Imagine Fitness

Fitness myths abound in the exercise world. Now the question is, have you fallen victim to these 4 common myths? If you have it is not surprising as these ideas seem at first glance to make sense, and to make it worse  TV and magazine ads promote these ideas. Here are my top 4, see if any surprise you.

1.  Spot Reduction: Many people focus on their abs. They want a flat mid-section and believe that crunches or using an ab roller will flatten their abs.  Remember, abdominal exercises are actually for strengthening your core.  In order to see definition in your abdominals you must decrease overall body fat percentage. When the layer of fat that is covering your abs is reduced, then and only then will you have a flat stomach.  This is done by burning calories through cardio and cutting down on your calories.

2. No Pain, No Gain: Many people feel that if they don’t hurt all over for days then they must not have worked out hard enough. In reality, if soreness persists then perhaps you are not giving yourself enough recovery time between workouts. Rather than ‘no pain, no gain’, go for the motto of ‘train, don’t strain’.

3.  Strength Training Builds Bulky Muscles. Many women have this idea and really it is just not true. For the average women it is nearly impossible to put on enough muscle to the point where you are bulky. Genetically, everyone is different and some women may have more muscle in certain parts of their body, such as legs, or arms. But in general unless you are power lifting you will build healthy muscle without bulk.

4. Working the Zone is Best: Most exercise equipment has a chart that plots your heart rate against your age. These charts recommend at what rate your heart should be beating to burn calories while using fat for fuel.  It is usually recommended that the best exercise is one that takes place at a lower intensity. The real issue is the burning of calories. It does not matter what percentage of energy is derived from fat or carbohydrates. What matters is how many calories are burned per minute.  I believe strongly in the interval training method, where your workout is varied and constantly changing.

These are 4 of the common fitness myths, how many did you believe? If you did, don’t despair, a little knowledge goes a long way.  Ckeck back to my website often for great advice on how to lose weight and keep it off.

Shelley Healy

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