Top Five Fitness Myths

There are so many myths about exercise that focusing on these five seems like I’m short-changing you in some way. However, instead of belaboring a lot of what you may already know, I decided to concentrate on five of the most common, and most misunderstood myths.

I’m sure you’ve heard the comments like — weight training makes women look like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Or, how about this one – exercising on an empty stomach burns more calories.

Some of these might make sense on the surface, but when you do some research into them, you’ll see that they have little or no basis in reality.

Let’s look at these and then peek behind them to see what we find.

1. No pain, no gain – Perhaps the most common myth out there is the one that says, “If you don’t feel pain when you exercise, you’re not doing it right”. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you’re exercising correctly you should never feel pain. Good professional trainers will always tell you stop your workout at the first sign of pain. The so-called logic behind “no pain, no gain” says that you can’t expect good results without sacrificing something – that’s twisted at best, downright sadistic at worst. Exercise should be something you enjoy or else you will very quickly become disillusioned and drop it entirely. While an intense workout may create slight discomfort, it should never get to the point where you are in actual pain.

2. Training with weights bulks women up – Most women don’t want to look like professional bodybuilders, so this myth scares many female exercisers away from weights despite all the scientific evidence to the contrary. The physiological differences between male and female bodies show that men have a higher percentage of muscle throughout the body; thus men tend to increase bulk when weight lifting. On the other hand, female bodies have a higher percentage of fat to assist with childbearing and also have less muscle to build and bulk up. Weight training for women is aimed at producing stronger muscles that can take more stress, not developing bigger, bulkier muscles.

3. Exercising on an empty stomach burns more calories – Until I started doing the research on this article, I was one of those that believed this myth. It seems like it should make sense since exercise burns calories and an empty stomach has no calories to burn. It seems like you would be ahead of the game. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Your body needs energy to run, so when you exercise on an empty stomach the body tries to find fuel somewhere else. When looking for more fuel to provide energy but not being able to find it because your stomach is empty can result in the risk of dizziness or even fainting in extreme situations. The smartest choice is to have a small snack about ten to fifteen minutes before working out. Carbohydrates are the best source of energy, so have a small slice of toast or a banana.

4. Crunches are the best way of firming up the stomach – Too many videos and articles send the message that hundreds of crunches are the best way to correct a jelly belly but fail to take into account that most saggy abs are because of excess fat, not weak muscles. Simply doing crunches alone strengthens the abdominal muscles but doesn’t address the layer of fat over the muscles. In fact, you may see your stomach appear to grow larger since the muscles are gaining strength and bulk underneath the fat layer. The best strategy for getting firm abs is simple: burn fat with aerobic exercise, lose fat through proper nutrition and strengthen abdominal muscles at the same time. By using this three-pronged approach, fat that covers muscles is burned, fat is reduced because of dietary habits and the muscles are firmed at the same time, accomplishing your goal and giving you strong, sleek abdominal muscles.

5. Protein will help build muscles – Protein can do great things for your health but it won’t help you increase your muscle strength. Too much protein in your diet can lead to unintended health risks such as kidney strain or dehydration. Extra protein also packs extra calories into your diet that can result in extra pounds – definitely not what you want. The best source of fuel for weight lifting is carbohydrates – easily digestible by the body, carbs provide fast, consistent energy for the body and allow you to continue lifting weights longer. That alone is what builds strength, not the specific kind of food you eat. Provide your body with the right kind of energy to use and you’ll be able to build muscle better.

There are many more myths about health and fitness, but the best defense against false information is education. When you are confident that you know the right plan for your body, spotting myths become easy.

Keep Hope Alive!

Shanti.
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DISCLAIMER
These articles were written with great care. However, in spite of this, errors or omissions may occur. These articles are provided “as is” without any warranty whether expressed or implied. All readers of these articles agree to use the information provided in these articles entirely at their own risk and for their own information.
These articles should not be used as a basis for any form of diagnosis or treatment for any medical condition whatsoever.
Always seek the advice of a professional medical doctor.
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