80% of my female clients say “I don’t want to be muscly, I want to be toned”
There’s two things I want you to know about this:
1. Being “muscly”, the look they say they don’t want, takes A LOT of work and focus with nutrition and training. Going to the gym and lifting heavy weights a couple of times a week is not going to make you “muscly” (but it will make you stronger – and trust me, you will LOVE feeling strong)
2. Being “toned” is simply a reduction in body fat (mostly with the help of nutrition) and an increase in muscle in the places to create shape. If you lose body fat and have no muscle you’re going to look weak, feel weak, and your bum will disappear, you’ll have scrawny boney shoulders and it’s not a healthy look. So if you have it in your mind that you want to “get toned” then start with the right nutrition and a plan to build muscle (trust me it’s not so easy that you’ll build so much muscle you’ll be unhappy)
And with that, here is incredible learning curve for you about muscle mass, and in particular what happens when you build skeletal muscle mass.
There are three main types of muscle mass:
Skeletal muscle
the specialised tissue that is attached to bones and allows movement.
Smooth muscle
located in various internal structures including the digestive tract, uterus and blood vessels such as arteries.
Cardiac muscle
the muscle specific to the heart.
Your skeletal muscle mass comprises of the muscles that connect to your bones and allow you to perform a wide range of movements and functions. Skeletal muscles are voluntary, meaning you control how and when they work (they help you move well).
Here are some benefits you can expect as you increase your muscle mass:
- Increased energy levels so you can do all that you want, and still have energy to give your family
- Reduced stress and anxiety. This will increase your presence with your clients and you will feel more confident.
- Enhanced appearance, a more “fit and healthy” look which might be one of the key contributors to our personal confidence. A better appearance creates a better mental image of ourselves leading to more confidence.
- Reduced chance of sustained injuries (huge reduction in potential injury as you get older). Sustained injuries are one of the leading contributors of losing vitality in life. More muscle, lesser sustained injuries
- Burns more calories even when you’re not “working out”
- Regulates sugar levels which will help prevent long-term health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney diseases
Building muscle mass is like finding the secret to energy and vitality.
So – let’s get building! (need help? Contact us)