For many people, the thought of achieving a perfectly toned body brings thoughts to mind that include pulling long shifts at the gym and cutting back on your favourite foods. The happy reality is that working towards a toned physique is more focused on creating a balance between workouts, diet and your goals.

5 easy tips:

1.      Let’s start with the basics – realistic goal setting.

No one on earth can get fit overnight but, by setting realistic and timely goals for yourself you will be able to reach those goals in due time. A few examples of achievable goals include “lose 2 kilograms in a month” or “be able to do 10 push-ups by the end of three weeks”. These types of goals help you to stay motivated while also allowing you to feel proud when you achieve something you’ve been working towards.

2.      Diet is important but don’t put unnecessary restrictions on yourself.

This aspect of toning and fitness can sometimes be the most challenging because everyone has a different relationship with food and there is no right way to manage dietary habits. A good way to measure a generally healthy diet is to ensure you are consuming enough balanced meals to ensure your body can absorb the right nutrients and vitamins it needs to allow itself to start toning – meaning it can start to cut weight for a leaner look or gain weight for more muscle definition. Finding the right kind of eating plan or mix of foods that will work for you is important in allowing your body to benefit both inside and out while you are training. This doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy your favourite snack or treat – it just means that you need to be able to understand that the food you consume will have an impact on your fitness journey so it is up to you to decide how positive the impact can be.

3.      Toning your muscles doesn’t have to only be with weight training.

Different bodies react beneficially to different workouts and so experimenting with what works for you is the best way to find out how to achieve your goals in the best way for you. Weight training is a form of exercise should you want to get toned as it targets specific areas depending on the weights and movements being practised. Those who would rather use their body weight or simply prefer to explore other machinery in the facility will find the My Wellness app, which is included in your membership, has an array of information, tutorials and workout regimes to help you find what you’re looking for in a few easy swipes.

4.      Challenge your current self so your future self will be proud.

Exercising and progressing at your own pace is important but at the same time pushing yourself a little bit further every now and then will help you see just how strong, both mentally and physically you are and it will help you become more confident. This is not to say that you should go beyond your limits, but it is beneficial to have a little competition with yourself to ensure you do not become caught in the same fitness cycle when there are other ways to tone that you can explore which you may enjoy more.

5.      Consistency is the currency of fitness.

As cliché as it may sound – having a consistent fitness schedule will benefit you in both the short and long term of your fitness journey. This is because repetition enhances your behaviour and actions, so by continually repeating healthy fitness and lifestyle habits you will become more familiar with them until they become a natural part of your life. Consistency helps create a happier and healthier you with less effort involved in the process every time you do it.

Body Action Gym can help get you started:

With so many options, workouts and routines to choose from, it can become overwhelming to decide where to get started. To make this decision a little easier, we would recommend attending an interactive and immersive group class where you will not only be supported, guided and motivated to reach your fitness goals, but you will also have a great experience doing so. A great class to start with would be our Les Mills Tone class where you would be specifically focusing on toning your body through both centralised and full-body movements.

If you would prefer to exercise in a solo environment while still benefiting from a full-body toning workout, we recommend using the Technogym bench located in the HIIT studio. This equipment has multiple aspects to it, from its free weight selection to its resistance bands, so you can choose how and where you can start toning. Both our classes and equipment have been designed to give you the most beneficial fitness experience possible.

Rounding off:

Practicing the above and ensuring that you are giving enough time to yourself to not only see the progress but to also feel it, will help in allowing you to reach your ideal toned physique and fitness levels. If you would like to find out more about toning and how to get started, our personal trainers and instructors are available to assist.