For losing weight and toning up (and keeping the weight off!), you have to follow a program that combines a healthy diet and effective exercise. In order to do this, you need a balanced regime that includes smart nutrition, cardiovascular exercise, resistance training and cross training. Here’s what you need to know to to lose weight and tone up.
Getting Your Diet Right
Choosing the correct food has a great impact on health and weight. If you eat 500 calories less per day than you are doing today, you’ll start losing weight — but you have to eat smart, too. Whole foods that supply protein, low-sugar carbohydrates, and essential unsaturated fats will help you lose weight and build muscle.
In addition to this, you also have to ensure you’re eating at the right times. If you want to tone up your muscles, you should look to eat every 3-4 hours in order to ensure that your body is receiving a steady supply of nutrients. This elevates your metabolism and burns more calories.
Boosting Cardiovascular Fitness
Cardiovascular fitness doesn’t just mean marathon training or incredibly lengthy gym sessions. Three 20 to 30-minute sessions per week should suffice, depending on your base level of fitness. You don’t have to stick to just jogging or elliptical trainer either — cardiovascular training includes anything from jumping rope to swimming to skiing to dancing.
If you need inspiration, or want to opt for a shorter routine, the NHS have a short, simple 10 minute workout.
Adding Resistance Training
It’s important that your workout is balanced, so you should do resistance work such as lifting weights. Contrary to popular belief, it is hard for women to gain muscle weight (because women have low levels of testosterone), so you don’t have to worry about “getting bulky.” Lifting weights aids in weight loss too! Like the cardiovascular work, there’s no need to overexert yourself. Thirty minutes of a simple weight training circuit 2-3 times per week should suffice, and you can combine that with your cardiovascular workout.
Complete the Routine with Cross-Training
As well as muscular strength, you should also consider how you could improve your flexibility and balance. Cross-training activities such as yoga or tai chi can help in this and will boost your overall health and abilities — as well as reduce your stress levels!
Nowadays, training really couldn’t be simpler, and with companies such as Fitness Warehouse selling equipment online, you can even train from the comfort of your own home (something that is ideal for those who don’t want to make trips to the gym). So what’s stopping you? Start your new workout regime today, and get toned and trim at the same time with this simple plan!