's MOTD Mon Feb 25, 2008

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TONE TODAY, SORE TOMORROW

Monday, 25 February 2008

Well, a happy and fabulous Monday to all of you! And on this first day of the week, we're going to discuss toning. Most of us weren't taught enough about our muscle groups when we were kids. And some of us don't know much about our muscle groups as a result. So, it's time you learned a little bit more about your muscles.First of all, when God created man and woman, he began with a soul. Then he had to build a structure around that soul. First came our skeletons, followed by our internal organs, our circulatory systems and finally, our muscles.There are muscles just about everywhere in your body. And as we grow, our muscles grow. Our muscles are what help us to move. There are muscles in your arms so you can carry things, wave to people and, yes, to pick up that fork! There are muscles in your legs that help you walk, run climb and bend. And we need to keep our muscles strong and active or else they'll stop working as efficiently. And that's where toning comes in.

In order to tone your muscles, you must go through a series of resistance exercises. That means, in order for your muscles to grow, they have to be lifting some sort of weight on a regular basis. Throughout my career, I have done many toning workouts. I've used toning rings, toning bands and also free weight, that is, dumbbells.When you're doing a biceps-curl or a chest-press, that resistance you use makes your muscles work hard and helps tone them. So when you do those resistance exercises on a regular basis, you can see the definition building in your arms, your chest, your back, legs and yes...your buns!I know that some of you have toning workouts in your homes or belong to a gym that has free-weights and weight machines. But I know many of you do not tone...at all.

Now if you're trying to lose weight, I'm telling you, toning is one of your body's salvations. See, when you lose weight in your arms and legs, there's a lot of excess skin left there after you've lost the weight. But if you spend time toning your muscles, the new stronger muscles you build will fill out much of that skin making it a lot less noticeable.Toning is a dedicated part of every class I teach at Slimmons. And I know my students can really see and feel the difference in their muscles and definition as a result of the toning exercises we do. No, toning is not as much fun to do as aerobics. But I still try to make those toning exercises just as much fun as I can. My last toning DVD was called Totally Toning and it gives those muscles of yours a really good workout!Now you can't tone just once a week. If that's all the toning you do, you'll only be "teasing" your muscles. You've got to tone at least 2-3 days a week. Personally, I tone three days a week and I've gotta tell ya', these nearly 60 year-old muscles of mine look pretty doggoned good because I do! And when you tone those muscles like you're supposed to, you may feel just a little bit sore the next day. But, trust me, it's a good kinda sore. It's a sore that says...Ooohh, that felt so good yesterday, I'm gonna get a good rest and tone some more tomorrow!Love,