Most women who come to me say they want to “tone up” or they just can’t seem to make that happen.

First of all, you can’t “tone” what’s not there! To tone up, you first need to reduce body fat to a certain level so that you can reveal muscle underneath. This is done through proper nutrition! Intermittent Fasting and carb cycling both aid to accelerate fat loss.

The next thing you need is actual MUSCLE! If there isn’t muscle underneath to show off once you drop the pounds, then you definitely can’t tone anything! You’re not going to build muscle by spending hours on the treadmill.

Building muscle is done through proper strength training (aka lifting weights). 

So if you want to tone up, you need to eat the right foods at the right times for the right Reasons & combine your food log with strategic workouts like strength training! 

Strength training has far more important benefits beyond having a rockin’ bod…which is great if that is your goal, but here’s what else strength training can do for you!

1. aids in fat loss- why? The more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate. Meaning, you burn more calories at all times- even when you’re at rest! Lean muscle mass is more calorie demanding than fat mass.

2. Optimizes your hormones – hormones are released to not only aid in muscle growth, and exercise in general boosts your energy, reduces stress, and enhances your mood

3. Strength training Aids in building and maintaining bone density- why is this important? As we age, we lose bone density. This will help reduce the risk of osteoporosis

4. Improved posture & mobility- as we age we need to be able to get up and down off of the floor, to climb a flight of stairs, to play with our kids and grandkids

5. Reduce risk of injury and pain- strong glutes, protects your back!

And because i already know what you’re thinking….PLEASE don’t worry about bulking up or “looking like a guy.” It’s REALLY hard to put on muscle mass, much less too much. A woman’s genetic and hormonal makeup typically wont allow “too much muscle” to happen. So don’t be afraid to grab the weights. You will feel amazing & be very happy with the results.

A couple of tips for strength training:

1. Use Compound movements  in the fwtfl we focus a lot on compound mvmts like squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses because the work many of your major muscle groups at the same time & b/c of that, they’ll build much more muscle than an isolation movement like a bicep curl or calf raise would. 
2. Challenge yourself to Use more weight. If you typically pick up those 5s or 10s when you lift, try this: double it. You’re WAY stronger than you think. don’t be afraid to pick up those 20s or 30s, especially for those major compound movements that utilize your big movers like squats, rows, lunges and weighted walks. Again, focus on proper form — lift from the legs, keep your core nice and tight, and squeeze the weight hard!
3. Make SURE you are using proper form. We want to target our muscles without risking injury. Proper form trumps everything else- how much weight you’re using, how many reps you can get.
4. Prioritize rest & recovery. I don’t care how awesome you are, you can’t go all out all of the time and expect not to crash and burn eventually. And more importantly, its just not necessary to spend hours in the gym. A huge part of your success is REST. Recovery is so key! Sleep is the missing link in your health & wellness journey. You have to rest and repair in order to get results and that happens while you sleep! Of course, Assuming you’re giving your body the nutrients it needs, you’ll show up to that next workout even stronger.
5. STAY OFF THE SCALE! The scale is NOT a good indication of the progress you are making towards your goals. You can work your tail off for 12 weeks, lose 10 lbs of fat, but you add 5 lbs of muscle to alllllll the right places. That is disappointing if you’re JUST LOOKING AT THE SCALE. Been then you look in the mirror and you see a COMPLETELY different person. You’ll be feeling amazing, loving the energy, feeling super motivated and confident… yet the scale will only say you lost 5 lbs over three months! Why is that?

1 Lb of Muscle & 1 lb of fat may weigh the same but their density is completely different. Isn’t this wild?!

Focus on how you feel, what you see in the mirror, how your clothes are fitting, take progress photos to measure your success….don’t get on the scale.

If you are looking for a solid plan to implement weight training into your routine, I’ve got you covered sister!

The FASTer Way to Fat Loss is the #1 virtual fitness & nutrition company in the nation!

We pair our effective workouts with a strategic food log and science backed nutritional strategies that will help you get well, stay well, and prevent disease.

If you have never experienced the FWTFL, now is the time!

You will gain access to our amazing FWTFL app, our weekly meal guides, our on demand workouts- instantly! You’ll receive daily coaching and accountability and support from myself along with our incredible community. You will receive education packed trainings each week. And so much more!

REGISTER HERE

Looking forward to working with you!!!