About Body Sculpting
Body sculpting is the art of changing the body's appearance by reducing fat and toning muscle through diet and exercise. While the practice embraces overall fitness, body sculptors also choose exercises that target specific muscle groups to create the desired effect. Controlling weight, improving muscle tone and maintaining optimum health are the goals.
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Decrease Fat
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Aerobic exercise and diet are the primary tools for controlling the accumulation of excess body fat. Aerobic exercise burns calories; in addition to controlling weight gain, it benefits the cardiovascular system and improves overall health. The Mayo Clinic recommends 30 to 60 minutes of intense aerobic exercise most days of the week.
Diet
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Body sculpting requires a balanced diet that is low in saturated fat and high in nutrients from lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Certified fitness trainers James Villepigue and Hugo A. Rivera, authors of The Body Sculpting Bible for Women, explain that reducing body fat requires consuming fewer calories. To keep the body healthy and provide the necessary nutrients for energy and building muscle, those calories must be nutrient-rich. Eating a small amount of protein and complex carbohydrates will provide maximum nutrition with minimal calories.
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Build Muscle
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It is a myth that women will develop huge muscles through weight lifting, according to Villepigue and Rivera. Hormone composition and smaller muscles in the female body make it impossible for women to "bulk up". Lifting weights is a critical component in body sculpting. The muscle tone that develops increases strength and stamina and alters the body's appearance. Workouts tone the entire body, with additional exercises intended to develop muscle in individual target areas.
Types of Workouts
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Calorie-burning aerobic exercise is combined with weight lifting to control weight and tone muscle throughout the body. This is the basis of all body sculpting workouts. Since each body is different, however, workouts vary from one person to the next. Exercise physiologist Joey Atlas said an overweight women might spend additional time on cardiovascular exercise to lose weight, while a thin women might incorporate more muscle-building exercises into her workout routine.
Areas of Concentration
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In addition to controlling the accumulation of stored fat, body sculptors focus on changing the appearance of specific body parts. Some women begin body sculpting to reduce cellulite, for example, or to lose inches around the waist, according to Atlas. In general, common goals include flattening the abdomen, toning the chest, back and shoulders, and either firming or enhancing upper arms, hips, buttocks and thighs.
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