Top 5 Fitness Myths

               

         It seems that every day the next hottest fitness trend is hitting the public.  There are so many “do’s and don’ts” of fitness that a lot of the times you can end up hearing contradicting theories.  In order to get some of the best information try seeing a personal trainer for personalized workouts and fitness plans. Getting a personal trainer is probably the only way to truly find out what type of workout plan works best for you. But for now here are a few fitness myths to help you separate fact from fiction when it comes to your health. 

1.  Your Cardio Machine is keeping track of your progress

It is important to take the information a treadmill gives you with a grain of salt.  Caloric burning depends on factors that a treadmill cannot measure including; fitness level, BMI, age and sex.  Without all these pieces of information it’s impossible for a machine to give you an exact analysis of your body.  Knowing your own body is a better assessment of how hard you’re working, than a machine can tell you.

2.     You can spot reduce

Focusing your exercise routine on one part of the body such as the abs will not make your stomach flat.  Melting fat off of one particular area of the body is not possible; your goal should just be to burn fat in general.  If you only did crunches it would actually create muscle memory making the workout less effective.  By rotating exercises to work different body parts it will reduce muscle memory making your workout more effective, ultimately burning more fat from your body as a whole. 

 3.     Cardio is the best way to shed pounds

People tend to think cardio is only form of working out that will help weight loss.  And while cardio is part of losing weight it will not help reshape your body.  The key to that is strength training.  Focusing your workout on strength training will actually burn more calories and get your metabolism going.  Ultimately this will work better towards getting the results you desire.

 4.     Lifting weights will make you big

Women often avoid lifting weights because they are afraid of gaining too much muscle and are not interested in having that look. Most women however, do not have enough testosterone to even get to a point where they would appear bulky.  Strength training is actually very important to losing weight, and avoiding it is going to make it more difficult to lose weight, not simply prevent you from looking too muscular. 

5 .   Protein shakes are a must

Making sure you take in protein when working out is very important.  Protein shakes, however, are not necessary for everyone.  Try getting your daily amount of protein by eating lean meats or protein packed foods such as turkey, beef, or nuts.  If you are in a pinch, a protein shake can be effective if you can’t meet these daily needs through food. Always make sure your read the ingredients of a shake before using it to make sure you are not taking in any unwanted fillers. To find out your daily intake use this equation: Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg. However, your daily intake may change based on your personal goals.

-JC