Want all abs, no flab?

You’re not alone.

Recently, we’ve heard this more from both men and women alike. They aren’t after extreme muscle bulk or extra-tiny waistlines, either.

They only want to be healthy, look fit, and have all the strength and energy they need to meet daily challenges.

Basically, they want excellent muscle tone and conditioning.

The key to achieving this is three-fold. It requires a disciplined diet, diligent cardio, and an intense, but not too heavy, weightlifting program.

Remember, just like any tripod, good muscle toning simply won’t stand for long without any of its three legs.

1. Take Charge of Your Diet

To increase muscle tone, begin by eating five smaller meals per day, rather than three larger ones. Ensure all five meals contain a significant protein source and avoid eating carbs past the early afternoon. By spreading your calories out this way, your metabolism will run more evenly. Also, if toning is your goal, you should avoid binges on junk food, even on cheat days!

2. Do Smarter (Not More) Cardio

The second key to a toned body is regular cardiovascular exercise to burn off energy that could otherwise be stored. This occurs both during your cardio sessions and also indirectly, by raising your resting metabolism. But endless steady-state sweat sessions are not the answer. Instead, mix up your cardio with interval training that fluctuates between about 40% and near 100% of your maximum effort. This is much more effective and can be performed for about 20 minutes before or after a workout. Or you can get your cardio fix from playing an active sport, like soccer, touch football, or ultimate frisbee!

3. Work Harder (Not Heavier) in the Gym

Finally, you’ll need the right weight lifting program to really target muscle toning. Generally, this means performing more repetitions at somewhat below your maximum. Shoot for a weight you can comfortably lift 12 to 15 times. Above all, toning work outs should feature short breaks between sets, or, by using super set variations, no breaks at all. This keeps your heart pumping and the calories burning. These sessions should target every major muscle group, be performed at least three times per week, and should be totally overhauled with new exercises every four to six weeks.

Here is a typical, whole-body toning workout plan:

EXERCISE                                 SETS                              REPS

1. Alternating Lunges              3                          12/leg
2. Lying Leg Curls                  2                           12-15
3. Bench Step-Ups                 2                           12/leg
4. Seated Cable Rows            3                           12-15
5. Incline Chest Flies              3                            8-12
6. Crunches on Ball                3                           20-25
7. Bicycle Kickouts                 3                           20-25

One more hint before hitting the gym: If you’re not sweating, you’re not toning!

For more toning tips or a customized program to suit your needs, consider scheduling an personal training session today!

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Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer. For further information, call his office at 604 420-7800 or visit his website: karpfitness.com.