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Need/want advice .....how to tone up a bit?

7 replies

lucysmam · 09/07/2013 21:20

I'm slim...bmi spot on according to HCA who did pill check a few weeks ago....no health problems etc....I just want to tone up a bit without TOO much effort....so thighs a bit less wibbly/tum a bit sleeker...that kind of thing

Any ideas that won't have me feeling like I've run a marathon in five mins or anything daft like that?

tyvm Smile

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nickymanchester · 10/07/2013 19:12

Unfortunately, it all takes SOME effort.

One thing that a lot of women shy away from is including weight training as well as doing cardio. If you want to tone then you really do need to include some weights.

Here's something from the Daily Mail showing some real life results:-

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2273364/Pump-iron-drop-dress-size-Weightlifting-key-slimmer-figure-say-fitness-experts.html

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mercury7 · 11/07/2013 11:10

Lucys, you dont need to kill yourself with exercise, it needs to be a little bit challenging, and when your fitness increases such that it feels easy, make it a little bit more challenging.

Just do some cardio..I'm a big fan of heart rate monitors, you can see if your heart rate is elevated enough for the exercise to have some benefit.

Weight training will also help to firm things up.

What sorts of activities did you have in mind?

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lucysmam · 11/07/2013 11:25

thanks both of you, I forgot to check back yesterday.

I'll read the link later on, just on my way for dd2 from nursery & you can.guarantee I'd only get half way through on the bus!

I have no idea wrt what to do tbh, pref something dd1 (6yo) could join in with as she has a bit of a tum...maybe dancing or something like that.

I'm not strict enough with myself to put it on and get on with it...always something else to do iyswim? So it needs to be something I can slot in without feeling like hard work

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mercury7 · 11/07/2013 11:51

you can work exercise into your daily routine, walking places instead of driving etc but a certain amount of discipline will be needed.
You cant have your cake and eat it Wink

sorry...couldnt resist the obvious cliche!

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RaspberrySnowCone · 14/07/2013 07:54

Weights and simple exercises so squats holding weights, statitc crunches, press ups, dips, plank (high, low, oblique etc). Diet is pretty important, drink loads of water and cut right down/back on processed sugary food.

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DownstairsMixUp · 14/07/2013 08:00

Weights. Cardio won't tone you up, it might help to some extent but it won't do as much as weights.

You need to make sure you hit every muscle, squats are the best exercises for toning legs and bum and they are sufficient enough (holding either a dumbell in each hand or a barbell with weights, theres loads of different sites showing the variations) though I tend to do squats, lunges and calf raises all with weights to hit my legs.

Same with arms, you need an exercise at least for the back, triceps, biceps, shoulders etc.

Do 3 sets of each exercise aiming for 8 - 12 reps per set so something like this

3 sets of squats / 8 reps per set
3 sets of calf raises/ 8 reps per set etc etc

Between each rep rest for 30 seconds and one minutes rest before you change to a new exercise.

Always try to start with the largest muscle first as this is where you'll tire out and need the most energy, legs are the strongest so do the legs first!

The trick is to use the heaviest weight you can manage, you should be able to do the first few quite easily and then be really pushing yourself for the last 3 -4 reps when you do weights. That's completely normal. You won't look like Jodie Marsh doing routines like this and if you stick at it you'll be lifing heavy weights but still won't look like her, she exercises a lot more hours than this and has a specific diet to look the way she does, you'll just look lean and toned!

Don't do weights every day, make sure you have a rest day after a day of doing weights!

Always warm up and cool down.

That's all i can think of at the mo! Good luck!

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Talkinpeace · 14/07/2013 20:49

yoga
pilates
bodypump

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