Whenever people hear the word “toned,” their mind typically associates it with dieting. This isn’t surprising, especially given that celebrities, influencers, and the media are constantly telling us that we need to eat more greens and drink more protein smoothies to achieve our health goals. But while eating a balanced diet is certainly important, the truth is that it isn’t everything.
Regardless of how you feel about counting calories, the good news is that there’s tons of ways to feel your best without going on a crazy strict diet. Of course, what you eat will wholly depend on your health goals and where you’re starting from, but I digress.
Allow me to introduce to you 6 ways to naturally keep your body toned without dieting. With these tips, you can look and feel your best this season and beyond. Keep scrolling to learn more.
6 Ways To Naturally Keep Your Body Toned:
1. Drink lots of water
In case you haven’t heard by now, you should be drinking lots of water. Not only does staying hydrated offer numerous anti-aging and beauty benefits (hello, improved complexion and plump, tight skin), but it also works as a natural detoxer by flushing toxins out of your body. In addition, it also helps fight fatigue, hangovers, makes your muscles and joints feel better, and aides in digestion.
Try to drink a gallon of water a day. To make this easier, carry around a reusable water bottle with you everywhere so you can fill it up and drink without having to think about it. You can also try adding in some fruit—like a lemon, orange, or slice of lime—to improve the taste if you’d like.
2. Get plenty of rest
Sleep is vital to our health, and our body actually puts in the most work while we’re sleeping. Overnight, our muscles and skin cells regenerate and grow, which allows us to effectively move forward in whatever we do the following day. This is especially important for staying active, since it’s important to give yourself time to rest overnight and allow your body to do its thing. This helps avoid injury, muscle strain, and tears. Plus, when you’re well-rested, you tend to feel better, which makes you look better outwardly.
3. Stay active
Staying active is also crucial to your health. Yes, it burns calories, but it also helps keep everything else in your body in check (like your heart). In addition, it’s also the best way to keep your muscles engaged and your body toned. Try to exercise three to five times per week. You can do things such as walking, weightlifting, jogging, yoga, Pilates, and so forth.
4. Do daily mindfulness practices
Stress is one of the worst things for your body. It can cause bloating, weight fluctuations, brain fog, upset to your digestive or reproductive systems, speeds up the aging process, and can increase your risk for having a heart attack or stroke. Basically: all of the things that won’t help keep your body toned.
That being said, stress is simply unavoidable—it’s a part of life—which is why finding ways to combat it is key. Try meditating or doing some deep breathing exercises, journaling, or reading from a spiritual wellness book to alleviate stress. Daily mindfulness practices will help you better handle and manage stress when it pops up, and help keep your body toned.
Related: Can You Meditate Your Way to More Pleasure in the Bedroom?
5. Treat yourself
Although this technically falls on the “food” side of things, it’s still a critical element of keeping your body toned. Yes, eating the right foods will help, but when it comes down it, moderation is key. And not stressing about every calorie you’re consuming is going to help keep your body toned and minimize cravings.
Allowing yourself treats is key to living a balanced life and keeping your body toned. If you’re serious about living a balanced and overall healthy life, don’t deprive yourself of things! The world isn’t going to fall apart if you eat a cookie, have a bowl of pasta, or drink a glass of wine. Normalize food so that you won’t feel compelled to go crazy when you finally can have it.
6. Try plant-based foods
OK—maybe this one falls directly into the “food” category, but it’s still a very helpful hack nonetheless. Plant-based foods have been garnering popularity lately, and for good reason. They’re packed with protein, filled with fiber, and are so good. Plus, according to Natural Food Series, plant-based foods can also help promote weight loss, skin health, and keep your body energetic. All in all, these are key elements that go into keeping your body toned. If you’re looking for a simple and delicious plant-based recipe to get started, check out this chickpea mac n cheese.
