In a recent article, we’ve shared some of the best tips to tone your body with exercises that are easy to do day after day. Squats, sit-ups, pushups, and side planks have low requirements in terms of equipment and preparation. But they can prove highly effective in the long term.
But, if you’ve been following a similar fitness routine for months without noticing any improvement in your silhouette, it may be time to find out what is happening.
Your diet is unhealthy
Ultimately, you can’t cancel a bad diet through exercise only. You’re probably familiar with the 80:20 diet to exercise ratio. In reality, while the exact figures are up for debate, the principle of fitness success remains the same. Your eating habits must match your exercise effort if you want to see results.
So working out does not go hand-in-hand with pizza. Fuel your body with goodness, such as plenty of healthy proteins to help muscle growth and fat loss.
You have vitamin deficiencies
How do vitamins affect your ability to tone up? Essentially, vitamins and minerals support your body functions, including bringing oxygen to the organs, energy expenditure, and muscle recovery. Deficiencies can lead to fatigue, dizziness, and disruptions. Fueling your body with all the minerals and vitamins you need, even with supplements such as multivitamins for women, can bring your efforts to the next level by:
- Bringing nutrients to your muscles
- Keeping your cardiovascular system healthy
- Protecting your immune system, indispensable for recovery
- Supporting your metabolism
You work out too much
Excessive workout routines can be the source of your problem. As tempting as it is to work hard to get results faster, it can be counterproductive. Your body needs time to recover and recharge its energy. When you skip the critical recovery phase, many things happen:
- You weaken your muscles and joints, putting yourself at risk of injuries
- You put your body under stress, which slows down muscle repair and growth
- Your metabolism slows down to save energy, so future workouts will not burn the same amount of calories
- Your immune system weakens through the pressure, which could lead to health complications
You actually don’t work out enough
Does training every day mean you are burning enough calories to get toned?
The answer depends entirely on your choice of workout. People with a sedentary lifestyle tend to have a slow metabolism, burning less than 1,800 calories a day. As a result, their body may burn considerably fewer calories for the same exercise routine than the body of a more active individual. If you are fairly inactive during the day except for the moment when you train, you may not be able to create a calorie deficit — especially if your fitness-focused diet is high in (healthy) calories.
Changing your habits and moving more frequently during the day, even if it is only to use a standing desk or take a stroll around the office at lunchtime, can make a significant difference.
Getting toned can be hard work, but it is worth your effort. If making changes to your diet and routine do not deliver the expected results, it may be worth reaching out to a doctor to consider additional tests. Hypothyroidism, for instance, can make it tough to lose weight and get toned.
