I'm about to give you the most common fitness myths, debunked.
Do you ever feel like you're working your booty off (or at least trying to) in the gym but not seeing the results you'd like? Chances are you've fallen victim to bad advice, or are making a fitness mistake that you didn't even realize you'd made. Don't feel bad about it; it's easy to do these days, especially with the abundance of knowledge that's on the Internet.
Most of the articles that you find on the Internet are based on people's opinions, and with new research on exercise being released constantly, it's hard to stay up-to-date on the newest fitness trends. This week, I want to help you make the most out of your workouts, and help to debunk the most common exercise myths I am often asked. I'll give you the scientific facts behind the myths so you know that you're working out in the most efficient, effective way to help you reach your health and fitness goals. Because let's be real, what's the point of exercising if you're not going to get the results YOU want? So, here are the most common fitness myths, debunked.
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: Doing Hundreds or Thousands of Crunches Every Single Day is Going to Give You a Six-pack
Fact: this may be the most iconic core exercise in the world, but crunches themselves are not the best way to slim your midsection. Because they isolate such a small muscle group, crunches do not burn many calories, so they don't help you lose fat. While crunches do tone a small portion of your abs, try to include moves that use your entire distal trunk (think your shoulders and butt) to more effectively engage your entire core and burn more calories. Some more effective core exercises include planks and bridges.
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You Need to Exercise for a Full 45 Minutes to One Hour to Get the Benefit of the Workout
Fact: Even if you can only spare 10 to 30 minutes, you have more than enough time to improve your heart health. More and more studies are being released that show the power of quick, intense workouts (high-intensity intervals), compared to long, steady, endurance workouts (think using the elliptical for 45 minutes). Don’t be afraid to grab your jumprope or even fit in some jumping jacks! Shoot for at least 5 minutes.
According to a study published by Arizona State University last year, participants had consistency lower blood pressure readings on average when they split their daily walk into three 10-minute walks, as opposed to tackling one 30-minute walk per day. Thirty minutes of exercise (either broken up or completed in one session) is definitely enough time to keep your heart healthy, but if your goal is to slim down and lose weight, shoot for at least 250 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each week.
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The More You Sweat, the More Calories You Burn
Fact: Do you feel like you burn more calories in a hot yoga session compared to regular yoga because you're dripping in sweat? I'm sorry to share that you don't necessarily burn more calories in a hot yoga session versus normal yoga. Our body produces sweat to help cool us down and regulate our internal body temperature. Pouring gallons of sweat in a workout could just mean that the gym or weather is extremely warm, as opposed to getting in a grueling workout. If you’re curious about how many calories you burn from exercise, try wearing a heart rate monitor when you workout.
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As a Woman, Lifting Heavy Weights is Going to Make Me Bulk up
Fact: Even if you're using really heavy weights to work out (which I definitely recommend, as long as you have good form), you're not going to turn into the female version of the Hulk - I promise!!! As women, our bodies have less muscle tissue and produce much lower levels of testosterone than men. This means that no matter how heavy your weights are, it's almost physiologically impossible to look like a female Hulk.
Instead of reading and believing every article about health and fitness you can find online, try to find facts that are based on science and current research. Stumped as to whether something you find online is a fact or myth? Follow me on Allwomenstalk! I’ll regularly post new articles that highlight current fitness and nutrition myths!
