The Truth to being Toned
I think I’ve written and rewritten this blog about 5 times now. I know exactly what I want to say, it has just been hard to articulate it in a way I am 100% happy with. Like every one of my blogs, I want to convey a message of ‘health’ – physical and mental – while simultaneously not shaming anyone for thinking a certain way or having a certain goal. After all, being more toned is THE most popular goal out there, and I’m sure all trainers/coaches will agree with me on that. But, as alluring as it may seem to some, I want to shed light on how leaner is not always better.
What is tone? And how do I achieve it?
Tone is visible muscle. It’s as simple as that. And a toned appearance is generally the result of a structured exercise plan and good nutrition to, over time, alter body composition. Body composition refers to many metrics, but the ones most influential with tone are increased lean muscle mass and decreased body fat percentage.
If you’re new to resistance training, it is quite possible to simultaneously increase muscle mass while reducing body fat. However, the more experienced you are and the more muscle you have, the more difficult this becomes. Hence the existence of ‘bulking’ and ‘cutting’ phases.
As a general rule, your training program needs to be at an intensity where there is a stimulus for muscle growth i.e. muscles need to be experiencing mechanical stress that they are not yet adapted to. As for nutrition – and this is very simplistic – a calorie deficit is necessary i.e. the energy (calories) you eat is less than the calories you ‘burn’.
What's my take on the quest to tone-land?
Firstly, I get the attraction to this goal. I’d be a hypocrite if I said I didn’t. I’ve had a desire to be ripped on many occasions! But as I become more experienced as a health professional as well as in my own health journey, I can say the following with confidence:
If you believe that increased tone has a direct correlation with increased health, you’re wrong.
General medical research states “A healthy body fat range is 25-31% for women and 18-24% for men”. What does this mean? Well, it means you definitely don’t need a six pack to be in the best shape of your life. In fact, if this is what you’re striving for or trying to maintain, you’ll know it comes with sacrifice and you probably (definitely) don’t feel the best you’ve ever felt.
Here are a few quick truths:
- Scale weight does not determine health (or happiness).
- Skinnier is not always better.
- There is no such thing as the perfect body shape.
So what should I do?
As I said at the beginning, if being toned is your goal, my intention isn’t to shame you. In fact, if you’re a client of mine and want to achieve this, I am 100% going to help you get there! But my approach will always be around sustainability, and my message will centre around health & longevity. Keen Physique’s motto is “Find Your Balance”, and I aim to educate and guide my clients from the best place possible.
With that being said, I want you to think about where the connotations around this goal stem from. What is it that makes us think that someone who is leaner than us, is better than us? Why do we feel the desire to look like them, or that we are failing if we’re not lean?
There is no simple answer. It’s decades of conditioning, built into our psyche & society, and communicated to us through a variety of mediums e.g. the fitness industry, social media, even our own family! The sooner we free ourselves from ever present beauty standards, the better we can be.
At the end of the day, if you’re relatively consistent with eating & training well, are patient, and give yourself space to still enjoy your life, your body composition WILL improve. I promise you. Additionally, you’ll care less about how you look against other people, and will mentally feel more free. After all, comparison is the thief of joy.
I will reiterate – there is no healthy weight, and there is no one healthy body shape. There is only you, your body, and its potential to FEEL and PERFORM at its best.
When it comes to your health & training, I somewhat live by the following and find these words very inspiring. Maybe you will too ♥
Eat to be healthy, train to be strong.
Let your body be the by-product of that.