“Toning”

[usmcchief]

First, I hate the word “toning”. Second, I get the question from my wife, “I want to get toned, how?” So my wife is in great shape, she is 5’2”, 122lbs, 39 years old. She is truly in great shape. She currently runs 3 miles 4 days a week and does strength training 5 days a week. Her workouts range from basic bodybuilding, HIIT, and some Powerlifting. My biggest problem is trying to figure out how else I can help. Her diet and lifestyle consists of the following:

8am Wake up
10am Granola Bar, Banana, any Fruit
11am Run
12pm “Breakfast”
If I cook she will eat eggs, turkey bacon
3pm Gym time for about 60min
430-600ish Dinner, Chicken, Veggies, White Rice, or Red Meat, or Tuna, Dinner is never take out or frozen dinners
8pm Last Snack like fruit or Chips

That is her basic day and diet. What else can I do?

[TolerantLactose]

What else can I do?

Nothing because toning isn't a thing.

[AdamWW]

Being ‘toned’ typically means seeing muscular lines/shape combined with a relatively low bodyfat.

So, to create this ‘tone’, u do what everyone who lifts (usually) tries to do:

Get leaner and/or build more muscle.

[rhadam]

As said above: adding more tone to your physique is a combination of adding muscle and losing fat.

Seems like she's already doing well.

[paulinkansas]

How many grams of protein is she getting a day? What you listed seems sort of short on the amount of protein.

[usmcchief]

Nothing because toning isn't a thing.

Wow, so smart, I didn’t know that

[TolerantLactose]

Wow, so smart, I didn’t know that

Yet you asked.

[usmcchief]

As said above: adding more tone to your physique is a combination of adding muscle and losing fat.

Seems like she's already doing well.

That’s what I thought...she is doing well but my biggest struggle is to have the muscle show...I believe she works hard on her cardio and lifts the same workout I do, but modified obviously...I keep telling her it is her diet but she refuses. She hates breakfast cuz then she feels full the rest of the day. One egg one piece of bacon fills her up...I can’t call her a liar. I’m trying to figure out what style of lifting she should be doing and the right combination of food.

[usmcchief]

How many grams of protein is she getting a day? What you listed seems sort of short on the amount of protein.

No where near what she should be getting. On a good day, maybe about 30-50g, that is a huge maybe

[faithbrah]

I’m trying to figure out what style of lifting she should be doing and the right combination of food.

right combination of food as in...?

she needs to get enough protein and fat, maybe even be in a slight surplus to build muscle. THEN she can start cutting down for the "toned" (lean) look. way too many people try to cut with little muscle - you can't carve a statue from a marble pebble, you'll need a marble block for that

[snailsrus]

No where near what she should be getting. On a good day, maybe about 30-50g, that is a huge maybe

im 5’3 and get way way way way way more protein 3 times as much and I’m vegetarian like 120-150g

[usmcchief]

im 5’3 and get way way way way way more protein 3 times as much and I’m vegetarian like 120-150g

Awesome. Now how do you get your protein? Any supplements? She has tried all your regular supps but it upsets her stomach. She has taken them for at least a month but it still happens...what plant based protein would you recommend? Anything with soy is rejected as well, but she has no food allergies, so weird. Thank you!

[WolfRose7]

Awesome. Now how do you get your protein? Any supplements? She has tried all your regular supps but it upsets her stomach. She has taken them for at least a month but it still happens...what plant based protein would you recommend? Anything with soy is rejected as well, but she has no food allergies, so weird. Thank you!

is she vegan? why plant based proteins

High quality whey isolate works well for lactose intolerances

[SuffolkPunch]

The main cause of stomach upset is the lactose in whey concentrates. Try a whey isolate - it has much less lactose and might be passable.

Otherwise, whole foods high in protein are: meat, eggs, lower fat dairy products, beans, lentils, wholegrains, nuts.

[snailsrus]

Awesome. Now how do you get your protein? Any supplements? She has tried all your regular supps but it upsets her stomach. She has taken them for at least a month but it still happens...what plant based protein would you recommend? Anything with soy is rejected as well, but she has no food allergies, so weird. Thank you!

I don’t use any sups at all. Boca (wheat protein), dairy Greek yogurt is low in lactose and you can try lactaid, I eat a ton of eggs and egg whites, I look for breads high in protein like flat out bread, rice and beans, I do fake soy meat, I drink milk, fat free cheese 45 cals 9 grams of protein per serving, lentils/ lentil or bean pastas. If she eats meat chicken, tuna, fish, shell fish, pork, lean beef, turkey, lunch meats are all good and fine. Personally I am against whey for the most part, I mean you can look into true nutrition customs protein blends and get a pea protein based one, Adam knows the best vegan protein powders, I think they are gross and don’t trust labels cause they aren’t fda regulated

[rhadam]

That’s what I thought...she is doing well but my biggest struggle is to have the muscle show...I believe she works hard on her cardio and lifts the same workout I do, but modified obviously...I keep telling her it is her diet but she refuses. She hates breakfast cuz then she feels full the rest of the day. One egg one piece of bacon fills her up...I can’t call her a liar. I’m trying to figure out what style of lifting she should be doing and the right combination of food.

It sounds like what she says she eats, and what she actually eats are two different things.

[etet1919]

Why is everyone skipping over the "pink elephant" in the room? How much weight does she lift? Strength builds lean sculpted muscle mass. I think that's more important than how much protein someone eats, IMHO.

What about checking out the Fierce 5 program in the workout programming sub-forum, for example. The routine is professionally designed with balance, structure and progressive overload in mind!

[TolerantLactose]

Why is everyone skipping over the "pink elephant" in the room?

I see a different pink elephant.

she is doing well but my biggest struggle is to have the muscle show...

How is this his struggle? What's going on here?

[AdamWW]

Why is everyone skipping over the "pink elephant" in the room? How much weight does she lift? Strength builds lean sculpted muscle mass. I think that's more important than how much protein someone eats, IMHO.

What about checking out the Fierce 5 program in the workout programming sub-forum, for example. The routine is professionally designed with balance, structure and progressive overload in mind!

I literally mentioned building muscle in one of the first posts...

[Ghawk21]

Given her random range of workouts I'm guessing something like progressive overload is difficult/not even being followed. Crappy workout/inconsistent workouts +low protein= lack of muscle development. Lack of muscle development= no"toning." If you want lifting advice for your wife post her workout, sets/reps, weights used and progression method. The lack of protein piece is easy, eat/drink more protein, but if she refuses to acknowledge it then not much you can do.

[Noreezta]

Sounds like she's eating the exact amount of calories to maintain her weight and current physique ALONG with just the right amount of exercise. Anything less caloric or more taxing with her exercises, would stress her body and create cortisol that would store as fat. She'll need to venture out of her current comfort zone...probably use a lean bulk strategy.

[usmcchief]

is she vegan? why plant based proteins

High quality whey isolate works well for lactose intolerances

She is not vegan and has tried various brands of whey and every brand upsets her stomach with water instead of Lactaid

[usmcchief]

Sounds like she's eating the exact amount of calories to maintain her weight and current physique ALONG with just the right amount of exercise. Anything less caloric or more taxing with her exercises, would stress her body and create cortisol that would store as fat. She'll need to venture out of her current comfort zone...probably use a lean bulk strategy.

Thanks my next objective to try

[usmcchief]

Given her random range of workouts I'm guessing something like progressive overload is difficult/not even being followed. Crappy workout/inconsistent workouts +low protein= lack of muscle development. Lack of muscle development= no"toning." If you want lifting advice for your wife post her workout, sets/reps, weights used and progression method. The lack of protein piece is easy, eat/drink more protein, but if she refuses to acknowledge it then not much you can do.

Everything u said is 100% true...I’ll post her next weeks workout, the rest of this week.

[usmcchief]

Why is everyone skipping over the "pink elephant" in the room? How much weight does she lift? Strength builds lean sculpted muscle mass. I think that's more important than how much protein someone eats, IMHO.

What about checking out the Fierce 5 program in the workout programming sub-forum, for example. The routine is professionally designed with balance, structure and progressive overload in mind!

I will give the routine a try, thanks

All Max
Bench 85lbs give or take a few pounds
Squat 115
Deadlift 155
Db curls 20lbs she can do 5 sets of 6 reps consistently
Cannot do a pull up without bands for assistance
Can do about 25 push-ups without rest

Her back is weak, her arms are somewhat strong, depends on the lift...she can hammer curls heavy but cannot straight bar curl, she can go heavy on with goblet squats but not with regular squats...next workout we do, I will take copious notes

[rhadam]

Sounds like she's eating the exact amount of calories to maintain her weight and current physique ALONG with just the right amount of exercise. Anything less caloric or more taxing with her exercises, would stress her body and create cortisol that would store as fat. She'll need to venture out of her current comfort zone...probably use a lean bulk strategy.

Lol no.

[desslok]

Some women think if they lift heavy weight they will magically look like a pro female bodybuilder, and kind of undermine/sabotage their own progress due to this fear. Serious. Ask her if she is worried about that and explain to her what that takes.

[snailsrus]

I will give the routine a try, thanks

All Max
Bench 85lbs give or take a few pounds
Squat 115
Deadlift 155
Db curls 20lbs she can do 5 sets of 6 reps consistently
Cannot do a pull up without bands for assistance
Can do about 25 push-ups without rest

Her back is weak, her arms are somewhat strong, depends on the lift...she can hammer curls heavy but cannot straight bar curl, she can go heavy on with goblet squats but not with regular squats...next workout we do, I will take copious notes

she can raise those lifts a lot, my met prs are bench 135, dl 245 and squat 165 (my weakest lift I’ve had knee surgery) she needs a better routine

[etet1919]

I will give the routine a try, thanks

All Max
Bench 85lbs give or take a few pounds
Squat 115
Deadlift 155
Db curls 20lbs she can do 5 sets of 6 reps consistently
Cannot do a pull up without bands for assistance
Can do about 25 push-ups without rest

Her back is weak, her arms are somewhat strong, depends on the lift...she can hammer curls heavy but cannot straight bar curl, she can go heavy on with goblet squats but not with regular squats...next workout we do, I will take copious notes

Yes, I believe when most women critique themselves and don't have as much muscle as they want, it's mainly due to not being strong enough to lift good weight. I knew this was the case as soon as I read "she's been doing basic bodybuilding and powerlifting" from the original post! No worries- we read similar posts every day from people writing in, and it's the norm, NOT the exception!!

The hindrance with women building muscle "that shows" is that it's not as easy as many people think. Even if she's been lifting for a few years, that dosen't necessarily mean she'll attain that sculpted and ripped bodybuilder look. What it truly comes down to for women is developing the strength to be able to lift heavier weight- ESPECIALLY if fast twitch muscle fibers aren't going to do the job quick enough! Then it takes a much more structured plan to hit those goals, besides the focus on diet. In fact, I think dieting would not be the priority and strength training would be the more important focus!!

But also remember to "exercise" patience here. Not everybody, and especially women, build strength and muscle at the same rate. It's an ongoing process for most! And Fierce 5 is a great place to "carve out" a new direction and approach! Good luck to you and your SO!!

[usmcchief]

Some women think if they lift heavy weight they will magically look like a pro female bodybuilder, and kind of undermine/sabotage their own progress due to this fear. Serious. Ask her if she is worried about that and explain to her what that takes.

She is afraid of that look...she is looking for to look lean but without definition...which sounds like an oxymoron...think of JLo, Janet Jackson in the mid 90’s, or even if you don’t know what Whitney Simmons is, look her up...a good combination of those women is what she is looking for