216 calories<\/a> climbing stairs for 30 minutes if you weigh 155 pounds.<\/p>\nStair climbing also helps you build muscle, burn fat, and tone up.<\/p>\n
Climb stairs for 20-30 minutes (or longer) on certain days of the week, in addition to strength training several times weekly, to sculpt your body.<\/p>\n
Plank Jacks and Plank Rows<\/h3>\n Planks are exceptional toning exercises as they sculpt your entire body, especially your midsection.<\/p>\n
Simply get into a plank position and hold it.<\/p>\n
While keeping your legs straight and maintaining the plank position, spread your feet apart and together continuously, like jumping jacks.<\/p>\n
To complete plank rows, place a dumbbell in each of your hands before getting into a plank position.<\/p>\n
Using your right arm, lift the dumbbell up toward your right armpit and back down.<\/p>\n
Using your left arm, lift the other dumbbell up toward your left armpit and back down.<\/p>\n
Repeat these motions continuously, at least 10 times with each arm.<\/p>\n
Lying Leg Raises<\/h3>\n Leg raises are muscle-toning exercises for your abs and legs.<\/p>\n
They strengthen your lower midsection, enhance muscle definition, and burn fat.<\/p>\n
To complete leg raises, lie down on your back on a floor, mat, or weight bench.<\/p>\n
Lift your legs (keep them as straight as possible) up off the floor.<\/p>\n
Lower your legs back down toward the floor until they almost touch, and lift them back up.<\/p>\n
Complete this down-and-up motion with your legs continuously for about 30-60 seconds.<\/p>\n
Aim to do a total of at least three sets of this exercise.<\/p>\n
You might also lift your legs off the ground, a couple of inches from the floor, and hold the position as long as you can (keep your legs as straight as possible).<\/p>\n
To add an extra challenge to leg raise holds, do up-and-down scissors kicks or out-and-in motions with your legs while keeping them straight.<\/p>\n
Burpees<\/h3>\n Burpees will get your blood pumping, increase your heart rate, sculpt your muscles, and burn excess fat.<\/p>\n
To complete burpees, begin in a standing position.<\/p>\n
Then, squat down and get your body into a plank position.<\/p>\n
Do a push-up, immediately get back into a standing position, jump up, and move back into your plank position to complete another push-up.<\/p>\n
Complete this series of movements continuously for at least 30 seconds.<\/p>\n
Squat to Shoulder Press, Curls, Raises, or Kickbacks<\/h3>\n Get out a set of dumbbells to complete squat-to-press, squat-to-front or side raises, squat-to-biceps curls, or squat-to-triceps kickbacks.<\/p>\n
You might do all of these exercises during the same workout to tighten and tone problem areas.<\/p>\n
Simply hold two dumbbells, one in each hand, and stand up straight with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.<\/p>\n
Squat down until your thighs are about parallel with the floor, and when you stand back up, complete standing shoulder press, standing biceps curls, front or lateral raises, or triceps kickbacks.<\/p>\n
Do at least 2-3 sets of 10-20 repetitions for each exercise.<\/p>\n
You might alter the position of your feet during the squats.<\/p>\n
For example, you may combine wide-stance squats with shoulder presses or biceps curls and narrow-stance squats with lateral raises, front raises, or triceps kickbacks.<\/p>\n
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<\/div>\n
Erin Coleman<\/div>\n
B.S. Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D. <\/span>Writer, Fit Mother Project<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Erin Coleman is a registered and licensed dietitian with over 15 years of freelance writing experience.<\/p>\n
She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and completed her dietetic internship at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin.<\/p>\n
Prior to beginning her career in medical content writing, Erin worked as Health Educator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Internal Medicine.<\/p>\n
Her published work appears on hundreds of health and fitness websites, and she\u2019s currently working on publishing her first book! Erin is a wife, and a Mom to two beautiful children.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/span><\/p>\n
*Please know that weight loss results & health changes\/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on muscle toning exercises.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Fitness<\/span><\/a><\/div>Want to look and feel great? Discover ways to enhance definition using the 10 best muscle-toning exercises for women!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":8200,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,29,5749],"tags":[5750],"class_list":["post-6237","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-exercise","category-fitness","tag-fitness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Muscle Toning Exercises: Toning vs Bulking For Women Over 40<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n