Fitness Myths

Here are some common fitness myths and exercise statements I hear often.

1. "Lifting weights will bulk me up." This fitness myth generally comes from women. The fact is this ladies: strength training will increase your lean body mass and decrease your body fat. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body will burn.

2. "I do 100 crunches a day, why don't I have a six-pack?" Why? You can do crunches or any ab exercise with or without equipment until you're blue in the face, and that will not eliminate the body fat surrounding your abdominal muscles. Performing crunches will build abdominal muscles, not rid you of fat. There is no such thing as spot reducing. In order to get more noticeable abs you need to reduce your total body fat which equates to regular aerobic exercise coupled with strength training and of course healthy eating habits.

3. "No pain, no gain." Exercise should never be painful! If you experience any pain while exercising, STOP! You may be injured or have incorrect form, working through the pain will only worsen the condition. It is common to feel sore a day or two after exercising, especially when you first begin training, NOT while you're exercising. If the pain persists, you should seek medical attention.

4. "Eating at night makes you fat." NONSENSE! Excess calories you do not burn off, makes you fat. Your body works on a 24 hour clock. A well-balanced diet with carbohydrates, protein and fat plus exercise will keep your body at a healthy weight.

5. "Muscle weighs more than fat." One pound of muscle weighs exactly the same as one pound of fat. If you are strength training and increasing muscle mass, it does not mean you will weigh more. The scale tells you how much you weigh, but does not give you overall body composition of how much is lean mass or how much is fat. Muscle is more dense than fat, and yet, takes up one third the amount of space.

"The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic." John F. Kennedy

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