Tone & Tighten?

[awood08]

Any helpful tips for tonning and tightening your body after weight loss? I've lost 64 pounds and while I've worked out these past 6 months between cardio and weight/strength training. I haven't really focused on muscle building. My usual strength training involves using the chest press, bicep curl, tricep extension machines usually 35-40 pounds 3 sets of 15 reps. Using the abdominal crunch machine 4 sets of 15 reps at 65 pounds. Also do intervals of planks with russian twists, flutter kicks, and crunches on the mat. I take Bodystep and Bodyattack twice a week.

I have gradually increased my weight resistance on the machines over time (started out very low). I feel the muscles under the skin on my stomach and in my arms when I flex there is definitely muscle definition, but I still have a few layers of skin/fat that I need to work off. Any help or advice would be appreciated!

[Dominique]

500 to 1000 per day would qualify as hefty in my books. The consensus seems to be that a large deficit is fine when you have a lot to lose, but that it should be reduced as you get closer to your goal / "normal" weight.

It’s the same in reverse with muscle building: you can expect to gain a lot as a beginner ("newbie gains"), during the first 1-2 years of training, but your gains are going to be much smaller after 4-5 years, if/when you have already put on a lot of muscle.

[awood08]

And initially that's what I was doing, I was eating 1000 to 1200 a day maximum when I started out at 235. Then slowly upped my intake so that when I'm finally finished with the actual weight loss part, I'll be comfortable at my maintenance level.

Thanks for all the advice and tips Dominique

[Smokinjoejr]

I would say address your Nutritional Needs.  I have a lot of fitness pros/junkies and Nutritionist in the Program I am involved in and its hands down all about what your replenishing the body with.  Thats 80% of it right there.  Make sure you are getting the right protein which i feel is undenatured Whey Protein.  (I am an not a fan of the store brands...as I won't name any stores)  Also healthy boosters like a Veggie blend Nitric Oxide drink is good for before the workout to really get the blood circulating.  As far as workouts...If you not doing this already I would say do alot of slow controlled exercises combined with explosive exercises.  A great piece of equipment you can do for simply 10 minutes a day whether before or after your workouts is get a Vibration Plate.  Those things work if you get a quality machine.  

[Dominique]

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@Smokinjoejr wrote:

Also healthy boosters like a Veggie blend Nitric Oxide drink is good for before the workout to really get the blood circulating.  

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Some vigorous warm-up exercise should be sufficient to elevate your pulse and get the blood circulating, without the need for drinking a "booster". For me, kettlebell swings do just that.