Toning...What Does It Really Mean?

At some point, everyone has said or heard this phrase, “I want to tone.”  I’m guilty of saying it to my trainer when I first began training with him.  After I heard myself say it, I couldn’t help but wonder, what did I mean when I said that?  At the time, I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do.  I knew I wanted to exercise on a consistent basis and have someone there to push me along.  But where did the toning part come from?  What was I wanting to “tone” and what does that word even mean? 
I had to do some research because it didn’t sit well with me, saying this and not really knowing what it really meant and what I really wanted to do with my body.  I figured because I was already lean and semi-satisfied with my look, all I needed was some tightening in a few areas—stomach, legs.  I wanted some definition in those areas, but I did not want to be overly muscular.  In fact, that wasn’t even a factor--of course, all of this changed when I began competing. 

After reading a few articles and seeing how my own fitness regime was being conducted, I concluded there is no such thing as toning.  Toning is, what I like to call, a filler word for people who want definition and shape to specific areas of their bodies without gaining excessive muscle.  They want the “painted on” look rather than putting in all the work to actually get the definition they want.  Low weight/high reps does not get you the gains.  You’re just moving dust particles around at that point.  You have to actually grind in order to gain muscle.  Fat is replaced with muscle when they are worked.  It doesn’t happen overnight either.  Consistent training will do this, and over time, the muscles and the tightening of them are achieved. 

So, now the cat is out of the bag.  There is no such thing as toning.  Period.  At least in my opinion. I don't allow people to say it in my presence, and if they do, I either politely correct them or ask what do they mean when they say they "tone"?  It’s a word that developed and remained in the gray area between getting lean and gaining muscle.  There is no in between in fitness.  Either you want to lean out (cardio, cardio, cardio) or pack on the muscle (lift, lift, lift).  The choice is yours.  

The Bored Eater

I'm bored. I have nothing to do and nowhere to go. All my friends are busy and I am, essentially, stuck at home, alone. What to do?  Plop on the couch, watch trash T.V. or a good movie and eat, eat, eat.  Pizza sounds good, salty, buttery popcorn is always good, cookies are a great sugary treat, and how about washing it down with a thick milk shake or a soda.  Funny thing is, I’m not really all that hungry…

Sounds typical, right?  Nothing else to do except sit around and eat.  You’re not hungry, you’re just vegetating (no pun intended).  When you're bored you instinctively become what's called a "bored-eater". You fall into this rut where you have nothing to do and you're at home with an abundance of unhealthy foods and snacks.  They’re accessible and available for massive consumption because, let’s face it, you made it that way by purchasing them.  So what’s the reason(s) behind this?  Why eat poorly when you’re bored? Why become a bored-eater?   

I cannot tell a lie, I am guilty of this.  I have done this many times in the past.  I bought the junk food and planned to consume as much of it when I had the time.  When I’m at home watching trash on T.V. or a movie seems as good a time as any to pig out.  The truly sad part about it is I may not even be hungry but because the food is there and my brain says it wouldn’t hurt to eat that quart of cookie dough ice cream I bought on sale for $2.50 (regular price $3.25) I chow down, and in that moment I’m fulfilled.  Not only did I come up on a steal of deal but it’s my favorite ice cream and it’s comforting me.  So then I tell myself, I’m not bored anymore and my imaginary hunger pangs that were never there in the first place are gone.  And this becomes a vicious cycle.  Buy the junk, eat the junk, repeat. 

This pattern had to stop.  If I was going to be more health conscious I needed to think more health conscious.  I had to redo my entire thought process.  Whenever I knew I would be home with nothing to do (because honestly, you have days that are not completely filled and you have down time to yourself) I planned it out.  I stopped buying the junk.  No more ice cream.  Period.  It was my weakness.  I gave it up for Lent one year and I haven’t looked back since.  No pizza unless I’m eating it as a cheat meal.  Hot dogs (Nathans; I’m from New York and there’s no better hot dog in the world) completely off the grocery list.  Chips (unless it’s low sodium and 40% less fat) I cannot purchase.  Fruit (bananas, apples, oranges), nuts (almonds, walnuts), fish (yes, I consider it a snack…tuna, hello?), protein shakes (whey protein), and smoothies (fruit and veggie based not juice based, please) are mainly what I snack on.  And I have a schedule.  I eat every 3 hours.  I eat small meals and snacks in between.  This is to keep me from overeating and feeling as if I need to eat.

It’s simple, if you don’t make it available you won’t eat it.  Moreover, if you reprogram your way of thinking about food—healthy vs. non-healthy, hungry vs. not hungry—your choices and your lifestyle will change immensely.  Worked for me!