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In the age of the internet, we have an abundance of information at our fingertips at all times. It’s a good thing, but can also lead to a lot of misinformation circulating, especially concerning fitness.
A while back we wrote this article about 10 exercise myths you shouldn’t believe. While researching fitness myths we found even more fitness myths that just aren’t true, yet people believe. Here are 8 more myths you shouldn’t believe:
- Muscle weighs more than fat – when I was young my brother presented this riddle to me: what weights more? A pound of feathers or a pound of bricks? I automatically said bricks because my young mind knew that a single brick was heavier than a single feather. But, a pound of bricks and a pound of feathers weigh the same: a pound. The same goes for muscle and fat. Muscle does not weigh more, it is just more dense than fat. It takes up less space in your body.
- You need to be in the “fat burning zone” to burn fat – If you ever scrolled through Pinterest fitness boards, you have probably seen this image:
This isn’t entirely true. When you move from sitting to walking to jogging to sprinting, your body has to break down stored fat and carbs to accommodate increased needs for energy. It doesn’t break down just one source of fuel. It is constantly breaking down a ratio of sources of fuel. Lower intensity requires your body to use a greater ratio of fat to carb. As the intensity increases, the ratio flips and you start burning a higher ratio of carbs to fats.
- Protein supplements are a requirement for muscle growth – protein is indeed a requirement for muscle growth, but supplements are not. Real food, like chicken, fish, eggs, beans, etc. can provide the necessary amino acids – building blocks of proteins – to build muscle.
- Lifting weights while pregnant will hurt the baby – Editor’s note: pregnant women should check with their healthcare provider before starting or continuing an exercise program. If you lifted before becoming pregnant, there is no reason you can’t continue to train throughout your pregnancy. You should consult with your medical professional as to the best exercise program for your body while pregnant. Some studies have suggested that women who prioritize exercise throughout pregnancy have easier labors and recoveries than those who don’t.
- Lifting weights as a woman will bulk you up like a man – women simply do not have the proper amount of testosterone in their bodies to develop hulk-sized muscles.
- Spot reduction is possible – while it is true that you can gain strength and develop muscle mass by performing exercises that target specific muscle groups, unless your overall workout program is designed to help you lose fat covering those muscles, you will not achieve the look you’re going for. If you have a specific way you want to look in mind, you need to make sure you have a total-body routine that combines strength training, cardio, and a healthy meal plan.
- BMI and weight are good predictors of fitness – as individual metrics, weight and BMI don’t mean much. They don’t say anything about your heart function, blood sugar levels, muscle mass, or bone health. BMI does not take into account how far you can run or how much you can deadlift. Body fat percentage or waist circumference are better predictors of internal health and disease risk. Weight and BMI are only helpful in relation to other indicators.
- Muscle can turn to fat (or vice versa) – muscle and fat are two different kinds of tissue. Your muscle won’t turn into fat if you stop going to the gym and your fat will not turn into muscle by strength training. Changes in muscle and fat mass often happen simultaneously because of lifestyle choices. It’s possible to gain and lose both fat and muscle at the same time.
We are not medical professionals, the information above came from an article written by an expert. If you have any questions or concerns about your body or how you can begin an exercise program, we would recommend speaking to your primary healthcare provider.