Fitness Myths

To lose my ‘love handles’ and get a six-pack I need to do lots of sit-ups.

False!

   If you are carrying a little excess body fat, then no matter how many sit ups you do, you will never be able to see the results. You may tone and build perfect abdominals, yet they will always be hidden by that spare tyre. Many people believe that doing lots of sit-ups will burn off the fat from around your middle, yet this is not true! It is not possible to ‘spot reduce’ fat from specific areas of the body. Doing lots of bicep curls will not remove the fat from your arms. Fat is stored all over the body and exercise will burn calories and reduce fat from all areas of the body, not just from the area surrounding the working muscle. So for that perfect visible six-pack combine good abdominal routines with fat burning cardio workouts.

Eating more protein builds muscle.

If you listen to all the hype about high protein diets and supplements, it’s easy to believe that you need to take a protein supplement in order to build muscle. However too much protein can actually be damaging! While adequate calories are needed to make your body build muscle, excess calories of any type are stored as fat. Plus, the processing of protein places a load on the kidneys and can lead to kidney stones. In order to maintain weight, you only need to take in about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For muscle growth, a consistent workout using 8-12 repetitions, for 3-5 sets, plus a daily protein ingestion of 1.5-1.8 grams per kg body weight is recommended. It is a fact that the average person exceeds this protein intake with their normal diet and excess protein is removed from the body in urine. The truth is that weight training is the key to muscle growth, not excessive protein intake.

Women who lift weights develop big, bulky muscles

The belief that, if women follow a regular weight training program, they will develop large, bulky muscles is simply not true. Yet it is one of the most common fitness myths. The hormone testosterone is needed in large quantities in order to build muscle and women’s testosterone levels are much lower than men’s. Due to this, women are not capable of building muscle to the same degree as men. Using weights, about 3 times a week, will help women lose weight, tone up, raise their metabolism and strengthen bones and joints. The fact is that putting on large amounts of muscle takes a lot of commitment, including a dedicated weights routine and specific diet, even for men! So, ladies, don’t avoid the weights area in the gym, learn how to use them properly and reap the many benefits that weights can provide.

If you want to know more about the correct use of weights, think about hiring a personal trainer. Even if you can only afford one session, you’ll learn how to train safely and maximize the benefits from this great workout.

Muscle turns to fat once you stop exercising.

The belief that muscle turns to fat has been around for a long time. We’ve all seen cases where former sportsmen have piled on weight once they’ve stopped competing. However, the fact is, that fat and muscle are two very separate tissues. Muscle is made up of around 70% water while fat consists of around 70% fat and the rest water, muscle cannot turn into fat, and fat cannot turn into muscle. The trend for sportsmen to gain fat once they retire is very real, yet it is purely down to a dramatic change in lifestyle. While these athletes are training and competing each day they need to consume a high number of calories to fuel their intense activity. The problem comes when the athlete retires and stops the high level of activity, but continues to consume a high calorie diet. The lack of exercise means that they lose their muscle, while continuing with the high calorie diet leads to weight gain. The athlete loses muscle and gains fat, yet their muscle does not turn into fat.

Exercising on an empty stomach burns more calories

This is a common theory that appears to make sense on the surface of it, the belief being that as exercise burns calories, if there is no food (calories) in your stomach, then you must be burning calories from stored fat. The reality is that it doesn’t work in that way. Exercise burns the same number of calories, regardless of whether you have eaten recently or not, and subsequent weight loss comes from building a calorie deficit over an extended period of time. Exercising on an empty stomach may actually hinder your weight loss efforts, as you may feel light headed and lack the energy required to exercise at any great intensity or for a sustained duration.

If you can’t work out everyday, then there’s no point.

Many people seem to have an ‘all or nothing’ attitude to fitness; they embark on a new training regime with lots of motivation, go to the gym 4 or 5 times a week, and eat an ultra healthy diet, but then once they’ve missed a session or two, they lose motivation and feel if they can’t commit to the same intense level, then there’s no point in doing anything. The truth is that just making small adjustments to your diet and exercise routine can yield long term benefits. In fact, this slow adjustment to aspects of your life can be more beneficial, as studies have shown people are more likely to stick to them. Improving your fitness does not mean having to commit large amounts of time to the gym; by incorporating exercise and activity into your daily routine you can burn more calories throughout the day, without really assigning time specifically for exercise.  

You will burn more fat if you exercise for longer at a lower intensity

Many people believe that exercising for long periods of time, at a low intensity, burns more fat than shorter and more intense exercise. Promoters of this theory believe that you need to use up the energy in your muscles, and then begin to burn calories direct from fat stores. The truth, in relation to fat loss, is that the most important factor in exercise and weight control is not the percentage of fat calories burned, but the total calories burned during the activity. So whether you choose to perform short periods of intense activity, or longer less intense exercise sessions, remember that the total number of calories that you burn is what determines fat loss.

Working out at home is fine, but you need to go to the gym to get real results.

Regularly going to the gym and correctly using all the wonderful equipment is a fantastic way to get fit, yet training at home can be equally effective, and much more time efficient. Many people invest in pieces of home gym equipment, with the intention to do a little exercise each day in the comfort of their own homes, only for it to end up gathering dust and acting as a clothes hanger. The problem comes with a lack of ideas and imagination, which are needed to keep your home sessions interesting. With a few basic pieces of equipment and some advice or personal training sessions to get you started, you’ll be able to develop a selection of home workouts that will ensure your trainings sessions remain varied and challenging. With as little as a set of dumbbells and an exercise ball, you can easily complete a full body workout with many variations.

Just lifting weights will get rid of my ´bingo wings´.

Excess fat surrounding on the back of the upper arms (triceps) is a common problem area for many people. Often referred to as ´bingo wings´, this is an issue that personal trainers are frequently asked about. Many people believe that doing exercises that target specific muscle groups i.e. the triceps, will help to reduce the excess fat and tone the area. While it is true that performing weight training exercises that focus on the triceps will help to tone and build muscle in that area, it will not help to reduce the excess fat in that specific location. This theory, known as spot reducing, is a common myth. Working a specific muscle does not mean that the fat stores surrounding it will be reduced more effectively than in any other areas of the body. When there is a calorie deficit (you consume less calories than you burn) the body will lose fat from all areas, not the closest area to the muscles doing the most work. So, returning to the issue of bingo wings, the most effective way to solve the issue is to perform a variety of aerobic exercises (running, cycling, swimming etc) in addition to a total body weight training routine.