Weight-A-Minute

When asked what you would like to achieve with your exercise, the answer is most likely to be "lose weight" and "tone up". Everybody wants a tight and toned body. Especially in the mid-section. You have a good idea of what a toned body looks like. Jessica Alba. Carmen Electra. Giselle Bundchen. That is a toned-body. Toned suggested a distinctive firmness in all the places that matter and which give balance to your body shape.

Traditionally, when we think about reshaping the body, we think of fat-burning cardiovascular exercise but focusing on cardio alone will only help you to lose bodyfat. Running will NOT help you to tone up. Without proper toning exercise, you will only end up with lose or flabby skin, which makes even the most fit person look a little out of condition.

If you want a sexy and toned beach body, the only way you can achieve it is by training with weights like dumbbells & weight machines.

This is what we call weight-training. Now, I know the first image that's probably in your mind right now is popping veins and bulging muscles like the Governor of California but to obtain those bulky muscles, you literally have a spend hours in the gym. The level of strength training required for general good health will not produce bulk in women.

If you are worried about weight gain as a side effect of weight training, you should know that regularly incorporating strength training into your exercise regimen will actually help you control your weight. It is likely that you gain a few pounds once you begin strength training but bear in mind that muscle is more dense than fat and this means that while muscle may weigh more, it takes up less space.

Muscle tissue is metabolically active, unlike fat tissue. This means that even at rest, muscle tissue is burning calories. And of course, you will burn more calories if you have more muscle than fat percentage in your body.