Over recent months I have seen an increasing trend with in the fitness circle in belittling the desire or goal to be “toned” or vilifying the word “toned”. The problem with doing that is you are alienating most of the general population by making them think their goal is somehow invalid, all because the fitness industry has become snobby about using its own jargon to define things.
How about, instead of taking a concept that *clearly* holds meaning to many people out there (including me) and stamping on it, we take that concept and teach people HOW to get it. Because, regardless of whether we agree on the term’s accuracy, it does describe a certain look or feeling that people wish to achieve for their body composition. And that is what matters.
Besides, aren’t fitness professionals in a job because people there is a demand for something? Picture this for a conversation:
Trainer: “What are your current fitness goals?”
Potential Client: “I just want to lose a bit of weight and tone up”
Trainer: “Oh really? “TONE” Up? Honey, there’s no such thing as being toned!”
Potential Client: “There isn’t?”
Trainer: “Nope, what you want is to build muscle and lose body fat ….”
Potential Client thinks: *Hmm, did they just tell me what I should want?*
… and they walk away and find a trainer who *will listen to them* and take their goal seriously without imposing their arrogance on them!
At the end of the day, we have to understand our client and we must understand the goals they are describing, as they are describing them and then help them achieve it. Along the way, we can help them learn how to get the toned appearance they want. They may come in with the idea that they need to do a bunch of cardio to get that look, but they hired you for that, not to redefine their goals based on what jargon is cool that month!
Without further ado, here are some of my thoughts in action on this topic: