In a world where everyone has a body , and therefore has an opinion on that body , the bit of misconception surrounding physical fitness is astounding . Despite years of research refuting some of these long - hold fitness myths , they go on to be passed around and lapse down from gym generation to gymnasium propagation in a scarily inaccurate oral account of the human body .
These are just a few of the glaringly obvious fitness lies it ’s insane hoi polloi still believe .
Muscle weighs more than fat
A pound of muscle weighs a British pound sterling . A pound of fat weighs a British pound . Duh , right ?
Then why do people keep claiming muscle weighs more than rich ? It ’s because people confuse free weight with mass . Muscle is more dense than fat . A Ezra Pound of muscle ingest up less outer space than a pound of avoirdupois , but when do you talk about your fat or muscle in terms of a specific volume ?
The sluttish solvent is to stop saying , " Muscle weigh more than rich , " and to set forth saying , " A hammering of muscle takes up less blank space than a pound of blubber . " Or just avoid the topic entirely .
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You need to be in the “fat-burning zone” to burn fat
This is just fundamentally untrue .
Your dead body ’s Department of Energy necessity operate on an up slant line , more or less . As you move from sitting to walking to clip to sprint along the x - bloc , your soundbox ’s energy needs increase along the wye - axis vertebra . Your body has to give way down stored blubber and carbohydrates ( sinew glycogen and pedigree glucose ) to grow this increased demand for energy .
The thing is , your body does n’t break down just one germ of fuel or the other – it ’s constantly damp down a ratio of the two . At lower chroma ( say , sit around or walk ) , your dead body uses a greater ratio of fat to carbohydrate . Hence the name " productive - burning zone . "
Flickr/John Loo
As exercise volume increases , the proportion eventually flip - flops and you start burning a in high spirits proportion of saccharide to fats . But since your entire energy necessity has continued to arise , you actually sunburn more total nutritionist’s calorie and total calories from fats than you would during lower - loudness " fat - burning zone " education . So , for example , if you ’re burning six Calorie per minute at a 4:2 fat - to - carb ratio during jogging , you ’re still burning few fat calories than you would at a higher - intensity sprint of 11 small calorie per minute at a 5:6 fat - to - carb ratio .
Protein supplements are a requirement for muscle growth
PROTEIN is a requirement for muscle growth , but protein SUPPLEMENTS are not . The building blocks of proteins – aminic window pane – are absolutely necessary for muscle protein synthesis and stamping ground after exercise , and protein appurtenance like protein bars and powder can , of course , provide the necessary amino group acids .
But you know what else can provide the necessary amino group acids ? Real food . Like chicken , tuna , eggs , Milk River , orvegetarian - friendly generator of protein , such as hemp , pea , or soya bean products .
I ’m not saying there ’s no way for appurtenance , but believing you ca n’t see solution in the gymnasium without subjunction is like believing you ca n’t go to work without turn back at Starbucks . One is not a requirement to successfully complete the other .
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Lifting weights while pregnant will hurt the baby
As long as a woman was lifting weight prior to her gestation , and as long as her doctor bring in her to exercise , there ’s no reason she ca n’t go on to train throughout pregnancy . This is n’t the Middle Ages , or even the 1950s . Women are n’t dainty prime , and pregnancy is n’t an illness .
In fact , cleaning woman who prioritize exercise throughout pregnancy have easierlabors and recuperation than those who do n’t . So , uh , yeah , lifting weights while pregnant can really be a really good thing . kibosh treating it like it ’s a capital offense .
Lifting weights as a woman will bulk you up like a man
Good Lord , strength preparation will NOT turn women into grown , bulky , or virile versions of themselves . It ’s straight that testosterone helpspromote muscle growth . As the male sexual activity hormone , it ’s a hormone that ’s abundant in man , which is one of the factors that makes it easier for men to put on muscular tissue mass .
fair sex have testosterone , too , and women ’s rip levels of testosterone also increase after strength grooming . But what you must sympathise is the levels of testosterone present in women , even after lifting weights , are SO MUCH downcast than those present in serviceman , which mean that while cleaning lady can contribute strength , they ’re unlikely to prepare a significant amount of mass without a very specific and intense preparation program .
Spot reduction is possible
If you think you’re able to get six - pack abs by doing nothing but crunches , or a killer whale butt by doing nothing but squats , you ’re fight back a losing battle .
Yes , you could gain strength and even develop muscularity mass by do exercise that target specific muscle groups , but unless your overall workout programme is designed to help you misplace the avoirdupois wrap up up those endearing , new develop brawniness , you ’re not going to achieve the visual effect you ’re rifle for .
If you have specific goals free-base on appearance , decidedly train those specific muscle grouping , but make certain you ’re engaging in atotal - body routinethat combine strength education , cardiovascular workplace , and a sustenance plan designed to support fat loss . It ’s only through the loss of body fat that muscles will start to pop .
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BMI and weight are good predictors of fitness
Yes , of trend there are correlations between exercising weight and BMI and disease hazard , but as individual metric , weight and BMI intend very little . They do n’t say anything about heart function , blood sugar , muscle mass , or bone wellness . They do n’t designate how far you’re able to run or how much you’re able to lift . They’renot so cracking at indicatingbody fat percentage or waist perimeter , which arebetter predictorsof national health and disease jeopardy .
In other words , just because you have a " healthy " weight or BMI , does n’t have in mind you have a healthy body blubber percentage . alike , mass with an “ unhealthful ” BMI can really have a completely healthy body fertile percentage . Weight and BMI are only helpful in sexual relation to other wellness and fitness indicators .
Muscle can turn to fat (or vice versa)
Muscle is a completely different tissue paper than fat . Your muscle wo n’t disintegrate into fat if you stop give way to the gym . Your fatness wo n’t modernize into sinew by strength breeding .
you’re able to realize brawniness by strength training on a regular basis and consuming in high spirits - quality protein to stimulate muscle protein synthetic thinking . At the same metre , you could fall back fat by creating a calorie deficit in your diet . Likewise , musculus can atrophy if you sit on the couch all day , and you may store more rich if you spend all that couch clock time munching on Cheetos .
Changes in brawn and productive mass often add up at the same clip because they fit to sure lifestyle choices . This is why masses assume that one tissue paper " wrench into " the other , but they do n’t . It ’s completely potential to gain fat and muscularity at the same meter , or to lose fat and muscle at the same meter . For most people , these scenarios are n’t ideal , which is why it ’s important to see how the consistence ferment and how to make specific choices that support the consistency composition changes you actually desire to reach .
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Laura Williamsis an exercising physiologist and physical fitness writer who used to consider ( a farseeing , LONG time ago ) , that muscular tissue could " turn into " fat . Which seaworthiness myths did you once believe ? :@girlsgonesporty .
