Common fitness myths

“Don’t run too much, your knees will fall off.”

“Don’t eat anything before you work out, your fat won’t burn.”

“Don’t eat at night, you will lose weight.”

“Don’t eat carbs and fats, you will be slim.”

“Don’t eat fruits; they are laden with sugar that will make you fat.”

“Weights are for boys.”

“Yoga is for girls.”

Have you ever been at the receiving end of any of these? Or worse, have you given any of these unsolicited advices to anyone? Well, it is never too late to learn and set some facts straight, one and for all!

It is easy to fall prey to fitness myths

Fitness is always evolving. Researches done, equipment created, and technological advancements have resulted in new discoveries in the world of fitness. There have been so many improvements on fitness levels across the globe that we can’t help but wonder at the barriers being lifted, limitations being overcome and records being broken.

Amidst all these amazing achievements in the world of fitness, there seems to be many myths that hold many people back. These people fall into the trap of false information that can deter growth and progress. As a result, it is easy to give up and never return to the world of fitness again.

Fitness myths will pull you back from your fitness goals and affect your health. Hence, it is crucial to identify these fitness myths and debunk them so that they no longer exists and hinder progress.

Fitness Myth 1: Weight lifting turns fat into muscle

Fatty tissues and muscle tissues are two different tissues. Hence, it is not possible to convert fat into muscle. Fatty tissues can be found under the skin, in between muscles, and around internal organs while muscle tissues are found all through the body.

Weight training helps to build up muscle tissues in and around the fatty tissues, making you leaner. While it is impossible to convert fatty tissues to muscle tissues, it is, however possible to reduce fatty tissues. One foolproof way to reduce fatty tissues is to maintain a healthy diet that consists of vegetables and fruits.

So, instead of waiting for fats to be turned into muscles, work to reduce the fatty tissues and build up more muscle tissues through weight training!

Fitness Myth 2: Sit-ups and crunches give six packs

Sit-ups and crunches do very little to give you six packs. First and foremost, you need to shed off fat from your mid-section to make those six packs visible. To shed off fat from the mid-section, you need to focus on cardio and losing stubborn fat tissues.

On the other hand, target exercises that do wonder to help you show off your six packs are bridges and planks. Bridges and planks involve several groups of muscles and are deemed to be more efficient than sit-ups and crunches to tone six packs.

So, instead of doing crunches and sit-ups by thousands, it is wiser to focus on cardio and other effective target exercises that are sure to give results.

Fitness Myth 3: Sports drinks are the best for hydration before, during and after workout

Have you ever taken the bottle of sports drinks and check out their ingredients? You will find that most sports drinks are just sugar and water. And as the general knowledge goes, sugar does more harm than good to your body and health.

Hence, if you keep feeding your body with sugar before, during and after workout, you are just reversing the effects of your workouts. The next time you work out, ditch the sports drink and grab a bottle of water. Your body, health and wallet will thank you in the long run!

Fitness Myth 4: You need to work out for long hours to reap benefit

Some believe that clocking in the hours is directly proportional to fitness level. This could not be further than the truth. Working out for long hours without professional guidance might lead to serious injuries. This is because over working your muscles over long period of time every day will not give enough time for them to recover.

High intensity power work outs are deemed to be more efficient than hours-long workouts when it comes to fitness. The high intensity training is usually done from 20 minutes to 30 minutes and aims to target majority of the muscles in the body.

So, there is no need to spend half of your life in the gym. Instead, fit in 20-30 minutes of consistent high-powered workouts that will make you fit and healthy.

Fitness Myth 5: Lifting weights will bulk the muscles up

Many women prefer not to go anywhere near the weights due to fear of bulking up like body builders. Once again, this is not the truth. Naturally, women have less muscle tissues and lower testosterone levels than men. So, even if you lift heavy weights, you will not transform into Hulk.

On the contrary, lifting weights will help you burn more calories when coupled with cardio as opposed to cardio alone. Lifting weights will also help you to tone your muscles. This will make you leaner.

So, try to inch closer to the weights rack the next time you go to the gym.

Be smart and conscious

It is easy to fall prey to these fitness myths that are easily spread through social media platforms and irresponsible blogging. It is crucial that you differentiate between reliable source and unreliable source.

With so many blogs and websites in social media, there is almost no stop to the flow of false information that stems from ignorance. The main focus of these irresponsible websites is the number of likes, shares, comments and followers.

Do your research to identify responsible websites that provide the right information when it comes to fitness. Bookmark these websites and use them for your future references. It is time we debunk all the fitness myths and make way towards a healthier and fitter lifestyle.

Say no to false information and fitness myths!