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Firming Up Naturally: Vegan and Plant-Based Approaches to Toning

Strength Training For Fat Loss For Women

Author: Plant-Based Susy

Everyone has different body goals. Some people want to lose weight, but don't care about working on their muscles. Others love their curves and just want to be healthy. Many people also want to be slim and toned.

If you're looking to tone up, it's time to embrace the power of plants. Consuming whole plant-based foods can significantly affect how your body looks and feels. This is one of the many benefits of the plant-based diet. These foods typically provide your body with the most nutrients possible and cut out a lot of the junk in the process.

Eating plant-based proteins can help you tone up

Plant-based diets can provide all the nutrients you need to build muscle and tone up. Certain foods help you accomplish this better than others. Many people who switch to a plant-based diet find it easier to reach their body goals than those who stick to an animal-based diet.

Clean plant-based protein is one of the best ways to tone up. Cutting back on other things like sugar and oil can also make a big difference in your physique. Let's look at the plant-based food choices that can help you tone up.

The deal with protein

The recommended average protein intake for an adult is 0.75 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. If you're hoping to put on muscle, this number may need to be doubled.

The USDA offers a DRI calculator to figure out your daily nutrient recommendations based on your height, weight, age, and activity level. For example, they suggest a 150-pound woman should consume 54 grams of protein daily.

Speaking with a trainer or nutritionist to determine the protein you need can be beneficial. They may have you eat an amount based on your ideal weight, or they may base it on where you are now.

Getting protein on a vegan diet

Getting enough protein doesn't need to be challenging. Women's Health interviewed a registered dietician who argues that the animals worldwide with the strongest muscles eat mostly plants. Think hippos, elephants, and gorillas. Most people also get enough protein without even trying.

When you switch to a plant-based lifestyle, protein is always emphasized, but it doesn't need to be challenging. Vegan protein includes beans, tofu, nuts, and even protein powder. It might be easy to add plant-based protein sources to your diet, but you should still put effort into it.

There are fad diets that encourage you to eat ridiculous amounts of protein. This is not only unnecessary, but it can be dangerous. Too much protein can put unwanted strain on the kidneys and liver and even lead to osteoporosis.

How protein affects the body

Proteins are made up of amino acids that work to build and repair muscles and bones. Amino acids are also an energy source used to make hormones and enzymes.

Protein creates a thermic effect that helps our body burn extra calories after we eat it. Protein also reduces levels of a hunger hormone called ghrelin while reducing appetite hormones. What protein does to the body naturally and automatically lowers our calorie intake.

Protein is an excellent tool for toning your body. Ensure you're getting enough, but do not overdo it.

Plant-based protein sources

There are plenty of places to get protein if you're not eating meat. You’ll want to add some of these protein sources to your grocery list. They make excellent meals and snacks.

Plant-based protein sources include:

Buckwheat
Hummus and pita or vegetables
Tofu
Tempeh
Edamame
Beans
Chickpeas
Nut butters
Seeds
Quinoa
Sprouted bread
Seitan

Tips for staying on track and toning up your body through plant-based meal choices

Beyond getting enough protein, there are other ways to benefit your body from your plant-based diet. These tips can help you tone up.

Eat in a calorie deficit

A calorie deficit means you consume fewer calories than you burn. Burning more calories than you eat and drink daily is the best way to lose weight, and this is also the trick to toning up.

An excellent deficit to start with is around 500 calories. You would need to burn about 500 more calories than you consume. You can raise this once you’re used to the change, but listen to your body and don't push yourself too hard.

Aim to eat 250 calories under your maintenance level, while also burning an additional 250 calories through exercise, such as brisk walking every day, to hit your 500 calorie daily deficit target.

Tracking your intake is helpful for this. Restricting your calories too much can lead to health issues, so be careful. If you have health conditions, it's best to speak to a professional before switching to a calorie deficit.

Eat a balanced diet

If you're following a whole food plant-based lifestyle, you're probably already on track here, but it's essential to maintain a balanced diet. Make sure you eat plenty of nutritionally dense foods, including fruit and vegetables.

Hopkins Medicine recommends avoiding food high in sodium, added sugars, and fats. Eat plenty of protein, as mentioned above, and don't eat too many carbohydrates. Getting enough Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and calcium is essential.

Minimise your alcohol intake when trying to lose weight or tone up, as alcohol contains 7 empty calories per gram, which can add up before you know it and sabotage your progress. One small glass of red wine with a healthy, balanced dinner is fine.

Besides following a plant-based diet, exercise is essential to toning up

Combining healthy eating habits and physical activity is the best way to reach your body goals. When it comes to exercise, you should do a mixture of lifting and cardio to get where you want to be.

Weights for toning up

Lifting weights is a great way to build muscle. If you have a gym membership, try going a couple of times a week to lift weights. You don't have to use the free weights unless you're comfortable doing that. Assisted weight machines can be an excellent tool instead!

If you don't have access to a gym or have weights at home, you can do bodyweight resistance movements instead. You can do sit-ups or push-ups in the comfort of your home. Other examples are squats, lunges, and planks. This can be tough to get used to, so start slow and work your way up to more reps and sets.

Cardiovascular exercise for toning up

There are many ways to incorporate cardio into your life. Popular methods include biking, swimming, running, and walking. These activities get your heart pumping and are essential to toning your body.

Cardio burns the most calories and is a great way to shed excess fat. You can't tone up without getting your body to a weight where you can see these results. Try cardio for 30 minutes to an hour a few times a week, and pick an activity you enjoy.

Selecting a cardio you like will make developing and sticking to a routine more manageable.

Get 10,000 steps a day

In America, the average person walks 3,000 to 4,000 steps a day. In the UK, this is closer to 5,500 steps, while the average Australian takes about 9,000 steps a day.

Taking ten thousand steps is equivalent to walking around five miles and considering most people are used to walking half of that a day; this can be a tricky habit to pick up.

Walking more has been found to help people lose weight and keep it off. Hitting 10,000 steps can improve joint health and aid in recovery. Walking promotes bone and muscle strength and reduces the risk of disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Daily walks or jogging outside can help you be more focused and are also great for your mental health! This benefit includes reducing anxiety and stress. This practice can even improve your balance and coordination. The list of benefits of walking more is long.

Walking is an excellent exercise for beginners. You don't need a gym membership or to be super fit to start. You can walk in place in the comfort of your home or take a walk outside if the weather isn't too cold. There are other ways to get this number up if you want to do more than walk.

Ways to increase your steps:

Dance
Jump rope
Walk on a treadmill
Clean up around the house
Do some gardening
Walk the dog
Walk in place when watching TV
Use the stairs
Park in the back of the parking lot
Walk on your lunch break
Go on a hike
Head to the park
Try walking meditation
Join a walking group
Get a friend interested in walking

Increasing your daily steps is a common technique for losing weight and getting in shape. Aim to increase your daily steps, even if you don't hit 10,000. It doesn't just help you tone up; it's great for your overall health, too.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to get toned?

Getting toned means changing your body's appearance to lean and muscular. Being toned doesn't mean getting big or bulking up, but it does require building muscle. Toning up can also mean losing fat; it depends on your body's needs to get there. Toning up involves a combination of eating clean food and working out.

Can you tone up on a vegan diet?

As long as you're eating nutritionally dense foods and a variety of plant-based protein sources, you should have no issues meeting your body goals on a vegan diet. Consuming a range of plant-based dishes provides plenty of macro and micro-nutrients, which your body uses to build muscle.

Where people often slip up when wanting to lose weight on a vegan diet is turning to junk food and too many meat-free and dairy alternatives. While these things are tasty, they typically aren’t the healthiest in large portions. Try cooking plant-based dishes at home instead of buying highly processed frozen options.

What is the key to toning up?

Toning up isn't just about what you eat. In addition to good food choices, you need to practice a combination of cardio and weight lifting. Cardio gets your heart pumping blood throughout the body, which helps you get fit and strong.

Specific exercises help tone different parts of the body. Incorporate bodyweight exercises like lunges and squats to tone your legs and bottom. Movements like crunches help tone the stomach area.

Running often can help you develop a runner's body. Runners tend to be lean and have toned legs. That's why a combination of weightlifting and cardio is ideal for someone wanting more of a gym body.

What is the fastest way to tone up?

While there is no overnight tone-up solution, cardio is the fastest way to meet this goal. Exercises like biking, swimming, and running will help you tone up quicker than other practices. Try completing cardio for 30 minutes to an hour a day, 3 to 5 times a week. It's important to give yourself time to rest as well.

How long does it take to tone up?

It will take about a month or two before you start noticing your muscles changing. During this time, you must clean up your diet and work out. You don't need to eat healthy foods all the time or exercise every day to achieve these results, but it's essential to develop a routine and stick to it.

While you might start seeing results a couple of months into following your new routine, it can take up to a year or more to get to where you want to be. Focus on the future body you want, and keep going.

Stay calm if your progress is slower than you want. You have to keep going to become the person you want to be. If you're healthily approaching this process, you can't control how fast you drop the weight or gain muscle.

The Bottom Line

There is so much advice out there about losing weight and toning up. It's hard to know what to change and what to skip. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to this process, and you just have to figure out what works for you.

You don't have to do this alone. A plant-based nutrition professional or other medical professional can help you along the way. They can provide even more advice, but this is a great place to start.

Toning up on a vegan diet is possible and often more effective than other dietary choices, especially when you go whole food plant-based. Using these tips and changing up your meal plans accordingly should help you achieve your body goals.

💚 "Happy Plant-Based Eating & Exercising!" 💚

Plant-Based Susy

Plant-Based Nutrition Professional & Weight Loss Coach

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