5 Common Fitness Myths

We have all heard various fitness tips, and it can be challenging to decipher what is helpful information and what is myths.

Trust me, I have fallen victim to many myths along my fitness journey. It has been a wild ride along the way.

I have been on an on-and-off fitness journey for what feels like a million years. I am constantly falling off because I attempt to do too many new things all at once, which is not sustainable, and I keep doing this repeatedly. Apparently, I am insane. So, this year, my approach is going to be more attainable.

Here are the 5 most common fitness myths I have encountered over the years and why these ideals are untrue. And, of course, give you the correct information surrounding these myths.

Myth #1: Spot reduce fat/fat-targeting workouts

I am sorry to say you cannot spot-reduce fat. No workout can target fat in any specific area.

Where your body holds on to fat is solely based on your genetics. I know that no matter how much weight I lose, I will always have belly fat. Unless I go through severe cuts to show off my abs, that will not be something I can sustain. It took me so long to realize that targeting belly fat will not work.

Fat loss occurs when you are at a caloric deficit. This means that you are eating fewer calories than you burn. Over time, your body will burn off the excess fat that you may have on your body. Now, where you begin to lose body fat depends on genetics. You may shed weight from your arms and legs first but still hold a lot of weight on the midsection. For women, this is very common.

My suggestions:

1. Eat more and move less - this sounds very simple, but it is that simple to lose weight. Now, you do not need to eat significantly less than you did before.

2. Focus on micronutrients, lean protein, and adding a variety of whole foods like fruits and vegetables. Your caloric intake will decrease significantly when you swap out processed foods or fast food with whole foods and protein.

3. Think about eating a square meal: protein, veggies/fruit, carbs. For example, chicken teriyaki bowls with rice and broccoli. This meal can be made so that you have high protein and broccoli with a serving of rice; you will remain full longer because of the protein and fiber in the broccoli. But still have a tasty meal that is lower in calories than a similar meal at a restaurant.

Myth #2: Weightlifting makes you bulky

Okay, but we would all do it if it were this easy. Weight lifting does not make you bulky. It takes a long time with consistent and intentional workouts and nutrition.

You need to go through cut/bulk phases with your nutrition and training to bulk. It is something that you have to be very intentional about. A cut phase is a caloric deficit to lean down to reveal the muscle under (typically already low body fat). Then, a bulk degree is to eat a high protein surplus diet while increasing the strength training volume. Now, this doesn’t have to be a crazy surplus. You can increase your protein intake from what you were eating at maintenance. But it takes a lot of work and consistency to bulk up, especially as a woman.

So, if this is something that you are worried about, honestly, don’t worry about it. Just do your workouts and eat a balanced diet.

Myth #3: Exercise turns fat into muscle

Unfortunately, this is not true. Fat loss occurs when you are in a caloric deficit, and muscle growth happens when you work with progressive overload and a high-protein diet.

My suggestions:

1. Focus on one step at a time. If you have a significant amount of fat to lose, focus on strength training at a caloric deficit. A high-protein diet will help keep you feeling satiated and full longer, making it easier to lose weight. You will naturally gain some muscle strength while also losing fat. You may not gain any muscle mass, though.

2. After the fat loss step, this is where you want to focus on muscle growth. This is where you can choose to bulk/cut or work on a maintenance phase where you are eating enough calories to keep your body weight while also training to continue increasing muscle endurance. It depends on what your goals are for the long term and what your next step is after fat loss.

Myth #4: The more you sweat, the better your workout

The amount you sweat is determined by genetics and the weather. Sweating regulates internal body temperature, improves blood flow into the cardiovascular system and muscles, and helps to maintain energy to sustain workouts.

Myth #5: No Pain, no Gain

I know we all have heard this saying. But you do not have to work out to the extreme, so you are sore for 3 days. I’d say it’s more accurate to say, “Gains come from the discomfort." Working out causes discomfort, which is where you will see growth happen.

When you are a beginner, or even if you took a break from strength training for any reason, it can be easy to overdo your workout to the point where you are super sore after your workout. This can cause DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness, which basically means you get super sore a day or two after your workout. This can cause either overtraining or derail you from progressing.

My suggestion:

1. Start with weights and rep counts that are easy but challenging.

2. Listen to your body and show up when you schedule your workout no matter what for consistency and discipline, but on sore days, decrease your weight or intensity.

3. Don’t worry about how sore you are after a workout. That is not an indication of how good your workout was.

4. Hydrate and fuel your body with micronutrients and protein throughout the day. This can help decrease the soreness so that you can continue to increase intensity.

Bottom line

Fitness myths are all over the place. Check the source to find out if something is too good to be true. What credentials does the person have? Or if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

I am a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. I have so much experience with what does not work from my on-and-off fitness journey. I have fallen victim to many of these myths myself and learned the hard way, that they are not helpful.

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