5 steps to getting toned

Getting stronger and “looking like you workout” isn’t an overnight thing. It takes time and intention!

• eat enough food & protein: 0.7-1.0 gram per pound of bodyweight (or let’s just say 100 grams MINIMUM if you’re new to tracking), plus you need to be eating at maintenance to ensure your body has enough calories to build muscle

• get to failure: when you’re lifting, you need to be struggling! Not in every single set but in many of your weekly sets, you need to get to a place of feeling like you couldn’t do more than 1-2 more reps when you finish the set!

• progressively overload: have a training program that allows you to continue to challenge your muscle and isn’t random. Getting more lean muscle mass requires intentional work

• take rest days: muscles recover when we’re not at the gym, when you’re not using them, have you ever considered that?! Rest days allow enough recovery for to get the results you want!

And the fifth step?

A calorie deficit. Now, this part may be optional, and it depends on your body fat when you begin this journey. For many, in order to truly see the muscle underneath our skin, decreasing body fat percentage will help!

This would require a calorie deficit (or diet) phase, once you’ve built some muscle! You’d mostly continue the 4 things above during this phase, but you’d decrease your calories temporarily to drop fat (but don’t forget to keep that protein high)!

Do you have the right expectations & plan for toning up?

And PS. If you need a little help with the strength training part - sign up for my at-home training program Build More with Julia!

And PPS. If you want to know how much you should be eating at maintenance, download my free guide here.