10 Fitness Myths

Fitness Myths are Everywhere. Learn what’s true and what’s false

1) Lifting heavy weights will make you bulk up

It is okay for women to lift heavier weights. Women by nature do not have the hormones nor do they have the muscle mass that is necessary to bulk up. If you believe that weight lifting will make you heavy then stop! Weight lifting helps burn calories which yield lean mass and less fat!

2) Cardio is the be all end all

Nope! Cardio is not the only thing one should do to lose weight and get in shape. To truly improve your overall fitness abilities and to provide yourself with the best body you can have you have to balance cardio and strength training. Each has benefits that the other lacks and when combined enables you to be a powerhouse!

3) Working out 2-3 times a week will get you to your goals

Wrong! You have to work out 4-5 times a week to see results. If you rest more than you work you will not progress. Everyone needs rest days. Your body needs rest days. But if you find yourself sitting around more than you are active it’s time to get up!

4) ABS are made solely by exercise

You can do ab exercises until you are blue in the face but if your nutrition is poor than you are wasting your time. To get good abs you need to sweat a lot. That means you need to do cardio almost every day. Also you need to eat clean. Abs are truly made in the kitchen. Once you eat clean, add cardio and strength training then the ab exercises are beneficial.

5) Aerobic workouts boost metabolism for hours

Yes- this is true but the calorie burn is not nearly as much as one would think. Your metabolism will continue to burn at a slightly higher rate after an aerobic workout but it is not super significant. It allows you to burn about 20 extra calories a day.

6) Sweat-if you’re not sweating you’re not working hard enough

Exertion is not necessarily shown by the amount you sweat. Sweat is your body’s way of cooling itself off. You can burn calories without dripping sweat. Simply by taking a walk or doing light weight training is burning calories but you might not necessarily be sweating.

7) Drinking water will help you lose weight

Drinking mass amounts of water will not shed pounds. Water intake is on person by person basis. Not everyone needs 8 glasses of water a day. Hydration is key to maintain your body’s balance but increasing your water intake will not yield you to drop large amounts of weight.

8) Vegetarian diets are better than meat inclusive diets

Yes, eating lots of veggies is healthy however; cutting out entire good groups is not the answer. Meat is a key source of iron which helps to maintain your energy levels. Also, iron is important for thinking clearly and producing the enzymes necessary for fighting infection. If you do not like meat then get your iron through things like lentils, beans, fortified cereals and tofu, But make sure you find ways to find protein in your diet such as eggs, dairy products and soy ay every meal.

9) Running defeats strength training

Running does not break down the muscle you have built from strength training. (Unless you are drastically increasing your muscle mass). Running actually helps build more lean muscle mass in the lower body which helps to maintain healthy bones. That does not mean you can cut out strength training, it is all about balance.

10) Exercise erases your bad eating habits

Just because you worked out does not mean you can go home and eat whatever you want. It is all about intake versus work. You cannot exercise out an entire crappy diet. It’s a game and if you overestimate how much you are actually burning versus what you really burn then your workouts are pointless. Start by planning your meals that way you do not have a reason to eat poorly. When you combine diet and exercise you will get the results you want!