Fitness Myths We Should Stop Believing Already

Myth: Crunches are a great way to flatten your stomach

Fact: A flat stomach actually comes from eating foods that are low in fat and refined sugars. No matter how many crunches you do, they will build only the muscle that lies deep beneath those unforgiving layers of fat.

Myth: The more you sweat during exercise, the more fat you lose

Fact: The harder you work out, the more calories you’ll burn within a given period. But how much you sweat has nothing to do with how much fat you lose.

Myth: Lifting weights will make me bulky

Fact: Weight training accounts for 70 percent of your calorie burn. Resistance forces your muscles to work 10 to 20 times more than regular cardio, without bulking. Bulk comes from high calorie intake, which is why professional bodybuilders consume a lot of calories while lifting a lot of weight. If you combine weight training with a moderate, balanced diet with medium to low calorie intake, you will burn fat and sculpt your body without adding bulk.

Myth: Muscle weighs more than fat

Fact: A pound of muscle and a pound of fat weigh the same, a pound. However, muscles are denser than fat and occupy less space. Adding muscle to your physique will create curves where once there were none.

Myth: I can turn my fat into muscles if I exercise with weights

Fact: Fat and muscle are completely different tissues, so you can’t transform one into the other. Although muscles can’t physically turn into fat, they can atrophy. When you exercise, your initial goal should be to burn fat and build muscle.

Myth: You can lose fat from specific parts of your body by exercising those spots

Fact: There are no shortcuts to fat loss. If you do full-body strength training and cardio workouts, the excess fat will eventually come off from the places where you want it gone.

Myth: If I’m not sore the next day, I didn’t work out hard enough

Fact: Soreness is not a reliable indicator of a good workout. It’s normal to experience some soreness after a workout, especially if you regularly change your routine. Soreness can also be a sign that you pushed your body too hard. I enjoy feeling sore, but that’s just me. The key is to make sure that you’re challenging your muscles to their fullest potential.

Myth: Cardio is only for folks who want to lose weight

Fact: Even Superman needs cardio to stay in tip-top shape. Your heart is your engine, and without a strong engine you’ll never get far.

Myth: Walking won’t help me lose weight

Fact: Walking will absolutely help you lose weight, assuming you walk at least 5 times weekly for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. Challenge yourself to walk faster and farther as your body gets used to the exercise.

Myth: The best time to work out is early in the morning

Fact: It doesn’t matter when you work out, as long as you do so at some point during the day.

Myth: Weight lifting is only for men

Fact: Weight lifting is a great way for both genders to burn calories. Women can benefit particularly from weight training because it increases bone density, which helps you avoid osteoporosis. Also, ladies, targeted weight lifting will help firm and tighten your backside.