Your Perfect Guide to Toning up After Losing Weight
If you’ve ever lost a lot of weight, then chances are you’ve battled with excess skin. One of the hardest hurdles when you’re nearing your target weight, is to tone up. We all want that perfectly toned body, that looks banging in a crop top. But where do you begin? The fitness techniques you learnt to lose weight aren’t necessarily any good for toning up. To get that killer bod, here are some awesome tips and tricks.
Belly Toning Exercises
Most of the skin that needs to be tightened will be around the belly area. This is one place to focus a lot of your efforts on. Combine these exercises with those that focus on your waist and butt, for the best results. Here are some belly busters that will tone the tum:
- Bicycle Crunch – It hurts like hell, but every second is worth it. This works just like a regular crunch, only you’re bringing each leg into your opposite arm. It looks as though you’re riding an air bike.
- Pelvic Thrusts – Don’t giggle, ladies! This will help tone your lower abs and tighten up any excess skin. Lie on the floor and raise your legs 90 degrees. Slowly lift your pelvis up from the floor, whilst keeping your legs in the air.
- Side Bridge – Got any loose skin around the old muffin top? This will cure that. Lie on your side and raise yourself up so that you’re resting on your elbow and forearm. Raise your midsection until you’re in a straight line. Hold the position for as long as possible.
Lotions and Potions
When it comes to toning up, there are various things on the market to help you out. Of course, a tummy tuck would be the quickest and easiest solution. If you’re not keen then look into some of the off-the-shelf solutions instead. A moisturizer with peptides and Vitamin E may be able to tighten up some of the excess skin. You’ll find that they’re usually designed as an anti-aging or anti-wrinkle solution. Funnily enough, they can get rid of your tummy wrinkles too! Massages are also a good way of improving the blood circulation and tightening up any untoned areas. Plus, who doesn’t love getting a massage? A massage therapist will be able to tell you which of their products is good for your skin too.
Eating and Drinking
When we’ve gone through a tough weight loss process, it can be easy to fall back into bad habits. If you want to overcome that final hurdle and tone up, then concentrate on what you eat or drink. Alcohol can be your worst enemy if you’re trying to tighten those tummy muscles. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water instead of the booze. Leafy green vegetables and lots of protein should also be high on the list. Protein can help turn your body fat into muscle, which is great if you’re regularly exercising. Stick to healthy fats such as avocado, almonds and olive oil. Finally, carbs are fine in moderation. Quinoa, brown rice and sweet potatoes are best.
Remember, losing weight and toning up takes time. By the sounds of it, you’ve already come pretty far. Now you just need to push through this final challenge. You can do it!
