How to Tone Specific Body Parts: Don’t Start With Exercise
Are you on a quest to tone your muscles and lose weight? If so, you’ve probably heard the myth that you can spot reduce fat on certain areas of your body. But if you’re trying to “spot tone” and aren’t getting the results you were hoping for, you’re probably wondering: What gives? Why am I not seeing progress? Instead of asking how to tone specific body parts, consider improving your overall health and wellness.
Many people who attempt to spot reduce fat end up frustrated because it just doesn’t seem to work. As wonderful as it would be to spot tone your body with exercise, there just isn’t enough evidence to back up this style of training. But there are alternatives. Below, learn why spot toning is a myth, and discover more realistic ways to help yourself lose weight, get toned, and feel healthier.
Does Spot Toning Work? Breaking Down the Myth
So, does spot toning work?
Despite its popularity, there’s simply not enough evidence to prove that spot toning is effective. Unfortunately, many trendy workout programs imply through their marketing that you can spot reduce fat, even if they don’t say it outright.
(We’re looking at you, workout programs that promise chiseled abs after two weeks!)
Researchers have conducted studies to discover whether or not spot reducing fat is possible, and the conclusions point to it all being a myth.
In a nutshell, you can’t target specific areas of fat on your body through exercise. However, you can build muscle in certain places while lowering your total body fat percentage, and that’s what will give you the toned appearance you’re looking for.
How to Tone Specific Body Parts
If you want to tone your body and lose weight around your midsection, legs, arms—wherever it may be—you’ll need to take a different approach than targeted exercise alone.
Below are a few non-exercise-related tips that can help you find success in your fitness goals.
1. Start With Your Diet
When it comes to losing weight, proper nutrition and a caloric deficit are key. To support muscle growth (which will give you that “toned” look), you’ll need to supply your body with the nutrition it needs to run optimally.
So, you’ll want to focus on your macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbohydrates), as well as your micronutrients (which consist of all those wonderful vitamins and minerals that help your body stay balanced and energized.)
When learning how to tone specific body parts, you’ll want to pay extra attention to high-protein meals. Protein is the building block your body needs to create healthy muscle, so this step is important. And a bonus is that high-protein meals may help you stay satiated for longer, so it’s a win-win!
2. Work on Your Mindset
Lose-weight-fast advertisements are everywhere, whether you’re scrolling through your social media, watching TV, or even flipping through a magazine. And these ads make it confusing to know what’s true about health and fitness.
How can you tone arms for women or tone abs if you’re over 40+? Can you really get a dream body from following a trendy new workout regimen? What should you believe?
To squash the confusion around fitness and weight loss, you’ll have to shift your mindset. Remember that a healthy lifestyle takes discipline and determination, and that there are no quick fixes for fitness goals.
A two-week workout program isn’t going to change your body forever if it’s not something you can commit to for the long haul. So, rather than finding a workout that promises instant results, try to use fitness and health tips that you can implement little by little and that you can stick to.
3. Manage Your Stress
Our times of stress have had us all reaching for a salty snack or sweet treat at one time or another. But too much stress-snacking can be a huge obstacle when you’re trying to tone abs and lean out.
With that in mind, a stress management system can help you stay on track with your health goals. This is an excellent time to invest in yourself. Practice mindfulness, focus on self-care, and prioritize giving yourself the time to unwind.
Meditation is a great place to start if you want to get better at managing your stress. It can boost your overall well-being and help you build health-promoting behavior in all areas of your life—including your physical health!
4. Sleep Well
Sleeping well is a simple factor when it comes to fitness, but it’s essential. It gives your body time to repair muscles and heal up after training. Plus, when you sleep well, you’ll feel refreshed enough to stick to your diet, exercise, and stress management routine.
Exercise is Important, but it’s Only One Piece of the Puzzle
All of this is not to say that exercise doesn’t play an essential role in getting toned—it does. After all, how can you possibly build muscle without working out?
That being said, there’s a lot more that goes into a good physique than exercise alone. If you’re looking for a way to transform your mind and body, weight loss retreats are a great way to reset and practice overall health.
Managing your stress, tracking your nutrition, shifting your mindset, and sleeping well can all contribute to a healthy body and mind, too.
Give Yourself the Tools You Need to Succeed
If you’ve struggled to reach your fitness goals in the past, you’re not alone. Changing your lifestyle is hard, whether you want to learn how to tone specific body parts or get healthier overall.
Sometimes, you just need a nudge in the right direction—whether it’s through a planner, an app, or an accountability partner.
MyLifeWell is one option that offers on-demand classes, personal coaching, and a supportive community, all through a handy smartphone app.
With a membership, you gain access to a nutrition tracker, step-by-step workout instructions, and challenges to keep you on the path to toning up and feeling good. Beyond that, we offer mindset meditations and classes that can help you strengthen your mind and manage stress.
To discover just how much MyLifeWell can help you reach your goals, claim your free trial membership today.
