Fitness to the Next Level
The fitness industry has exploded in the last few decades. Although the effect has been pretty positive, there is one major downside: there’s just too much information out there, and things can get pretty confusing.
As a trainer, I’ve seen the results firsthand. People come to me with all kinds of ideas in their heads about what they should and should not do.
Most of the time? The things people believe about fitness and weight loss just aren’t true, and can often be chalked up to nothing more than myths and rumors.
So I’m going to help you out a bit today, and review 15 top fitness myths I’ve seen circulating in the past couple of years. If you’re serious about your fitness, you need to get serious about the facts!
Let’s get things straight…
15 of the Biggest Fitness Myths Busted
1. No Pain, No Gain
This first one may sound controversial to the athlete or heavy lifter, but the truth is, you should not be feeling real pain as a result of your workouts. A little soreness is normal, and a sign you’re working hard, but actual pain in a specific part of your body is a sign of something more serious and usually means you’re doing something wrong.
2. You Need to Work Out Every Day
Having a full workout every single day can actually put too much strain on your muscles and joints and interfere with recovery. Take at least 1 or 2 days of rest a week. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be moving your body on those days, but keep it less intense.
Want to fit in an extra little workout that also aids in recovery? Try a yoga workout at home – Gaiam Yoga for Beginners Kit
3. Women Shouldn’t Lift Weights
I’m surprised that this myth is still around, but it’s one that’s hung on. There is absolutely no reason that women should avoid wright training. Conditioning and strengthening lean muscle mass has numerous benefits for your health and fitness regardless of gender, and boosts your metabolism!
4. Weight Lifting Makes You Bulky
Again, not true. Weight lifting will increase lean muscle mass, but unless you’re lifting seriously heavy weights and consuming 3-4000 calories a day for long periods of time, you’re not going to get bulky. For women it’s a lot more challenging than men simply because you don’t have the high levels of testosterone required for the muscle mass, and for guys who just want to keep fit, you’ll notice it’s not as easy as you think gaining muscle mass after you’ve been training for a few months!
5. It’s Best to Work Out on an Empty Stomach
This one is usually noted in reference to cardio workouts. While it’s true that eating too close to a workout and having a full stomach can interfere with a good workout, you want to make sure that you’ve provided your body with fuel of some kind. Make sure you eat something healthy about an hour before your workout.
Need a good pre-workout nutritional punch that isn’t heavy? Try these delicious Vega Sport Chocolate Coconut Protein Bars.
6. Weightlifting is More Important than Cardio
Weight training is definitely important, and should be considered just as important as cardio. When it comes to losing weight, it’s true that weightlifting may have the biggest impact long term. But in order to maintain a healthy heart and respiratory system, cardiovascular exercise is important too. High intensity interval training may be the best approach in the end.
7. You Have to Reach Muscle Fatigue to See Results
Getting to muscle fatigue in your weightlifting workouts is an effective approach to seeing big results fast, but it’s not the only approach. You can take things at a less intense pace and still effectively condition your muscles.
8. You Have to Stay in Your Fat Burning Zone to See Results
This may be a good approach for beginners, but I’m all actuality, you should be exerting as much energy as possible, even if it means getting more intense. And guess what? You’re burning just as many calories.
9. You Need to Count Calories to Eat Healthy
This approach may be effective for those who are medically classified as obese, but calorie counting removes the focus on the nutritional content of the food you eat. Think more about where your calories are coming from.
10. When You’re Working Out, You’re Either in Aerobic or Anaerobic Mode
Your body doesn’t switch back and forth in such a streamlined way. In reality, most of the time, workouts involve some combination of both aerobic and anaerobic exercise depending on specific movements.
11. All Fat is Bad When You’re Trying to Lose Weight
This one is pretty ingrained in our minds, but it’s just not true. Many healthy fats actually boost metabolism and help you burn more fat, like omega-3s. But even the research on saturated fat is suggesting we may have gotten that one all wrong.
12. Doing Crunches Will Burn Belly Fat
Crunches are okay when thrown into a full abdominal workout, but doing crunches alone will not target belly fat specifically. In order to really burn belly fat, you need to burn more fat overall, and increase your efforts on all fronts.
13. There Are No Truly Safe Fat Loss Supplements on the Market
Actually, there are. In fact, many of the fat loss supplements available today are natural, safe, and effective. You just have to find what’s right for your body and your lifestyle.
Want to try one of the most natural fat-burning supplements around? Add Green Foods Matcha Green Tea to your morning routine.
14. Running on a Treadmill is Easier on Your Joints
Running inside or outside is equally stressful on your joints and muscles. In the end, running can take a toll on your knees and hips no matter where it’s done. The best way to avoid strain and injury is to vary your workout frequently and not engage in repetitive exercise.
15. If You’re Not Working Up a Sweat, You’re Not Working Hard Enough
As long as you’re moving, you’re working. Sweating is dependent on a number of factors, and everyone’s different. Focus more on your own goals, and use yourself as a comparison. In the end, only you know how hard you’re really working!
Have any questions or feedback about these 15 Major Fitness Myths Busted? Please leave a comment below…
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Thank you for visiting! Weight Loss and Training is a health blog which features all the best weight loss tips that I have learned over my 20 years of training. My background includes a degree in Kinesiology from the world renown Simon Fraser University, certification in nutritional sciences from UBC, and Personal Trainer Specialist certification from Can Fit Pro.