When it comes to strength training, the idea of becoming bulky is off-putting for some people. If you don’t want big muscles, a class or weight routine that claims to target muscle toning may seem appealing. But exercise physiologist Whittney Thoman says muscle toning is a marketing ploy and you don’t need special classes. “Exercise professionals hate the word toning because it’s not different from normal strength training,” says Thoman. Here are four things Thoman wants you to know about strength training and toning. When you lift weights or do resistance exercises like push-ups and lunges, your muscles get stronger and firmer. How you look comes down to how much lean muscle mass you have versus how much body fat you have. “In order to increase lean muscle mass and reduce body fat you should strength train 2-3 times a week, incorporate at least 150 minutes of cardio exercise like fast walking or swimming, and eat a healthy diet,” says Thoman. Strength training is all about the number of repetitions of each exercise you do. You may get a more toned look by using a light yet challenging weight and doing higher repetitions. “When people use the word ‘toning,’ it generally means working on muscular endurance, not size,” says Thoman. Even lifting heavy weight likely won’t lead to muscle size gains for women. The bulky look that men often aim for requires the male hormone testosterone. Women don’t have enough testosterone to build large muscles easily. “Women should pick the kind of strength training that they like and will do consistently. Then feel confident that they will look and feel better,” says Thoman.
Discover how long it takes to get a six-pack and the key lifestyle changes you need to make. Learn why common pitfalls like carbs, booze, and lounging can derail your fitness goals and how to overcome them for a shredded core. Many aspire to one day have six-pack abs, but let’s be real, few have succeeded because carbs, booze, and time are not on your side. But, if we unpack (pun intended) how to obtain that coveted “six-pack,” you’ll find it’s not mission impossible after all. What you really need to know is how long it takes and exactly what behaviors (ahem: endless couch chilling and junk food) you need to kick to the curb. First and foremost, getting a six-pack (or four-pack, or eight-pack if you have great genes) comes down to the amount of body fat you have. Reducing body fat is a necessary step to reveal your chiseled midsection. To lower body fat safely and effectively, it’s important to focus on both diet and exercise.
With everything nutrition and fitness related, there remains one true constant: There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to achieving a goal. Genetics, body shape, and build always factor into individual results. But seriously, how long does it take to get a six-pack? Your timeline to a six-pack depends on the body fat percentage you’re starting with. A good rule of thumb (and a safe one) is to aim to lose 1 to 2 percent of body fat per month. So, unveiling your abs can take anywhere from 3 months to 2 years. It really does vary. It’s also a good idea to consult a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer or exercise professional before beginning any nutrition and fitness plan. There’s a lot of noise and misinformation in the food and exercise world, and it’s important to be sure you’re on the best plan for your individual needs. For starters, the ideal body fat percentage to see your midsection muscles pop is 14 to 19 percent for women and 6 to 13 percent for men.
Getting (and staying) below 10 percent body fat may look aesthetically divine (ow ow!), but this takes dedication and discipline. Your body will NOT like being here and will likely try every trick in the book to get you to eat more because it thinks you’re starving. It’s also important to note that unless you’re a professional bodybuilder or elite athlete, you don’t need to be below the 10 percent point for your abs to be in view. Some body fat is good. We actually need it to survive. Women naturally require more fat than men. Science points out most of this is due to the hormone estrogen, and to support fertility. Men on the other hand, need less body fat and naturally have more lean muscle tissue (thanks, testosterone 🙌) which helps them drop weight faster. Dudes are simply burning more calories, even at rest, because of this muscle mass.
So you’re really committed and ready for Titan Rise Male Enhancement those abs? Let’s look at how long it might take to get into ab-revealing shape based on beginning body fat percentage. At 30 percent body fat, whether you’re a man or woman, this is considered obese. No one is seeing any muscle definition here. This number also puts you at risk for a number of chronic health conditions. From this starting point your journey to visible abs is likely to be close to 1 to 2 years. Men may be able to shave a few months off and Titan Rise Capsules achieve this in 10 months, but 8 to 12 months is a reasonable time frame to set your sights on if you have around 30 percent body fat. Add another year if you have closer to 40 percent body fat. If you’re starting with 20 percent body fat, it would take somewhere between 3 to 6 months to start seeing your abs.
