There are many myths surrounding exercise and I'm here to debunk the 5 biggest myths:
MYTH 1. Exercise, alone, will help you lose weight.
Many people think that as long as you work out, you can eat whatever you want. WRONG. If you burn 600 calories in a workout but eat a meal with 1000 calories, you will gain weight. It doesn't matter how much you exercise, if you want to lose weight you need to put in less than you are putting out. Exercise, however will speed up your metabolism, meaning the more you exercise, the faster your body will burn off those calories. Strength training, in particular, works wonders as muscles continue to burn calories even after you have finished exercising.
MYTH 2. Weight training will make women bulk up.
Fact: If you've been avoiding the free weights for fear of becoming the Incredible Hulk, no need to flee anymore. When it comes to increasing muscle size, testosterone is key. Men have 20 to 30 times more testosterone than women, which is why they can bulk up so noticeably. But for you to reach Arnold Schwarzenegger proportions would require you to do far more weight-lifting than the average woman, plus have some sort of hormone imbalance (either genetic or synthetically induced, as with steroids).
In fact, strength training will help you lose weight faster and keep it off in the long run. If you also do cardio, it'll help you retain muscle as you drop fat, as well as prevent your metabolism from slowing. So don't focus all your efforts on the elliptical machine -- some bicep curls could actually help you reach your ultimate goal.
In fact, strength training will help you lose weight faster and keep it off in the long run. If you also do cardio, it'll help you retain muscle as you drop fat, as well as prevent your metabolism from slowing. So don't focus all your efforts on the elliptical machine -- some bicep curls could actually help you reach your ultimate goal.
MYTH 3. Crunches will get rid of belly fat.
Don't believe everything you hear on those late-night infomercials! An ab-crunching device might "help strengthen the muscles around your midsection and improve your posture," being able to "see" your abdominal muscles has to do with your overall percentage of body fat. If you don't lose the belly fat, you won't see the ab muscles. But can doing ab crunches help you to lose that belly fat? Experts say no. You can’t pick and choose areas where you’d like to burn fat. So crunches aren't going to target weight loss in that area. In order to burn fat, you should create a workout that includes both cardiovascular and strength-training elements. This will decrease your overall body fat content, including the area around your midsection.
Fact: You can do crunches till you pass out, and you still might not get a six-pack. Why? If you have a high percentage of body fat, your abs will be covered with -- you guessed it -- fat. And no, doing ab exercises won't necessarily make you lose that belly fat, either. The truth is, you can't spot-train (otherwise, wouldn't we all be running around with flat stomachs and slim thighs). In order to get visibly toned abs, you have to first reduce your overall body fat, which means plenty of cardio, coupled with strength training for faster results. After that, the fruits of your labor should start becoming apparent.
Fact: You can do crunches till you pass out, and you still might not get a six-pack. Why? If you have a high percentage of body fat, your abs will be covered with -- you guessed it -- fat. And no, doing ab exercises won't necessarily make you lose that belly fat, either. The truth is, you can't spot-train (otherwise, wouldn't we all be running around with flat stomachs and slim thighs). In order to get visibly toned abs, you have to first reduce your overall body fat, which means plenty of cardio, coupled with strength training for faster results. After that, the fruits of your labor should start becoming apparent.
MYTH 4. No pain, no gain
Now everyone has heard of this saying but of all the fitness rumours ever to have surfaced, experts agree that the "no pain-no gain" holds the most potential for harm. While you should expect to have some degree of soreness a day or two after working out, that's very different from feeling pain while you are working out.
A fitness activity should not hurt while you are doing it, and if it does, then either you are doing it wrong, or you already have an injury. As for "working through the pain," experts don't advise it. They say that if it hurts, stop, rest, and see if the pain goes away. If it doesn't go away, or if it begins again or increases after you start to work out, see a doctor.
A fitness activity should not hurt while you are doing it, and if it does, then either you are doing it wrong, or you already have an injury. As for "working through the pain," experts don't advise it. They say that if it hurts, stop, rest, and see if the pain goes away. If it doesn't go away, or if it begins again or increases after you start to work out, see a doctor.
MYTH 5. If you are not sweating, you are not working hard enough.
Sweating is not necessarily an indicator of exertion. Sweating is your body’s way of cooling itself. If the air is cool, you do not need to sweat to cool off. Only when your internal temperature goes above a certain set-point will your body determine that some cooling is required.
So there are your 5 biggest exercise myths BUSTED. I will be continuing the Mythbusters series with the 5 biggest myths about diet coming out soon!
JW
