Ten Fitness Myths to Stop Believing. Immediately
If you’ve ever done research online, talked to a personal trainer, or even discussed fitness and health in a public place … chances are you’ve heard some (if not all) of the myths below.
And that is seriously a tragedy.
There is so much bad information out there for you to read and internalize that can sabotage your good-doings. Take the below, read them a couple times, and then share these with your friends, so they can share the good word, too.
you can out-eat a bad diet with more cardio/exercise
no - nope. you actually can’t. calories in v. calories out. if you eat like crap and pretend a 5k a day is going to fix it - you’re wrong. what you can do is eat well, monitor caloric intake, and exercise in moderation (whatever that means for you/your goals).
spot-treating areas will make you lose body fat there
also no - your body takes fat from it’s stores all over the body. just because you’ve been doing crunches for 10 minutes doesn’t mean you’ve been losing stomach fat specifically. spot-treating only works in cryo and heating pads, and even then, not well. build your training around your goals of muscle building, weight loss or gain, and you’ll see the desired results start to show.
supplements can replace real food
don’t even on this one. supplements are supplemental - not replacements. eat real food. enjoy it. take supplements as necessary to help you get more from your diet.
lifting weights makes women “bulky”
really? we’re still believing this? c’mon y’all. don’t believe me? head to my testimonials page to see if the women I train look “bulky” to you. hint: they don’t. lifting weights is great for women to stay clear of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and actually helps with bone density.
cardio is better for weight loss
anything that gets your heart rate up, and keeps it there, for any length of time - will help with weight loss. cardio. hiit. lifting weights. going for a walk. lifting weights. walking your dog. playing tag. lifting weights. you get the point.
you have to replenish calories within 30 min of exercise
nope. if you’re not hungry, don’t eat. if you are hungry, eat. pretty simple equation to live by. drink some water throughout, though, because you’re definitely dehydrated. water will help flush out the toxins you produce during workouts, and help you feel better overall.
exercising in the morning is better than exercising at night
the best time to exercise is when you can get to the gym consistently and routinely. am, pm, or anywhere in between. if you’re not a morning person, you won’t go to the gym in the morning consistently. and that’s ok - just go at night. or at lunch. or really anytime you can fit it in and not want the world to end.
eating after 8pm is bad for you / weight loss
what if you go to bed at 2am because you’re a bartender? what if you go to bed at 10pm and wake up at 3am? your exercise and daily routines should dictate when and what you eat - eating and training unbreakable will help you live unbreakable. create maintainable, consistent habits that you can live with the majority of the time.
saunas help with weight loss
literally yes - but it’s the wrong kind. it’s only water weight. you’re not assisting your body in fat loss of any kind, you’re just dehydrating yourself. unless you’re a high school wrestler or a championship boxer - go ahead and skip it.
always stretch before exercising
unless you’re an elite athlete heading into a competition and you’ve already done your sanctioned warm-up… don’t ever stretch before exercise. ever. read those sentences again. stretching before workouts is bad. it actually puts much more strain on your body and can be linked to serious injuries in workouts and competitions. don’t do it. instead - get in a good warm-up that wakes your muscles and joints up slowly (5-10 minutes) and then continue your workout from there.