This post from Forbes clears the air on 10 most pervasive and totally wrong fitness myths that have colored the fitness decisions of many. Are you guilty of buying into any of them?
1 Exercise can erase a bad diet.
Personal trainer Maik Wiedenbach, author of 101 Fitness Myths, says 80 percent of what you look like is based on your diet.
2 You just need to tone. Muscle tone is not the problem, Wiedenbach says. You need to lose fat in order to make muscles visible.
3 Men and women need to exercise differently. Because both sexes have the same body structures, hormonal differences alone do not warrant drastically different workouts by men and women, Wiedenbach says.
4 Women should do low weights, high reps. Wiedenbach says this one’s really pervasive and totally wrong because, in order to change your body shape, you need to challenge the muscles. The resistance of 3-pound lady weights is too small to make a major difference.
5 Always stretch before exercising. While this is the traditional advice, Wiedenbach says stretching before a workout weakens the muscles and may increase the risk of injury. He advises warming up beforehand, and stretching afterward.
6 You can spot reduce fat. Unfortunately, this one’s a myth, Wiedenbach says. No matter how many crunches you do, if your overall body-fat percentage is too high, you won’t achieve chiseled abs.
7 You’ll burn only fat at your target heart rate. The only time you burn fats exclusively is when you’re sleeping, Wiedenbach says. He advises doing interval training—a mix of high and low intensity—to burn more fat.
8 You’ll burn more fat on an empty stomach. This may be true, Wiedenbach says, but you’ll also be stripping down muscle, which negates the effort. He advises not exercising on an empty stomach.
9 Shakes are great for weight loss. Because they’re liquid and contain cheap protein and not enough fiber, shakes don’t keep you feeling full, Wiedenbach says. Whole foods are the better alternative.
10 Eat only the egg whites.There’s nothing wrong with the egg yolks, Wiedenbach says. They have vitamins and protein, keep you feeling fuller for longer and do not affect your cholesterolbalance negatively
Source: text and photos www.bewellbuzz.com