Fitness Myths You Should Reconsider

Posted by Jade Anderson on August 28th, 2019

When you are starting on your fitness journey, it is hard to know who you can trust. There are a lot of articles out there that say that there's only one real way to lose weight, or you need to lead a certain lifestyle to be healthy. However, some of these claims by some self-professed fitness experts or wellness bloggers are not really true, and these fitness myths can be very damaging to your overall health if you listen to them.

Being healthy means being skinny

Being healthy does not mean that you have to be stick thin. Although there are definite health risks to being overweight, skinny people can still have some of the same issues that an overweight person can have. Some people store fat in their body differently to other people, and rather than being able to see it with people that are overweight, skinnier people may store their fat closer to their organs so that you can’t see it. In some ways, this can be more dangerous, because the more visceral fat that a person has, the more they are at risk for things like type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. So if you are a little bit bigger and you have a healthy diet and do a lot of exercise, you shouldn’t be worried about getting skinny, because sometimes it is not the healthier option.   

You can only burn calories by doing cardio

If you are someone who is looking to lose weight through diet and exercise, you would have heard the myth that you can only burn calories by doing cardio. And while it may be true that doing cardio can help you burn a few calories initially, on a long term basis you will need to work your body a little bit harder to lose weight. This is because over time, your body will start to get used to your cardio routine, and your weight will remain steady because of this. If you are looking to lose weight, it is recommended that you do a combination of cardio and strength training like weights. This will allow you to build muscle, and increase your metabolism so that you can lose weight more effectively and become more physically fit in a variety of ways.

What works for you will work for someone else

Just because a combination of diet and exercise worked for a friend yours who is a similar age and build to you, it does not guarantee that the same plan will work for you. For example, your friend may be doing a lot of cardio and a little strength training and noticing results, but you may do the same workout and notice nothing. Because everyone’s body is completely different, you will need to learn what sort of diet and exercise works best for you and your body. Finding a workout that is based on your own specific needs is a great way to ensure that you are getting the most out of every time that you exercise. Bend + Mend Physiotherapy offer one-on-one or small group Pilates sessions that are led by a physiotherapist and tailored to suit your body and your fitness level. Instructors take your past into account when creating an exercise plan for you so that even people who are injured or of a lower level of fitness can work out and feel good about themselves.

Working out on an empty stomach burns more fat

One of the most important things to do before your workout is to eat and drink something that will give you enough energy to keep going. Working out on an empty stomach is a really bad idea for several reasons, but the main reason is that you will feel tired and burnt out very early into your workout if you haven’t got enough fuel in your system. If you do decide to workout on an empty stomach, not only will you feel tired and dehydrated because you will have nothing in your body, but you will probably stop your workout a lot sooner than you would normally, meaning that you will not get the full benefit of the workout, because you will have to stop working out before you start to burn any fat. If you are worried about eating and drinking before a workout, make sure to have a small snack before and after your workout so that you don’t feel bad later on.

There are many myths out there about health and fitness that are not true at all. Sometimes, it can be hard to debunk some of these fitness myths, especially if you are someone that does not have a background in health and fitness. If you are unsure about something that you have heard or that someone has told you, make sure you do some research before you make any serious changes to your lifestyle or fitness regime. If you need help with debunking one of these myths, speaking to a personal trainer or health professional is a good idea, because they will know the answers and set you straight.