5 Tips to Toning up

"I want to tone up"

Probably the number one thing I hear clients say when they come to me. What exactly does "Tone up" mean? 

Toning means to build muscle. In order to do build muscle, there are a few things you need to do.

Here are my top 5 tips to start building muscle and shedding fat!

1 - Eat more protein - protein is an essential macronutrient and the one that will help us with building and repairing muscle the most since amino acids (the building blocks of protein) are necessary to build muscle tissue. Depending on your goals and lifestyle, you want to aim to get .6-1.0g of protein per pound of body weight each day.

2 - Don't forget the carbs - these are important too! Carbs provide energy and can help to slow down protein breakdown. Eating carbs post workout will help to refill depleted glycogen stores (energy in muscles) and slow down protein breakdown.

3 - Follow a progressive program - no more program hopping or doing a new workout everyday. In order to build muscle, it's best to do the same movements for 4-6 weeks progressively building upon what you did the week before.

4 - Prioritize sleep - in order for your muscles to repair and regenerate, you need to get enough sleep! Aim to get 7 hours of sleep each night. Any less than this can put the breaks on protein synthesis (aka muscle growth).

5 - Hire a coach! Someone that can tell you exactly what to do and how to do it while also holding you accountable. Like me! I'm a certified personal trainer and offer online personal training. This exclusive service includes a lot of what is offered in person but at a fraction of the cost. I currently have a few openings for this month so if you're interested in applying or learning more, click the link in my bio!