Question: Is it best to lose the weight first then tone up?

Lets start with toning

It is common for people to ask me "If I do lots of reps with a light weight will I get more toned?" and "If I lift heavy weights will my muscles be big and bulky?" The answer to both of these questions is no. Training with light weights will do very little for you if anything at all. Also you cannot change the shape of your muscles by changing the resistance.

Toning as a form of exercise is a myth and the spread of this myth has been caused by magazines, television and inexperienced gym instructors. That does not mean that you cant have a lean defined body. It just means you need to take a different approach.

Your muscles are already "Toned"

If you haven't got that lean defined physique you are looking for, chances are you either have too much fat or two little muscle, but in most cases... both. Muscle is already firm or "toned" as you often hear it referred to. However your muscles will feel soft if they are surrounded by fat.

How YOU can get that defined physique

The way I train my clients is to work in cycles. For most people I train losing weight is top of their agenda so this is what we focus on first. We have 5 weeks to strip off as much fat as we can and its then onto strength training for a further 5 weeks. add one more cycle like growth or power training and then they return back to fat loss. Our goal then is then for them to become much leaner than before. There are many different approaches but I believe this to be the most effective way to achieve a lean, defined and "toned" body.

How can you apply this to yourself? You need to follow a strict training routine and eat a very clean and healthy diet (The diet is essential). There are lots of training routines on the net and obviously some are better than others. If you struggle to find a decent programme that suits your needs you can get one from me. Just send me a message explaining your goals fitness level and any specific requirements you may have and I will put a programme together for you. However I am not trying to sell programmes and if you do your research you should be able to find one online that will give you some decent results.

Work hard and good luck on your journey! :)