So you wanna look "Fit and Toned" eh?

If I had a Benji for every prospective Client of mine whose goal is to look "fit and toned," I'd be ready to pay cash for my Maserati already. 

I do understand where you're coming from, and I understand the general aesthetic goal you're seeking-having a certain shape, a tight waist and some lines of definition. 

We've got to do some work on the front end so that YOU understand-and more importantly have your expectations aligned as to what "fit and toned" is all about. 

So grab yourself a tall drink of water and pay attention...I know you thought we were going to "unpack" the enigma of "Fit and Toned," but we're actually about to drop some bombs and blow it up the FigureChick911 Way...

But before we get into today's material, we gotta handle a few things right quick. 

For those of you who have Coached and Trained with me for awhile-sit tight while we get everyone up to speed...

For those of you who are new to Coaching and Training with me, WELCOME!   One thing you'll learn about me and my Coaching Style is that I move fast.   

Now I know everyone who consumes my content comes from different walks of life;  has different levels of of knowledge and experience; and most importantly-DIFFERENT GOALS. 

To be able to communicate effectively with EVERYONE, and deliver the HIGH QUALITY CONTENT YOU CAN APPLY, here's what you can expect: 

I usually begin with foundational information. 

Why? 

Because it's how the brain is designed to learn.

I'll also repeat several concepts in all of my Trainings, because repetition increases your level of retention. 

Lastly, I'll almost always do what's called a "Side Step."  A Side Step is like putting our discussion on pause so that we can step to the side and fill-in pertinent information so that whatever we're talking about really makes sense.  

Cool?

Alright then--let's get back to the topic at hand:  "Fit and Toned."

Here's a few key pieces of info to get your mind and expectations right:

1) Body fat is stored energy.

2) Calories (formally kilocalories or kcal) is a measurement of energy, like watts, joules or volts.

3)  Your body doesn't give a $#!+ about your goals.  

Again, if you're new around here, you probably weren't expecting that as an opener, much less me to say that-so I'll give you a chance to catch up and let those 3 points sink in a bit...

It's ok, I'll wait...

.

.

Ready?

Great.  

Here's what it looks like:

1)  BODY FAT IS STORED ENERGY.

People get all fixated on this "fit and toned" look, and to achieve it, practically make body fat a member of their family.  They grow attached to it, (odd as it may sound) and wonder why they have a hard time "getting rid of" or "losing" it. 

I'm releasing you from that mental F-dom, and inviting you to take on a new perspective:  Body Fat Is Stored Energy.  

When you view fat as a stored energy source, it automatically aligns your expectations and sets the goal to release that energy from your body.  Keyword = RELEASE.  

2)  CALORIES (formally kilocalories or kcal) IS A MEASUREMENT OF ENERGY, LIKE WATTS, JOULES OR VOLTS.

Calories are not your enemy.  They are literally a unit of measurement.  If we were talking currency, we'd use cents and dollars as the unit of measurement. 

3)  YOUR BODY DOESN'T GIVE A $#!+ ABOUT YOUR GOALS.

The Body has one goal, and one goal only:  To Keep You Alive.  Alive as in ALIVE.

Not thriving.

Not moving, shaking and hustling.

Not creating new memories.

Not even walking and talking.

Just alive-as in your heart beating, your lungs breathing, and your kidneys peeing. 

I'm talking BASICS.  It seriously does not GAF if you are only in a persistent vegetative state.  It just wants you alive. 

Jaw-dropping, I know...but if you don't believe me, I encourage you to go back to the work of Copernicus and later Galileo Galilei-who in 1632 PROVED the theory of heliocentrism.

What that means is that you and your goals are not the center of the Universe.  The SUN is.

Did I mention that I'm a former ER Charge Nurse, and that I used to teach firefighters and paramedics for a living?  When it comes to how I express myself, only one thing can have a filter:  either my face or my mouth.  #sorrynotsorry

But really...I say the whole heliocentrism thing to reinforce the fact that your body really DOESN'T care about your goals. 

And moreso, to remind you that it needs ENERGY to keep you alive.

How does this fit into "Fit and Toned?" 

You will be LIGHT YEARS AHEAD in your "Fit and Toned" journey, when you start to consider energy and nourishment, instead of just calories or working out.  

HERE'S THE PEARL:  Failure to supply Energy and NOURISHMENT results in stalled metabolism and autodigestion of your muscle-the very thing that provides the "toned" look. 

Want to dig deeper?  Check out my upcoming E-Book:  Eat Clean Train Dirty.  We unpack this whole energy idea including:  understanding the body's energy demands, how to eat to supply those demands, and ultimately How The Body ALLOCATES Energy. 

CLICK HERE TO PREORDER YOUR COPY.

You see, most people think that if they cut calories and do hours of cardio to "lose all this fat"  they'll end up with the physique that is described as "fit and toned."

NOTHING COULD BE FARTHER FROM THE TRUTH. 

The "Fit and Toned" look comes from having some sexy sculpted muscle, and skin which sits pretty tightly on top of it.  In short, we get the "fit and toned" look from weight/resistance training and conditioning. 

Try this on for size:  Imagine you have a pencil in one hand, and a big wad of padded stuffing in the other.  Now picture your taking that padding and wrapping it around the pencil. 

That's a body with excess fat on it.   

Now, if you pulled the padding off, would you miraculously see a pencil with silhouette curves?  LOL Of course not.  The only thing you'd see is the skinny stick of the pencil.

Now picture you have some Play-Doh and you pack it on the pencil in a way that represents the symmetrical aesthetic shape you want, AND THEN wrap that pencil in the padding. 

What happens when you remove the padding this time?

A-ha!  

The symmetrical aesthetic shape is there!  The Play-Doh is like muscle.  It sits underneath the fat.  That's what gives you lines and shapes and curves.  It's the foundation to "fit and toned." (Add some shrink wrap to the top and it could mimic your skin.)

So what am I saying?

"Fit and Toned" is accomplished by lifting weights/resistance training, proper nutrition and conditioning.  

This is not opinion.  It is scientific fact.  

So for those of you who keep doing the same thing over and over...the endless cardio, the same routine, the same halting of calories...allow me to present for your consideration a line credited to one of the greatest minds ever to have lived:  Einstein.