Every day, I hear lots of theories and myths regarding the gym. Here are the most common myths:
Myth #1: More hours in the gym = better results. FALSE! When you are training, give 100 percent. YOU DON’T need hours to see results! Remember, overtraining = lost muscle.
Myth #2: Women who lift weights will bulk up and look masculine. FALSE! If you have a healthy diet, consider your calorie intake, and if you train heavy, your metabolism will work properly and you will look lean and tight, not bulky! Women’s testosterone levels are much lower than men’s, and testosterone is necessary in order to bulk up.
Myth #3: Carbs are bad. FALSE! As I mention in other articles, all macronutrients, including carbs, are necessary for a healthy, balanced diet and also for fitness performance.
Myth #4: You can eat what you want if you train hard. FALSE! To burn fat, you need to expend more calories than your body uses. If you train hard, you have to look what you eat and the calories that you eat to see results. If you eat more calories and bad food, you will not see results. Remember, it’s 70 percent diet and 30 percent training!
Myth #5: To lose weight, you have to do cardio and more cardio. FALSE! Doing too much cardio just gets rid of muscle mass. To lose body fat, you have to eat properly with the correct calorie amounts, and you have to train correctly. In time, you will learn about your body and understand the best way to be lean.
Myth #6: Always do cardio before breakfast. FALSE! Exercising before breakfast may promote muscle loss. However, everyone is different. Experiment and see what works best for you.
Myth #7: You only need to do crunches to get a six-pack. FALSE! “You can’t pick and choose areas where you’d like to burn fat,” says Phil Tyne, director of the fitness center at the Baylor Tom Landry Health & Wellness Center in Dallas. Abs are made in the kitchen! Proper nutrition is the most effective way to see results.
Myth #8: Exercising long and slow burns more fat. FALSE! The faster you move, the higher your post-exercise metabolism becomes because you’ll burn more calories throughout the day.
Myth #9: For muscle definition, you must lift light weights with many reps. FALSE! Leanness and muscle definition come from having muscle mass and low body fat! This is the result of a proper diet and smart training.
Myth #10: Caffeine is bad! FALSE! The overconsumption of any food is bad, but coffee itself is not bad. Coffee has many health benefits; it gives you energy and helps in your athletic performance.
Myth #11: No pain, no gain. FALSE. Soreness is inflammation; you don’t have to feel pain to measure your training!
References:
http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_100/145_fitness_tip.html#ixzz2Kjb7857A
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=354
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/practice-smart-fitness-25-debunked-training-and-diet-myths.html
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/top-9-fitness-myths-busted
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/25-more-fitness-myths-crushed-by-pauline-nordin.html
