1. Get on the treadmill
When the word running is said most people cringe. Sure its exhausting, hard, and getting sweaty isn’t anyone’s dream in life but it does help you in many ways you cant imagine. Running or walking at least 20 minutes a day can help your heart build muscle to get stronger and also shred those extra pounds.
Getting on the treadmill does not necessarily burn a lot of calories at once but does the job of toning your body. A lot of people do not understand that it is a full body workout, sure your legs are primarily working but your core is also twisting every time you take another step. Running long distances trains your muscles with endurance and makes your muscle cells larger making your fat cells smaller. Running 3 times a week can help keep your muscles active and tone your body.
2. High reps, low weights
Sometimes getting into lifting is hard when you don’t know how many reps and how much weight you should be putting on. The key to get a leaner body is to have higher reps and lower weights. People get leaner by training your muscles through endurance training. By saying higher reps means about 12-15 per set. The weight should also be lighter. Lets say for example you can max out squatting at 100lbs. If you want to tone your legs lift 60lbs and do it for 12-15 reps doing 3-5 sets. This will shred the excess fat in your legs and make them not bulky muscular but toned.
3. Give your body a rest
The most important advice about toning down is taking the proper rest. You should be alternating lifting and running for 4-5 days during the week and taking days off as needed. Feeling sore is good but there should never be a time where you are lifting the same muscle group as you did the previous day. By doing so, you are not allowing your muscle to heal properly and results could take longer as well as the muscle may feel more achy and sore for longer.
4. Eat right
Eating right does not mean you cant have a cheat day, it just means try to limit the amount of saturated fats and salty foods. A bowl of chips wont kill you once a week but eating out at a fast food place once a day will. Eating right can be fun. Try new recipes once a week to shake things up and make it exciting. It is most important that when lifting and running you get as much protein in your body as possible, preferable lean meats like turkey and chicken. These food sources are lower is saturated fats which helps your body run more smoothly. Eating vegetables everyday is a plus and try getting in two fruits a day (make sure they are lower in sugar).
5. Commit to a plan
If you go into this journey blindly without a plan there is a high chance you might not get the results you want. Its hard enough to start exercising and eating right but if you don’t know your end goal and a way to get there the journey can be tough. Mark everyday on your calendar what muscles you want to lift, how long you want to run, and what you want to eat. This way you can keep track of the foods you eat and how much you are exercising. If you see that you are taking a day off in the middle of the week try a lighter leaner lunch and dinner. If you had a hard long workout one day make sure to replenish your body with the right fuel.