Starting The Year Right-Part 6

So in the next part in my series I will talk to you about toning. You should make toning apart of your fitness & wellness program.
Just because we're grannies doesn't mean we can't look hot and wear bikini's this summer. And I'm serious! Well I don't know if it's going to be this summer for me but I'm working on it. Like I said, it might take me to I'm 70 to get a flat tummy. Have you ever seen a 70 year old granny in a bikini? No mean either... but you never know. I have a small petite frame. I'm not over weight. I just have to work on toning my body up. But if I do gain weight it doesn't look good on me because of my petite frame. So it is a struggle for me to keep my weight down. Even my doctor wants me to keep my weight down. He said that I don't have a weight problem but wants my weight to stay down.
Anyway. You get toned by working out with weights, using a Bo Flex, those resistance rubber bands, or calisthenic (sit ups, leg lifts, etc.) moves that will help develop your muscles. I have gotten amazing results by using 2 lb. hand weights with Denise Austin plus also doing the calisthenics with her. I started seeing a difference with in a few weeks time to so that will keep you motivated. But I would like to get back on my Bo Flex, I've just been using the excuse I'm to busy.
Denise Austin says that you have to make the time. Even if your fit, as fit could be, you still need to exercise to maintain or to receive all the health benefits plus you don't want all your hard work to go down the tubes. That's why I say it's a life time change. It's not dieting for a few weeks and then just go ahead and throw in the towel. Like quitting smoking, if your waiting for the time to "want" to quit smoking, it will never happen. The addiction won't ever tell you to give up. Same with exercises. If your waiting for that funny feeling inside that makes you feel giddy about working out, you might want to rethink that because your never going to get that warm fuzzy feeling inside about working out. It's hard. It's laborious to workout. It's not easy to work out. I'd rather have a second cup of coffee and continue to read my book, and say, "Oh what do you know? It's to late to workout now. I must get in the shower." But I don't do that. I know it's important. Some days I hate getting my workout clothes on at 5:30 in the morning. But by six, I'm in the shower with my workout...DONE.
Your body feels different when it's toned. When your walking, your whole body feels firm all over. You notice your posture is changing for the better. Doctor's are saying that a lot of health problems that people get are from having weak abs. Strong abs acts like a girdle to protect your back. Muscle take up less space than fat. You burn calories faster, the more muscle you have. You'll be able to sneak some of your favorite snacks without having to feel guilty about it. Muscle protects your body joints. Being toned allows you do things without injuring yourself. Like lifting heavy grocery bags without pulling a muscle in your shoulder or back or something. It also steers us away from getting osteoscleirosis.
What I like about toning is that you don't need expensive equipment. You can use soup can when lifting weights with Denise Austin like she suggests. They weigh about a pound each and that is what you should start out with anyway and work your way up to 5 lb. weights. Woman can't bulk up like men because we don't have enough testosterone hormone like men do. Also I just learned by working out with Denise Austin that just by doing the calisthenic exercises you WILL see results, especially if you eat a low fat diet. I was even quite amazed that those exercises would show much of a difference but it did. I was really surprised by that. Those are exercises that target tone certain areas of your body. Like your hips, thighs and our rumps. =) And of course your bellies. My biggest problem area is my tummy. Most of my weight that I gain goes right to my stomach. And I hate that! Denise Austin also says that much weight is gained for woman in the hips, thighs and buttocks. And for men, there fat goes to their stomachs. What the heck happened to me than I don't know because all my weight goes right to my stomach. Ugh! =)
I hope everyone is enjoying my series. I think I'd like to write just one more. To all of my fellow blogger friends...stay healthy!=)