working out for just toning and not weight loss
 

hi! if this topic has been addressed before, my apologies...but i am at a healthy weight and don't need to lose but i just want to tone and get more definition...curious as to who here possibly is the same and what have you done to achieve really nice definition??

start strength training

I do crossfit football. it is more focused on building/toning than the other workouts i've seen.

The toning/definition comes from a low body fat percentage. There is a difference between losing body weight and fat. Body weight is made up of lean mass and fat, lean mass largely consists of your muscle.

If you have a skin caliper, you can measure your body fat percentage. Your goal is to reduce your body fat percentage, not your lean mass. You preserve your lean mass by eating more protein and weight lifting.

You burn your body fat by dieting (carb cycling is effective) with a small calorie deficit (500 calories or less), and doing cardio (3 to 4 times per week). If you do it right, you shouldn't lose much weight, but gaining more definition as you lose body fat, but not lean mass.

msbeth, im in the process of trying to achieve the same thing. I've been blessed with a good metabolism so ive been at low weight for years, but im so out of shape (i get out of breathe just going up a couple of flights of steps... and im only 23!) and know that just because i can eat what i want, doesn't mean i should and it probably isn't helping my overall fitness, even if on the outside people see me as thin. So im trying to eat better and do training to tighten up everything and boost stamina but not lose weight.

Cephalic, thanks for the great advice, ill be sure to give it a go and see how results work out.