How to Tone Your Body for Men

Strength Training

Firm and strengthen muscles by doing resistance exercises two or three nonconsecutive days each week. As men, due to the presence of testosterone, gain increased muscle size from strength training, lifting weights will produce visible results.

Choose weights you can lift no more than eight to 12 times with good form to improve muscle tone and strength. One set of each exercise is adequate for basic toning, although some men prefer to do three sets for increased fat burning or atheletic training.

Perform a group of eight to 10 exercises that work major muscle groups in pulling and pushing directions. A typical set of strength exercises includes bench press, seated row, machine or dumbbell fly, overhead press, lat pull-down, leg press or squat, leg curl, leg extension and stability ball ab exercises. Chest and shoulder exercises create an attractive V-shape in men, and abdominal exercises firm the problem area around the belly.

Reducing Body Fat Percentage

Add a minimum of 150 minutes of cardio exercise a week to your workout routine to improve cardiovascular health, lose body fat and achieve a lean, toned look.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Men should eat approximately 2,500 calories a day to maintain their weight, and 1,800 to 2,000 calories a day to lose weight. Combining a moderate reduction in caloric intake with increased exercise to lose body fat makes muscles more visible.

Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation has several types of adverse effects on the effectiveness of your toning program, including increased levels of stress hormones, increased tendency to accumulate visceral fat, the tendency to overeat to compensate for feeling tired and reduced ability to exercise.

Tips

• Small steps add up. Take the stairs rather than elevator, do chair exercises while on the phone or add two or three mini walking breaks to your work day.

Warnings

• Using light weights at high repetitions is not as effective for shaping and toning muscles as using moderate to heavy weights for fewer than 15 repetitions. High repetitions are recommended mainly for sports-specific muscular endurance training, not for general toning.

  Consult your health-care provider before making major changes to your diet or workout plan.