Toning exercises firm all the muscles in your body, including your abs, arms, buttocks, thighs, hips, chest, shoulders, and back. Toning through strength training, using both free weights and your own body weight, is also important for slimming down, because the more muscles you build, the more you boost your metabolism. Muscle demands more energy from your body than fat does. So the more muscle you add to your body, the more calories you’ll be burning throughout the day. In fact, studies show that for every pound of muscle you add, you automatically burn an extra thirty-five to fifty calories per day—and that’s while going about your normal activities. Even at rest, muscle burns almost twice as many calories as fat. Continue Reading →