I have a confession. The workouts at Octane will probably not give you the results you’re after. At least not on their own.
Here’s the thing… working out is necessary in order to achieve that “toned” look your after, but it isn’t enough on it's own to get you there. Hang on and I’ll explain, but first, let’s go over this whole body composition thing.
Muscle is dense, tight and hard. Fatty tissue is mushy, jiggly and takes up more space. When someone tells me they want to “tone up”, I know that this means they want to gain muscle and lose fat. A higher percentage of lean mass (muscle) and a lower percentage of body fat creates a firm, shapely body. There’s no such thing as “toned” muscle or “untoned” muscle. Muscle is muscle and fat is fat. And this is why women shouldn’t be afraid of getting strong! Stronger means firmer and tighter. Got it?
Yes, I hear you. But you don’t want to get “bulky”, right? If you gain any muscle, you’re going to be bulky! That bulky appearance you’re worried about is a combination of muscle mass AND body fat. The solution to get that hot body you want is NOT to lose the muscle mass! It’s to lose the body fat that is covering that tight, shapely muscle. And how do you do this? Workout harder and longer? Add lots of running to the workouts you're doing with us? Absolutely not. This will most likely lead to muscle loss, decreased metabolism and a much harder time getting "toned". The solution here is to change your eating.
Assuming that you have a healthy hormonal balance, your overall size (your weight on the scale) is directly related to the amount of food that you consume. Your body composition (amount of muscle vs fat) is directly related to the quality of food that you consume and your training. Your training is designed to make you stronger, which gives you more of that sexy muscle. The quality of your food determines how much fat you have in relation to muscle. If your goal is to get smaller overall, then you need to consume fewer calories. If your goal is to get larger (gain muscle), then you need to consume more calories. If you don't need to lose size, but you want to “tighten up” (gain muscle and lose fat), then you need to work on the quality of food you’re consuming. Focus on quality protein, fiber, and healthy fats at every meal. By quality, I mean whole, nutrient dense foods that still resemble their natural forms.
Physique types
Toned= has more muscle mass, less body fat
Bulky= has more muscle mass, more body fat
Skinny-fat= has less muscle mass, more body fat
Skinny= has less muscle mass, less body fat
What to focus on
Food quality + Training= body composition changes
Food quantity= overall size, scale weight changes
Your body will adapt to whatever stimulus you provide it with consistently. Consistency is vital! Train regularly, eat quality food regularly in the appropriate amounts for you, and you will be rewarded with a “toned” physique. Don’t beat yourself up about missing a workout here and there, or eating some junk food on occasion. One ice cream sundae won’t derail your progress in the same way that one meal of grass-fed steak and broccoli won’t create six-pack abs.
If your physique isn’t where you want it to be, and you are training regularly and getting stronger, look at your diet. You need those training sessions to build strength and muscle, and you need to work on your eating habits in order to lose body fat. You will not “work off” poor eating habits, so working on both of these together are vital for getting you the results you’re after!
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Still have questions, or want personalized guidance? Contact me about nutrition coaching! I'm in the process of getting my Precision Nutrition Coaching certification, and would love to take on a few clients at a discounted rate before I complete the certification. Let me know if you're interested!
