How to tone your body with these 20 nutrition hacks

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Time flies! Summer is around the corner for many, and I know it brings excitement to spend more time outdoors. Say hello to the hot girl summer vibe! Also, it’s the time of the year when we usually measure our hard work and consistency to get fit and healthy. Well, if you’ve been getting that work done to get in a better shape and feel amazing, keep reading. Today, I’m sharing how to tone your body with the best healthy eating ideas.

Nutrition defines most of your body composition

Let’s face it: Exercise is one of the most important things to tone your body. Especially, if you’ve been on a weight loss journey and want to get rid of that extra body fat. But, nutrition is actually the key to keep your body toned in the long term. Remember the rule: weight loss and fitness result from 80% good nutrition and 20% exercise. What you eat, how you eat and when, determines how much lean mass (muscle) you’ll have, in other words, how toned your body will be. If you don’t eat right, you’ll struggle to get toned, even if you squat 5 times a week.

20 nutrition hacks to tone your body now

“Abs are made in the kitchen”. If you know what I’m talking about, foods certainly play an important role when it comes to changing your body composition. And to clarify, it’s not about eating less, but of what foods we need to add to our balanced diet. Here are some nutrition keys on how to tone your body.

Prioritize protein

You probably already know this, but I just wanted to dive into some details about protein. For some reason, certain people get obsessed with the idea of investing in supplements. Don’t get me wrong, I also recommend supplements from time to time. However, you should always aim to get most of your protein from natural foods. In most cases, there is no need to add supplements, as long as you’re eating enough protein foods.

Eggs are my favorite protein foods, as well, you can get significant amounts in poultry, seafood, meat and dairy. If you’re vegan, sources like quinoa, soy, tempeh, tofu, and others, will help get your requirements. Check out more about easy ways to increase protein foods below.

How to tone your body: Get more fiber rich foods

Eating enough fruits and vegetables is also key to help tone your body. Notice the stress on enough, which means that you need to include at least 3 portions of fruits and add enough veggies at each meal (half of your plate). These foods are important sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals that your body needs to rev up the metabolism. Fiber helps your body to burn fat while also supporting your digestion. Seeds and nuts als have good amounts of fiber. Check out a guide about fiber rich foods here.

Chose more lean cuts of animal protein

You want to make sure you eat more lean cuts of animal protein to tone your body. Chicken breasts, drumsticks, as well as lean beef are just some of the top options. Bear in mind that eating too much red meat with visible fat can increase your chances of having saturated fat in your organs. And, if you’re vegan, well, you dodged a bullet here! A smart way of eating more lean cuts is to have white meat most days of the week (poultry and seafood).

Omega- 3 will be your best ally

This special nutrient is not only for keeping you away from blood cholesterol, but it’s also key to boost your metabolism. Omega-3 is crucial to fight against inflammation. When your body is in this stage, you tend to store more fat, and gain weight. To avoid this and increase your omega-3, eat more foods like fish (salmon, tuna, sardines), nuts, avocados, seeds like chia, flaxseed, and seed oils like soy.

Cut down on over processed foods

This is pretty much self explanatory. But, it’s always good to set the reminder about getting more whole foods in your diet than overprocessed. Basically, too much processed food can increase your sodium, additives, refined sugars, and saturated fat. These are elements that lead to inflammation and keep your body into fat storing mode.

How to tone your body: Check on the hidden refined sugars

Sometimes, foods labeled as “healthy” can actually have extra amounts of sugar in their packaging. I wrote more about that in my previous blog here. Make sure you check out the food labels about any refined sugars and eat processed foods in moderation.

Be on the lookout for foods that irritate your digestive system

Your gut health also matters when it comes to toning your body and burning fat. As a matter of fact, inflammation is one of the main reasons why people have digestive problems. This also makes it harder to burn fat. Other things like food allergies, or food sensitivities can cause inflammation. Therefore, it’s very important that you pay attention to the types of foods that can irritate your gut. You may need a low FODMAP diet.

How to tone your body: Eat at regular hours

Well, this may go without saying, but sometimes we forget about tuning into our body hunger and fullness signals. The reality is, we live in a fast paced world, and sometimes eating at the exact same time of the day everyday can be challenging. But, in general, you should try to stick to regular hours as much as you can.This will help not only your digestion, but also to boost your metabolism and avoid sugar cravings throughout the day. Intuitive eating is one of my favorite ways to naturally eat when my body needs it, while staying fit.

Avoid skipping the first meal of the day

Studies show that skipping the first meal of the day can cause you to overeat later. Because of this, you want to make sure that your first meal of the day (breakfast) is no longer than 12 hours away from your last meal the night before. If you’re trying a healthy method to lose weight or tone your body, avoid undereating. Usually, eating less crashes your metabolism. This is also a strong reason why people struggle with weight loss.

Add natural herbs and spices to your meals

Did you know that spicing up your meals naturally can help tone your body? Well, actually, a lot of spices have the natural effect of revving up your metabolism and improving your digestion. Remember that a healthy metabolism comes from a healthy gut. Besides that, spices provide you with antioxidants and fat burn. Check out more about fat burning foods below.

Alcohol: Know which drinks can make you store belly fat

If you’re like me that loves to enjoy a skinny margarita socially, take note. Just bear in mind that moderation is key when it comes to alcohol and getting fit. But, typically, the hack to not lose yourself when staying on track is to have more “skinny” drinks. For example, cocktails that have less sugar or agave.

How to tone your body: Add more nuts and seeds

As I mentioned earlier, eating these types of foods provide lots of omega-3. As well, you get fiber. quality protein and help to control appetite. Because these foods have healthy fats, they are essential to boost your metabolism and tone up.

Pay attention to your workout meals

What you eat during the day is essential, but also your pre and post workout snacks. Make sure to add a protein snack before or after exercise, as well as good sources of carbs like fruits. A smoothie blend is a great choice.

How to tone your body: Include probiotic foods in your diet

Your body needs probiotic foods to keep a healthy gut. Problems like constipation, bloating and even a leaky gut are signs of not only poor digestion, but also inflammation. When your body is like this, you store more body fat and have problems with maintaining a healthy weight. Probiotics are those friendly bacteria that support your digestion, improve your immune system and boost fat burn.

Choose your vegetable oils wisely

Certainly, vegetable oils are healthier than other types of fats. But, did you know that not all vegetable oils are among the best? This is because some of these oils have high amounts of omega-6, which increases risk of inflammation. The rule of thumb is to consume vegetable oils that are rich in omega-3. These oils are avocado oil, coconut oil and olive oil.

Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water is essential to stay healthy. Apart from that, hydrating your body will help you keep a steady metabolism, support body performance when you exercise and help you get lean. Remember that the more body muscle you build, the more fat you will burn. This is essential to transform your body composition.

Can intermittent fasting help to tone your body?

Intermittent fasting is one of the most popular eating strategies to lose weight and tone up. But, the truth is, it’s not for everyone. Intermittent fasting can have many benefits to lose fat, as long as you do it correctly, you feel comfortable doing it (sustainable), and you have the right appach (support from your nutritionist). If you are considering whether you should try intermittent fasting or not, read more here.

Stay away from crash dieting

Eating quality whole foods in a balanced way is essential to get lasting results with your wellness and physique. But, fad diets usually lack good nutrition, deprive your body from what it needs and causes a yo-yo effect. How to tone your body starts with eating the right way and having a healthier relationship with food.

Plan your meals as much as you can

I’ve mentioned in previous posts that planning your meals is part of a healthy long term routine. Meal planning will help you make the best food choices and keep you on top of the game. Apart from that, a bonus point is saving time in the kitchen so you can workout effectively. Staying active with strength training is a must! Check out more about my favorite at home exercises here.

Find healthy food alternatives

Learn how to tone your body by choosing healthy alternatives. Is always important to switch things up in your nutrition. You can add green smoothie blends to your snacks, add some protein powder from time to time, or create different recipes. Some good examples are overnight oats, protein pancakes, oatmeal snacks, etc. Listen to your body and do what works for you.

Also, adding vitamin supplements to your healthy eating regimen will ensure you’re getting all the essential nutrients for your body and that your metabolism is in check. I am currently taking Whole Food Women’s Multivitamin, from the Vitamin Shoppe. This natural supplement is one of the best that I’ve tried. It’s made of a blend of plant-based ingredients and free of artificial preservatives. It’s perfect for women’s health, because of all the essential vitamins and minerals it has. This is one of my favorite natural metabolism and immune system boosters. Remember that when you nourish your body the right way, your metabolism will work more efficiently. That way, you’ll burn more body fat and stay toned. You can get Whole Food Women’s Multivitamin at 10% discount here.

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Finally,

Keep track of your progress. Learning how to tone your body is easy with these hacks. Focus on getting the right whole foods, and get proper guidance from your nutritionist. Strength training should be part of your daily fitness goals. Which of these tips are you following? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Sharing is caring!

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.