I used to believe in myth no. 4 and 5 and it cost me dearly in burning body fat and gaining quality muscle. Don\’t let these Fitness myths stop you from getting the results you deserve.
15 biggest fitness myths and their truth
The fitness industry has evolved big over the last few years yet there are so many never ending fitness myths. New diet styles and advanced supplements have made it easy to achieve fitness goals. While there is helpful information, there are myths as well. You must have already heard some of these fitness myths from your friends, gym fellows, and even trainers. There are so many do’s and don’ts about fitness and losing weight that it can be very confusing for someone getting started.
Hence, it is important to address the misinformation and discern facts from myths. In this article, we will talk about the 15 fitness myths of 2021 and dispel the actual truth. So that you can stay focused and work towards achieving your goals efficiently.
15 fitness facts that in reality are fitness myths
Fitness myths 2021
Lifting weights will bulk you up
This is a very common fitness myth. People tend to associate weight training with muscular bodybuilders and athletes. But weight training is not only for those trying to become a muscle-bound hulk. Lifting weight regularly can make you look sharper. It can enhance your body posture, improve joint health, increase metabolism and regulate hormones. Weight training will strengthen your muscles and increase energy. So don\’t deny yourself from lifting weight. It will not lead to unwanted bulkiness unless you are following a diet for that.
You can lose fat from a target area
Now, this one is very absurd. It would be nice if we could reduce fat from a specific part of the body. But that\’s not true. Fat is stored everywhere in our body, not just in one area. When you burn calories during exercise, you lose fat from your entire body. This can be your face, arms, stomach, and hips. This may lead to weight loss. But it can\’t affect the fat cells in one specific area of the body. While you can focus on the muscles of a particular area, but this will not reduce the fat. For example, running will burn fat from the entire body, not just the legs. Similarly, sit-ups can strengthen your stomach but will not necessarily take the fat off your stomach. Hence, targeting fat loss or spot reduction is the biggest fitness myth.
Exercising for longer hours at low intensity can increase fat burning
To achieve optimal results, it is not important how long you train. What matters is how many total calories you expended. While low-intensity exercise is encouraged for beginners because it\’s easy and safe. Higher intensity exercise for shorter periods of time is known to be effective for fat loss. The higher the workout intensity, the more calories, and fat are burned per minute. https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2015/03000/Caloric_Expenditure_of_Aerobic,_Resistance,_or.28.aspx
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is now one of the most effective exercises to burn fat.
You can eat anything if you are regular with exercise
This fitness myth comes from a poor understanding of nutritional needs for muscles. The right diet is as important as working out regularly. Muscles need nutrition to repair, maintain and grow. No matter how hard you train, poor nutrition will not help you get any results. Fitness experts say that building a body requires 30% exercise and 70% nutrition. Hence, it\’s crucial to be mindful of what you put on your plate.
Fitness myths 2020
If I walk daily, I don\’t need to do any other exercise
I wouldn\’t say this one is necessarily a fitness myth. But it can definitely be misleading depending on your fitness goal. Walking daily is a great habit to adopt. It can decrease the risk of many diseases and improve health. Walking is considered a low-intensity aerobic exercise that can add movements to your busy schedule. But it can not replace your workout. If your goal is to lose weight and get in shape, then go with a shorter but higher intensity workout. You can try running, cycling, and even light strength training. These exercises have their own benefits. Hence, it\’s not best to stick to the same intensity or method of exercise. The variation in your routine also prevents you from getting bored of doing the same exercise.
The more you exercise, the better results you get
Too much exercise will not do any good to achieve your goals. Your body doesn\’t build during exercise, but it is when you rest. During the rest period, your body does all the necessary work and repairs the muscles. So if you take the rest away, you will not reach your goal. Instead, you put your body at a higher risk of exhaustion. Overtraining can also result in injury and weaken your immune system. Hence, it is important to give your body at least 48hours of a break after strength training. You would want to keep your nutritional needs checked as well. So that your muscles are at it\’s best to recover and get stronger.
Increases protein intake to build more muscles
Protein is important nutrition for your muscles. It provides all essential amino acids for the maintenance and growth of your muscles. But there is a limit to how much protein your body can absorb in one go. Your body can absorb only 30 grams of protein at a time. The remaining amount of protein goes out of your body through waste. The recommended intake of protein is 0.8g per khan body weight per day. Those who exercise around 5 hours/week don\’t need to exceed protein and take more than 1kg body weight per day. There is no effect on increased muscle mass at a protein intake of more than 3-4g per kg of body weight daily.
The more water you drink during exercise, the better
It is important to keep sufficient fluid in your body during exercise. But you should not pour too much. Your body can not deal with so much fluid at once. If you drink too much water before exercise, you may put yourself at the risk of hyponatremia. The best approach is to maintain hydration throughout the day, not just 10 minutes before the workout. Experts suggest drinking according to your thirst. A great way to determine your water intake is to weigh yourself before and after a workout. Then replace the weight loss in grams with the same amount of water in millimeters.
Morning is the only best time for exercise
There is no best time for exercise. The best time is whenever it\’s convenient for you and suits your schedule. You can either work out in the morning or evening and achieve great results. What matters the most is to maintain consistency. Some people prefer working out in the morning because it allows them to be free for the rest of the day. While others find evenings to be the best timing to increase energy and reduce stress. So choose what time suits your lifestyle best and focus on regularity.
Fitness myth 2019
If I stop working out, my muscles will turn in fat
Many people believe that if they stop working out, their muscles will be converted into fat. But the truth is that muscle and fat are two different cells with different functions. Your muscle tissues are responsible for mass, which helps you burn calories. While fat tissues store the excess energy and protect internal organs. Although both the cells deal with energy, they both can not convert to one another. When they are inactive, their muscle size decreases. Since muscles don\’t work to use the energy, fat cells expand to store that excess energy. This is why overeating and inactive muscle activity leads to the growth of fat cells. But saying that your muscles turned into fat is not true. You should focus on keeping the energy demands of your muscles high.
Your training should be longer to achieve a fast and optimal result
People think if they spend long hours in the gym sweating, they can achieve fast results. But in reality, it is not necessary. Even if you have just 30 minutes per day for exercise, it\’s enough. Focus on the intensity of your exercise to get the most out of your training. If you maintain the consistency of working out regularly for 30 minutes, you can see major changes. After all, quality is always better than quality.
Carbs can ruin your hard work
Carbs don’t have a very good reputation among fitness enthusiasts. But they are actually essential nutrients for your body. Your body uses carbs as a main source of energy and allows you to perform an exercise at your best. Your diet should contain the highest amount of carbs. Without an adequate amount of carbs, you will feel drowsy and low on energy. Just be clever while choosing your carbs. Refined carbs such as white bread, white rice, and pasta tend to be high in sugar and contain zero nutritional value. Adding complex and healthy carbs such as whole grain will enhance your performance and improve your health.
Dangerous fitness myths debunked
Working out on an empty stomach will burn more fat
Many people skip breakfast in the morning and directly hit their gym. They believe that working out on an empty stomach will help them burn more fat. But in reality, working out on an empty stomach can make you feel weak and dizzy. Your body relies on macronutrients: carbs, fat, and protein for energy. Hence, It is not a good idea to empty your stomach before you hit the gym. Otherwise, your body will tap into your protein storage due to the absence of carbs to use as energy. Hence, it is important to consume some amount of carbs 45-60 minutes before working out. Research suggests that a workout along with a proper diet is the only way to decrease fat and preserve muscles. https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/28/1/article-p46.xml
Excessive sweat leads to fat loss
People believe that excessive sweating during exercise is a sign of fat loss. Many say that wearing a black plastic bag during exercise will lead to more sweating and burn more fat. But this only results in dehydration and fatigue. But this is not true. Sweating is a biological response of our body to heal. Whenever our body temperature goes high, the skin cools down by releasing water from the skin glands. This doesn\’t indicate that your fat is melting down through your body. Sweating too much during exercise means you\’re not reducing fat storage. Similarly, not sweating during exercise doesn\’t mean you are not getting in shape.
Pain is a sign of muscle growth
No matter what your fitness level is, you must be familiar with muscle pain. When muscles are required to work harder than they are used to, it causes damage to muscle cells. This damage results in soreness. Most people believe that the more pain you feel the better result you get. But experiencing pain all the time is not a good sign. Prolong muscle pain may be due to the wrong execution of the exercise. You should consult a professional immediately before it turns into a serious problem. If you don\’t feel the usual discomfort after a workout, it doesn\’t mean your workouts are ineffective. Because over time your body adapts to the tension given by your workout. Hence, no pain no gain idealogy can be one of the most dangerous fitness myths. Remember, while taking it too easy will not give results, pushing too much will do more harm than good.
History of fitness
The history of fitness goes back to the beginning of mankind. In the past, when people had to hunt and gather food for survival, physical exercise was essential. Consistent physical activities helped them gain speed and strength to escape from predators. The main purpose of the exercise was the survival of the tribe. Around 2500 to 250 BC, regular exercise became more popular. It was known that it can prevent certain diseases and improve health. During this time, Cong fu exercise was introduced and yoga also came to light among Indians. Over time, fitness education classes and coaching were developed to help people keep themselves in shape. Many gym chains and fitness companies started to spread across many countries. This allowed more people to participate in fitness and take action to improve their health. Soon after that, bodybuilding contests and competitions came in. This encouraged more people to take part in bodybuilding and achieve big achievements for their success. In today\’s time, fitness has become advanced. It is not done only for health purposes, but many do it as a hobby. With the popularity of fitness, we have seen many philosophies of diet and exercise emerging from time to time. Some of them had made the job easy, while others are unreliable fitness myths. The advent of technology has now made it very easy to dispel dangerous fitness myths and provide new ways to approach fitness.
How fitness records have beaten many truths and myths about fitness
If you look online, there are plenty of fitness records that will blow your mind. Athletes have proven immense strength and endurance that doesn\’t sound realistic. But they are true. Some of them can be surprising, while some are silly and weird. No matter how inspiring those records may feel, it\’s not easy for everyone to beat that. These records include most pushups, longest plank, biggest deadlifts, and greatest run on a treadmill.
Why fitness education is important?
In today\’s time, fitness education has become a key component of a healthy lifestyle. It is not only important for physical health but also for better cognitive function. Fitness subjects are being introduced in the school curriculum so that students learn and adopt healthy habits. Studies suggest that fitness education can help students excel at academic performance. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK201501/
The importance of fitness education extends beyond schools. The benefits of fitness education may also help adults to understand nutrition and body function. This certainly allows people to make better decisions when it comes to food. One of the reasons for the increasing rate of obesity among people is a lack of knowledge about fitness. There are many advantages of fitness education that can improve the quality of life. Regular exercise and healthy eating choices can help prevent obesity and other diseases. Fitness education can help you identify facts from many myths and make better decisions to achieve your goal.
Fitness Myths Questions
What are the 5 biggest workout mistakes?
Improper form, incorrect technique, overtraining, no rest time, and no warmup is the 5 biggest workout mistake.
What kills your gains?
Alcohol and junk consumption, lack of sleep, exercising on empty stomach can significantly kill your gains.
Is training to failure bad for muscle growth?
No, training to failure may not be bad for muscle growth but it is not necessary. Your workout will produce muscle growth even if you avoid failure.
Why is bodybuilding so dangerous?
Bodybuilding is dangerous because it involves heavy weight lifting. It can result in injury or straining muscle if not handled safely. Lifting heavy weights can also affect heart health and hormonal state.
Is it ok to work out when sore?
Yes, it is ok to work out when sore. You can still do gentle exercise to recover faster. Just don\’t exercise the muscles that are hurting. Give it enough time to recover.
Will ab exercise give you abs?
Yes, ab exercises like sit-ups are designed to target your abdominal area. Regular ab exercise can enhance the muscles and give you abs. But remember, diet also plays a huge role.
Do push up kills your gain?
No, push-ups don\’t kill your gain. It is one of the best exercises to target your upper body and strength your chest, arms, and core.
Is volume killing gains?
No, the volume doesn’t kill your gains. The greater volume provides a more stimulating effect on your muscles and helps them increase their size. This can potentially lead to muscle growth.
Does stretching kill your gains?
No, stretching doesn\’t kill your gains. It can increase the flexibility of the muscle tissues and improve movements during exercise.
Is training until failure good?
Training until failure is good if down occasionally. Consistent training to failure can have a negative impact on your performance and your health.
Do reps until failure?
Yes, you can do reps until failure especially if you are a beginner. It will stimulate muscle growth and prepare the muscle to handle more damage over time.
Do bodybuilders live shorter life?
Research shows bodybuilders live a shorter life than an average man. This could be due to performance-enhancing drugs and poor heart and respiratory systems. But, data suggests that the death rate of bodybuilders at a young age is not still low.
How do most bodybuilders die?
It has been observed that most bodybuilders die of heart attacks, cancer, or diseases related to the kidney and brain.
Are bodybuilders attractive?
The fit and in-shape bodies of bodybuilders are very attractive. But men with excessively huge muscles don\’t seem to be very attractive to women.
Fitness Myths Summary
That was all the 15 fitness myths we debunked. Hope this brings more clarity for you to navigate through numerous tips and advice floating around. Tell me in the comment which fitness myth you did not know about till now. And also what is the one fitness myth you have heard repeatedly from people around you.
BodyBuilding Myths
[vc_row css=\”.vc_custom_1479533381046{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}\” show_bump=\”true\”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Did you know that half the things you hear about body building are merely myths? Bodybuilding is rather a simple process and associating complications with it is pretty much unfair to it. In this article, we are going to reveal all the myths about bodybuilding that will leave you shocked![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=\”.vc_custom_1479533440318{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}\” show_bump=\”true\”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Myth 1: A protein bar is good to alternate for a meal:
Truth: That would only be true under the condition that the protein bar is prepared at home and doesn’t contain any processed food. The reason is that food that is highly processed requires comparatively fewer calories o digest so its benefit is cancelled.
![\"myth-1\"](\"http://anextrarep.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/myth-1.jpg\")
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=\”.vc_custom_1479533445105{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}\” show_bump=\”true\”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Myth 2: Milk is the best and only source for Calcium
Truth: There are many other alternates to ensure calcium intake. Broccoli and sesame oil are also a great source of calcium if you take it in the right amount.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=\”.vc_custom_1479533573292{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}\” show_bump=\”true\”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Myth 3: You can\’t gain muscle after 40
Truth: Age does have an effect on bodybuilding but it’s doesn’t mean that you can\’t gain muscles after 40 at all! It might take time, efforts and extra stamina at that age to get there but you can certainly achieve it! Despite hormonal changes, muscle gain is possible!
![\"myth-3\"](\"http://anextrarep.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/myth-3.jpg\")
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=\”.vc_custom_1479533591568{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}\” show_bump=\”true\”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Myth 4: The more you sweat, the more fat you lose!
Truth: This is a myth that has been making rounds since a long time. Sweating only means that your body is getting heated up but it doesn’t mean that you’re losing fat through your sweat! It does, however, burn the sweat with heat but sweat has nothing to do with it.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=\”.vc_custom_1479533605280{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}\” show_bump=\”true\”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Myth 5: High Protein Diet is bad for your kidneys
Truth: this myth has been a part of the debate for decades, especially after the introduction of protein supplements and shakes. The truth is that kidneys need to work harder to process it but it doesn’t cause any damage what so ever.
![\"myth-5\"](\"http://anextrarep.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/myth-5.jpg\")
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=\”.vc_custom_1479533619895{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}\” show_bump=\”true\”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Myth 6: Doing cardio before weight lifting will shed some pounds faster
Truth: The truth is that for lifting weights, you need energy and stamina. Doing treadmill before weights might get you too tired to go for weights![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]So it\’s high time to break out of these myths and take your training to the next level! Bodybuilding is only made complicated with the many myths that have been floating around, proving to be nothing but a distraction in your body building routine.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]