength training is always beneficial.
Yes I know but thats why I was wondering how much strength training would be helpful to maintain muscle mass? and if what Im doing is enough. I phrased it badly lol
How much is going to vary from person to person so I don't think you will get an answer that works across the board.
For me, 2-3x per week, 20-30 min per session (including set up and rest.. ) was enough to maintain muscle while I lost my baby weight.1 -
stanmann571 wrote: »Verity1111 wrote: »stanmann571 wrote: »Verity1111 wrote: »estherdragonbat wrote: »I've been using a fitness glider. It's a cardio machine, but it works all the major muscle groups. Other than that? Fit tubes and bands and dumbbells.
Is that the same as an elliptical machine?
Probably not.
The Gazelle(most common fitness glider) is sort of kind of like an elliptical... but totally different.
I see... never heard of it. I don't think LA Fitness has them by me, which is where I go.
It's almost exclusively a home device.
I see. It looks huge. if it folds up I could maybe get one lol but its too big for our tiny place.0 -
You are doing a good amount. Just continue upping the weights/reps as it gets easier. Try to hit all the major muscle groups. The great news is that people who have been overweight for a while tend to already have more muscle mass from moving around all that excess weight. That means when you drop the fat (and keep the muscle), you will look much more defined.1
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Verity1111 wrote: »stanmann571 wrote: »Verity1111 wrote: »estherdragonbat wrote: »I've been using a fitness glider. It's a cardio machine, but it works all the major muscle groups. Other than that? Fit tubes and bands and dumbbells.
Is that the same as an elliptical machine?
Probably not.
The Gazelle(most common fitness glider) is sort of kind of like an elliptical... but totally different.
I see... never heard of it. I don't think LA Fitness has them by me, which is where I go.
Got it as a length-of-service gift from my old place of business. And yeah, it's a Gazelle Edge. It does fold up.1 -
Verity1111 wrote: »stanmann571 wrote: »Verity1111 wrote: »stanmann571 wrote: »Verity1111 wrote: »estherdragonbat wrote: »I've been using a fitness glider. It's a cardio machine, but it works all the major muscle groups. Other than that? Fit tubes and bands and dumbbells.
Is that the same as an elliptical machine?
Probably not.
The Gazelle(most common fitness glider) is sort of kind of like an elliptical... but totally different.
I see... never heard of it. I don't think LA Fitness has them by me, which is where I go.
It's almost exclusively a home device.
I see. It looks huge. if it folds up I could maybe get one lol but its too big for our tiny place.
I've used one maybe 4 times. It has the worst features of an elliptical and a Cross country ski simulator. If you bend your legs separately, you'll fall off.1 -
Works fine for me. And unlike my treadmill, it never attempted to murder me...1
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Verity1111 wrote: »Thank you both for the advice!! I just don't want to go from fat to skinny fat lol
Remember that the bigger the calorie deficit the more likely it is to lose muscle as you diet.
The closer to goal you get you will be wanting to taper down your deficit / slow your rate of weight loss.
Protein intake is also a key factor along with exercise.2 -
Thank you very much. I'll probably slow it once I hit halfway (49 of 98lbs lost) which is very soon. I have protein in mind just not sure what I'll aim for yet percent or grams I'm a bit lost there...Verity1111 wrote: »Thank you both for the advice!! I just don't want to go from fat to skinny fat lol
Remember that the bigger the calorie deficit the more likely it is to lose muscle as you diet.
The closer to goal you get you will be wanting to taper down your deficit / slow your rate of weight loss.
Protein intake is also a key factor along with exercise.1 -
Verity1111 wrote: »
Thank you very much. I'll probably slow it once I hit halfway (49 of 98lbs lost) which is very soon. I have protein in mind just not sure what I'll aim for yet percent or grams I'm a bit lost there...Verity1111 wrote: »Thank you both for the advice!! I just don't want to go from fat to skinny fat lol
Remember that the bigger the calorie deficit the more likely it is to lose muscle as you diet.
The closer to goal you get you will be wanting to taper down your deficit / slow your rate of weight loss.
Protein intake is also a key factor along with exercise.
1 gram of protein per LB of lean body mass.1 -
Chef_Barbell wrote: »Verity1111 wrote: »
Thank you very much. I'll probably slow it once I hit halfway (49 of 98lbs lost) which is very soon. I have protein in mind just not sure what I'll aim for yet percent or grams I'm a bit lost there...Verity1111 wrote: »Thank you both for the advice!! I just don't want to go from fat to skinny fat lol
Remember that the bigger the calorie deficit the more likely it is to lose muscle as you diet.
The closer to goal you get you will be wanting to taper down your deficit / slow your rate of weight loss.
Protein intake is also a key factor along with exercise.
1 gram of protein per LB of lean body mass.
So I have no idea what lean mass would be for me but Im sure its somewhere 100-120lbs. So I guess Ill aim for somewhere in there. I have been eating no where near that. Its hard for me to even get 60g a day. lol. Im a vegetarian. This should be interesting. Lol.0 -
Verity1111 wrote: »
So I have no idea what lean mass would be for me but Im sure its somewhere 100-120lbs. So I guess Ill aim for somewhere in there. I have been eating no where near that. Its hard for me to even get 60g a day. lol. Im a vegetarian. This should be interesting. Lol.
Seitan. Seriously.
I'm vegan and I get 100-140g a day, depending. It takes a conscious effort but it's more than doable if you pay attention.1 -
Verity1111 wrote: »
So I have no idea what lean mass would be for me but Im sure its somewhere 100-120lbs. So I guess Ill aim for somewhere in there. I have been eating no where near that. Its hard for me to even get 60g a day. lol. Im a vegetarian. This should be interesting. Lol.
Seitan. Seriously.
I'm vegan and I get 100-140g a day, depending. It takes a conscious effort but it's more than doable if you pay attention.
I have this thing about cooking for myself though - I don't. My kids all eat different meals because they're special needs so I make 3 meals per mealtime (9 per day plus snacks) for them plus I often heat something up or cook for my partner so when it comes to me I rarely cook fresh except breakfast because egg whites are easy.... Is there seitan I can toss in the microwave and it easily tastes good? lol. I do eat like veggie hot dogs and other overly processed veggie "meat" wanna bes xD Even when I cook with fresh ingredients...Ive made fresh homemade soup in the microwave lol.0 -
Verity1111 wrote: »
I have this thing about cooking for myself though - I don't. My kids all eat different meals because they're special needs so I make 3 meals per mealtime (9 per day plus snacks) for them plus I often heat something up or cook for my partner so when it comes to me I rarely cook fresh except breakfast because egg whites are easy.... Is there seitan I can toss in the microwave and it easily tastes good? lol. I do eat like veggie hot dogs and other overly processed veggie "meat" wanna bes xD Even when I cook with fresh ingredients...Ive made fresh homemade soup in the microwave lol.
Wow, I wouldn't want to cook for myself either if I were you. Props to you for being so dedicated to your kids!
Most veggie meat alternatives that are high in protein use Seitan as a base (wheat gluten), although a lot also add soy for taste. I make a huge batch every week and flavor the hell out of it so I can just cube it and add it to whatever else I happen to be eating, but it takes me a couple of hours a week. You can definitely buy it instead if that's easier.
Both Field Roast and Westsoy make a decent version of it, but it can get expensive. Boca crumbles are good if you pan fry them, but less good in the microwave. If your store carries Gardein that's my favorite brand, and their meatballs are great microwaved.
I don't know if you eat dairy but cottage cheese is great for protein, and eggs as you mentioned. I think the Boca American patties with cheese too are also pretty decent on protein.
When I'm tired or traveling I do a protein shake, either Fruitein or Vega Protein and Greens. It's not ideal but it's a quick way to get a boost.
Feel free to add me if you want to stalk my diary for ideas. I eat weird stuff but my protein is the one thing that's pretty consistent
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