We’ve all heard at
least one. You know those little tidbits of information that have circled
around for years – claims of what you should and shouldn’t do to lose weight,
claims of when you should and shouldn’t exercise, claims of which foods you
should and shouldn’t eat (i.e. NO Fat, NO Carbs, NO Protein…) – Who even comes
up with that stuff anyways? Well this week we’ve decided to open up this can of
worms and pick a few of these common fitness/nutrition myths to debunk and set
the record straight…
Myth #1: Spot Training
One of the most common fitness
myths is spot training, sometimes called spot reduction. Spot training is the
idea that you can cause weight loss or muscle definition in one area without
affecting other parts of the body. This myth is particularly persistent because
everyone wants it to be true. Everything would be so much easier if
only the infomercials promising “rock hard abs” and “buns of steel”
— after just a few minutes with a specific product — were
telling the truth! (Source: Livestrong) THE
TRUTH: Spot Reduction/Training is more wishful thinking than anything! The only way to sculpt those tummies,
booties, inner thighs and triceps is to lose body fat while at the same time
building lean muscle! Not to toot our own horn or anything, but circuit
training and high intensity interval training are two awesome ways to do
this. By losing body fat and
gaining muscle you will turn your body into a lean, healthy, powerful thing
that can work for you and accomplish more than you could ever imagine!
Myth #2: You can eat whatever you want, As long as you
exercise
This is craziness. I hope that people still don’t hold to
this as being true. THE TRUTH: you will NEVER be able to out-train a bad
diet. No matter what you are
physically able to force your body to do, if you are filling it with processed
foods, sugars, twinkies and bon-bons you will NEVER get that lean and healthy
shape that you are dreaming of.
Myth #3: Traditional Ab Work (Crunches/Sit Ups etc) will Get you A Flat Tummy
Crunches, sit-ups, abdominal rollers and the like
are great for toning your stomach, right? Yes and no. The TRUTH: Your abdominal muscles are covered with body fat, and the only way to get the six-pack you want
is to get rid of the fat first. Since you can't target areas on your body
for fat removal, replacing abdominal workouts with cardio exercises (specifically
Circuits and HIIT) as well as weight lifting training will help you burn fat,
not only in your stomach, but other areas of the body as well. Cardio by itself
will burn belly fat, but at a much slower rate than combining it with weight
training. (Source: Healthline)
Myth #4: Lifting Weights Makes you Bulky
Women tend to be especially
apprehensive about using weights for fear they'll end up looking like
bodybuilders, but they don't have to worry. THE TRUTH: Muscle takes up less space than fat, so using weights will
actually cause your measurements to shrink instead of increase. Strength
training helps you lose weight faster and keep it off longer, according to
Jeffrey Janot, PhD, an assistant professor of exercise physiology at South
Dakota State University. Also keep in mind that testosterone plays a huge role in increasing muscle size. Since men have 20 to 30
times more testosterone than women, it's more noticeable when they bulk up. So GO AHEAD LADIES AND LIFT THOSE WEIGHTS! (Source:
Healthline)
Myth #5: Men & Women Need Different Exercises
Despite what the relationship books
say, when it comes to fitness, men and women are from the same planet,
says Wiedenbach. THE TRUTH: Both sexes
have the same body structure but different hormonal make-ups, he says, which
may mean a difference in muscle strength but does not mean they should work out
any differently. “Men tend to focus on abs, chest and arms, and women tend
to focus on glutes and legs,” he notes. “They’re each forgetting one half of
their bodies.” (Source: Forbes).
Myth #6: You should Avoid Carbs if You Want to Lose Weight
THE TRUTH: Cutting carbohydrates (carbs) might help you lose weight in the short
term, but it’s mostly because you are eating less food and fewer calories.
Drastically cutting carbs means you’ll miss out on the nutritional benefits of
healthy choices like whole grains, fruit, starchy vegetables, and legumes.
Because so many foods are off-limits, it can be tough to stick with low-carb
diets for very long (Not to mention you will probably be INCREDIBLY grouchy and
on edge!). The best weight-loss plan is one you can stick with, and consistency
is the most important thing! (Source: A Little Nutrition)
Myth #7: Eating Fat Makes you Fat
The theory behind this myth usually
goes something like this: Fat has nine calories per
gram, whereas carbs and protein have only four per gram, so to lose weight you
have to avoid fat. THE TRUTH: Fat is not the enemy. Although fat-laden products can be full of
calories, a modest amount of fat may help you feel full (so you eat less
overall) and make healthy foods, like vegetables, taste better (so you may eat
more of them). Fat also helps with the
absorption of certain vitamins and phytonutrients, which are compounds in
plants that are thought to promote health. (Source: Real Simple)
To find out more on the whole “Fat Debate”
check out this video when Johanna will tell you all about why you NEED Fats in
your Diet! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXkc2caDo0w
Myth #8: Diet Foods Help You Lose Weight
The theory behind this one basically
holds that Low-fat, low-carb, and artificially sweetened
packaged foods make losing weight painless. THE TRUTH: Low-fat and low-carb don't always mean
low-cal, and if you're trying to lose weight, stocking up on these treats could
undermine your efforts. In a series of recent studies, for instance,
participants ate up to 50 percent more of foods that the researchers falsely
labeled "low-fat" than they did of the same exact foods with real
labels. Some experts also believe that consuming artificial sweeteners might
backfire. It is possible that artificial sweeteners can have a negative effect
on blood sugar and their long-term effects on the body are still relatively
unknown. Two long-term studies
looking at the drinking habits of thousands of people have found a correlation
between drinking diet soda and being overweight. Basically… You should steer CLEAR of these foods and
stick with REAL, WHOLE, HEALTHY and NATURAL FOODS. If it was made in a plant, you probably need a plant to
digest it…
(Source: Real Simple).
Myth #9: To Lose Weight You Need to Drastically Cut Calories
People think that if they only eat 1,200 calories a
day that they will lose all of this weight and feel amazing. While you will
most definitely lose weight from restrictive eating you are setting yourself
up for failure in the long run.
Your body cannot function for long period of times on such restrictive
calorie diets, it could put itself in starvation mode and you could even stop
losing weight at all... In addition to this, you are setting up a situation in
which you are bound to give in to the things that you are constantly denying
yourself, and guilt is one of the reasons that so many people simply abandon
their plan for healthy living altogether.
THE TRUTH: The best thing thing
you can do to lose weight is to eat a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, lean
meats, and luved carbs, with variety and space for a cheat meal every once in a
while! Consistency is key and nothing will be able to transform your body
the way that clean eating and consistent physical activity will be able to!
Those are just some of the fitness/nutrition myths
that we thought would be great to address! But there are so many others out
there! If you can think of a fitness myth tweet us @jqfitness #FitnessMyths or
Facebook us and let us know about it!
Thanks for reading and we hope you learned
something new!
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