Top Fitness Myths
We are barraged with information about health and wellness these days. With all the white noise, it’s often difficult to determine not only what we should believe, but what is valuable. Knowing what falls into these categories is helpful so we can be fully honed in on our goals. While the list below is not exhaustive, it covers some of the most common fitness myths we hear about frequently:
You can “out-exercise” a bad habit or diet. This myth has been circulating for years. If your diet consists of processed foods, sugary drinks, and fast food, all the exercise in the world will not magically provide a “fix”, regardless of your specific goals. Exercise and diet are paramount in living a life of optimal health and wellness. An alternative way to view this is: your diet is the FUEL you need to perform well in an active lifestyle and should be treated as such. Your body and mind will thank you.
Spot reduction works. Surely you’ve heard about a pill that blasts belly fat quickly, or a leg exercise that melts cellulite overnight. While it is more than possible to reduce overall body fat percentage, we cannot choose from where on our bodies we lose that fat. So don’t buy into the hype that you can “target” a certain area; it’s false.
Lifting weights will make you bulky. This has been a cultural concern (amongst women specifically) for a number of years. They express the desire to be lean and toned, but not bulky. But did you know that women start losing muscle mass by the time they’re 30? Increasing and maintaining muscle mass is one of the best ways to fight this, keep body fat under control and improve overall fitness (especially as women age). Rest assured, this does not require an intense or drastic routine. Gaining strength can be done comfortably and still achieve the desired result. So while weightlifting does not minimize the importance of cardio, every woman should partake in a consistent weightlifting regimen and find something that works for them so that may fully reap the benefits.
Women and men should practice different exercises. What differentiates women from men is not their body structure, but their hormonal makeup. Because women must account for their cycle, they must adjust the intensity of exercise during certain times of the month. But that does not mean cutting out entire forms of training; rather, shifting focus and lengthening sessions i.e. longer runs to build endurance. Otherwise, all forms of fitness are fair game for both genders.
Restricting calories is a good way to lose weight. In no way is restricting calories a good idea for anyone. There is a misconception floating around that in order to achieve weight loss, people must go to extreme measures and track calories obsessively, measure food, etc. However, the potential damage done by restrictive dieting is alarming: it takes a psychological toll on the body and begins to break down muscle for energy, causing metabolism and calorie burn to decrease. This makes reaching goals much more difficult. The importance of consuming enough calories throughout the day increases ten-fold if you are an active person, but everyone should always be eating enough to support their lifestyle.
Making Space for What Truly Matters
Unfortunately in the present day, there is conflicting information dispersed throughout our culture and world, and several myths that contribute to the confusion. So it suffices to say that the key to establishing meaningful wellness that not only works, but is sustainable, is by forming a routine that brings you joy, is consistent, and helps you to be at your best day in and day out. While the specifics may look different for everyone, this generally means eating a well-rounded diet with sufficient protein, moving your body regularly, and making time for self-care. Keep it simple, focus on the basics, and you will undoubtedly thrive.
This article was written by our very own Megan Carter.