How to Get Toned and Shed Fat: A Balanced Approach to Lean Muscle

Let’s get down to brass tacks immediately—technically, no, you cannot get “toned.” At least not in any scientific sense. Mass media and marketing gurus have pushed the concept of toning primarily on women as a stand-in for the accurate terminology and physical changes that occur when you lift weights. So what’s really happening? You’re either building muscle or losing it. There are no other actions your muscles can take.

However, you can achieve a sculpted, lean look through proper training and nutrition. Read on to learn how.

What toning really is

So, what are people talking about when they post videos and images of “Pilates arms” and “leggings legs”? Besides unrealistic and unhealthy beauty standards, they refer to a slimmer, sleeker, but firmer look that contrasts the bulky, large muscles that some people fear from lifting weights.

But, as mentioned, your muscles can grow (hypertrophy), or they can shrink (catabolism). To grow muscle, you must challenge them progressively more and more over time and consume enough calories and protein to create new muscle tissues. Losing muscle simply takes a lack of these things—not using your muscles in a way that stimulates growth or not consuming enough calories to support the tissues.

Here’s the truth—becoming “toned” still requires lifting weights or some sort of resistance training to develop the firmness that can only come from muscle mass. It’s important to note that females, by nature, cannot easily pack on slabs of muscle without very intentional effort over extended periods in the weight room and the kitchen. So, the likelihood of accidentally getting bulky on your journey to a toned physique is slim to none.

Women typically do not have enough natural testosterone to build large muscles, especially not quickly. Men, on the other hand, have 15 times more testosterone than women, which is why they can gain muscle relatively fast by comparison.

How to look toned

If you’re set on a leaner, firmer physique, you can achieve it, but you should not fear heavy weights. While some women’s genetics may make them more prone to building larger muscles more quickly, it’s next to impossible for this to happen without intentional effort.

If you’re a woman looking to build lean, firm muscles, you should still focus on lifting challenging weights without worrying about getting bulky. Even with their higher testosterone levels, it will take time for men to build significant muscle mass.

Lift weights at least twice per week

Your best chance of achieving a toned look is to lift weights for 30 to 45 minutes, 2 to 3 times a week. Even over a long period, this will not lead to substantial bulking up, but it will help you attain a more sculpted, fit appearance, a speedier metabolism (muscle burns calories, even at rest), and an all-around healthier body and mind.

Challenge yourself

Changing your body shape to a toned and sculpted physique will take lifting weights that challenge you. You should use weights that allow you to complete all your repetitions with great form but next to no more. In other words, it should feel like you could only eke out two to three more reps before failure. Each week, you should aim to increase your weight or number of repetitions to keep yourself challenged as you get stronger. This is called progressive overload, and it’s essential for developing muscle mass.

Proper nutrition

Gaining muscle requires consuming extra calories to support muscle growth, just like eating more calories than you burn without resistance training can cause fat gain. If you want to gain muscle mass, adding a few additional calories to your regular diet can help you get there faster. However, if you are brand new to lifting weights, you will benefit from the “newbie gains” effect—gaining muscle without adding calories (many new lifters can even gain muscle in a calorie deficit diet).

Protein and carbohydrates are the most essential macronutrients to focus on for muscle gain. Protein provides the building blocks of tissues, while carbohydrates replenish and repair muscle tissues and fuel your training sessions so you get results.

• Carbohydrates: 3–7 grams per kilogram of body weight per day (or about 7 to 15 grams per pound)
• Protein: 1.4–2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (or about 3 to 5 grams per pound)

Achieve a balanced weight

Gaining muscle mass is the first step in achieving a toned look, but it won’t be enough by itself. You’ll need to achieve a balanced body weight for your hard work to show. The “toned” look is typically on the leaner, slimmer side, so a lower body fat percentage is necessary. It’s important to speak to your doctor to see if weight loss is a suitable goal for you. That said, as long as your final weight is within a healthy range, losing body fat will help reveal the lean, firm muscles beneath, giving you the look you’re after.

Prioritize your health

Don’t let social media influence you away from what is healthy. Although a balanced body weight that supports your hormones, energy levels, mood, and overall physical health is ideal for everyone, striving for thinness is not always a good idea and can take unhealthy forms.

Remember that the benefits of getting stronger and fitter go far beyond appearance. Focusing on building healthier habits by staying active, eating well, managing stress, and getting quality sleep can lead to naturally better-looking and feeling bodies without the stress of conforming to social ideals.