Every woman I train wants toned arms. What exactly does this mean and what does it take? My client here in this photo was so excited that she “Finally” could see tone in her arms when she never could and she was so excited!
A a fitness professional when a client says I want toned arms what this says to me is decrease body fat and increase muscle. Getting this lean and toned look takes more than just a certain set of exercises. It makes me crazy when I see Instagram posts or magazine articles trying to convince women that it is this combination of exercises that will get you that “tone” you seek. Trust me it is more than that!
Great looking arms start in the kitchen!
Oh no don’t say that, right? Just give me a few really good exercises and voila instant athletic looking lean arms! The truth is if you don’t nourish your body appropriately you will not reduce the fat on top of that muscle. You will not attain that toned, cut look. To see the muscle definition you must reduce your body fat. The good news is you will reduce body fat in other areas, not just your arms! You will also be healthier for it!
Eat Real Food.
Focus on eating real foods. Cut out processed foods, including fast food, sugars and chemicals like diet drinks. Use healthy oils like coconut oil, olive oil and real grass-fed butter. Eat a diet rich in healthy fats, protein and vegetables with some nuts and fruits. Try to prepare healthy meals at home and eat this way most of the time.
Weight-Train.
Changing your diet will help you lose the fat. Weight training the correct way will help lose the fat as well, in more ways than one. The workouts themselves burn calories and building muscle will increase your metabolism, which is the best way to burn calories!
Training hard will also give you more tone because the muscle will be more developed.
We all lose muscle as we age and weight training is the best way to build and maintain muscle mass, Don’t be afraid to lift heavy weights ladies. Those 3 lb dumbbells are not going to get you that look you want. It is my experience in the last 30 years that women that perform 8-12 repetitions of an exercise and work that muscle group 2-3 times a week get the best results. I have clients perform push-ups as well as dumbbell, kettle bell and TRX exercises that target the arms. It takes some work but the results are awesome.
Eating a clean diet and training hard will get you the lean and “toned” look you are so badly wanting.
Reduce the fat on top of that muscle and keep that muscle strong and developed, this is the key.
Keep focused and stay consistent. If you need help getting started contact me, I do virtual sessions anywhere in the US. I’d love to help!
Elissa XOXO
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