In the gym and online I see a lot of bad information being tossed around and I’d like to clear them up for you.
Check out these top 15 myths I hear on a daily basis:
1.) Weight Training Makes You Bulky
False. Weight training does not make you bulky like men. In fact, if you want to get toned you must build muscle and lose fat. No matter how hard you work in the gym, you will not get bulky, female hormones do not allow us to easily gain muscle. It’s hard enough for guys to get bulky, twice as hard for women. Do your weight training.
2.) You Can Get Toned by Cardio Only
False. If you have known anyone who killed themselves doing cardio for a good amount of time and lost weight, you see that they are indeed smaller, but now they are flabby and have no muscle tone. This is because cardio helps you burn calories, but does not help you build or maintain muscle. Please ladies, don’t spend hours on the treadmill chasing these hopes.
3.) Cardio is the Best Way to Burn Fat
False. I can see how this myth gets around most. There are benefits to doing cardio which include burning calories to lose fat, but this is not THE reason why you are losing fat. Cutting calories and being mindful of your diet is the best way to lose fat.
4.) Absolutely No Carbs!
No carbs if you want to lose weight. False. Although carbs do make you fluctuate in water weight and they are very calorie dense, carbs play an important role to your performance in the gym and every day life. The only time I would suggest going low/no carb is if you have a knowledgeable nutritionist working with you. Eat your carbs and measure them precisely if you want to lose weight. Remember, eat fewer calories than you burn.
5.) Special Heart Rate Zone For Weight Loss
Unless you are in the “fat loss heart rate zone” you aren’t going to lose weight. This is false.
Elevated heart rate helps burn fat and there are studies that have shown steady state cardio in a certain zone can be best, doing high intensity interval training cardio and conditioning work also help you burn a lot of calories. Don’t forget about lifting heavy weights. Get up and move, don’t worry about your heart rate, any movement is better than nothing.
6.) Squats Give Huge Butt
False. Squats give a toned, strong, and firm butt. Women with very large butts that squat have the genetics and extra fat in this area to make them larger. Squatting will give you the firm booty you want to have.
7.) You Must Kill Yourself in the Gym to See Results
False. You can work smarter, not harder and get results in the gym. It doesn’t hurt to ‘let it all go’ in the gym, you can relieve stress and other emotions you’ve been bottling up but you do not have to do this in order to see results. Good recovery = good results. Eat good foods and get enough rest to see good results.
8.) You Have to Dramatically Reduce Calories to Lose Weight
False. Dramatically cutting calories for weight loss will make you lose weight, but there are quite a few downsides to this as well.
- You probably won’t stick to this “starvation” technique.
- Dramatically reducing calories can slow down your metabolism over time.
- Being healthy is a lifestyle, not something you can do in a couple of weeks.
Don’t dramatically cut your calories and learn to dial down calories slowly and you will enjoy a healthier lifestyle.
9.) Skinny is Healthy
False. Regardless what you see in these magazines and media, being skinny with no muscle tone is not sexy and is not healthy. There’s no reason to be skinny fat and don’t put yourself through the pain and possibility of developing eating disorders from trying to obtain a body style that’s not healthy. Lift some heavy weights and live a healthy lifestyle.
10.) You Can Spot Reduce Fat
False. You cannot spot reduce fat. If you want to lose body fat, you must cut calories and exercise. No amount of crunches will give you abs and no amount of squats will give you a toned booty.
11.) Stretch Before Training
False. You do not have to stretch before training. In order to perform your best, warming up is recommended. This means doing some light cardio or light weights for each exercise before you get into your work weight.
I would like to say stretching has its benefits and its drawbacks and do more research before you decide how you are going to workout.
12.) Muscle Turns to Fat If You Quit Lifting Weights
Simply false. I’m not sure how this myth came about but it’s impossible for muscle to get converted into fat. If you stop training, increase your calories and get lazy, your body can start to store body fat because of the excess calories and eventually your body will start burning muscle for energy.
13.) Low-fat and low-sugar is Best
False. Foods with low-fat and low-sugar that normally have these items in them are not always the best. They contain harmful chemicals that replace the natural ingredients in the foods. Read up on some of the ingredients in these low-fat and low-sugar foods, you would be surprised.
14.) Diet Soda is Great for Weight Loss
Diet sodas are low in calories which is great compared to drinking regular soda, but the harmful chemicals in these sodas can cause issues. If you want to drink diet soda, be sure to keep it to a minimum and drink lots of water to help stay hydrated.
15.) No Cheat Meals!
False. Cheat meals can actually cause your metabolism to stay burning calories and help speed it up. When you indulge in some of your favorite foods, this releases endorphins and also helps keep you on your diet. Having something to look forward to is great and helps you stay strict on your meal plans. Don’t go overboard, but enjoy.
Be sure to share this article with your friends. Make sure they are informed and help them achieve their goals. Leave comments and questions below!
