The amount of silly information in the field of fitness is mind-boggling (and depressing!)
So let’s clear up some headspace by killing off 5 myths (picked from many) which are simply adding unnecessary confusion to the relatively simple task of getting in shape.
Myth 1: Crunches Help You Lose Belly Fat
We all lose weight from different places at different rates. Doing 1000 crunches a day will not help you lose fat around your mid-section anymore than wildly swinging your arms up and down for the same amount of time. Your body doesn’t work like this. You can’t spot-burn fat by hammering a particular area with exercise. Create a calorie-deficit, strength train and be patient. Eventually you will lose weight from your waistline.
Myth 2: Carbs Make You Fat
Not true. Excessive calories make you fat, irrespective of where they come from. The reason many people report good fat loss results when switching to a lower carbohydrate diet is that they inadvertently consume fewer total calories. Now, some people may legitimately feel better on a lower carb diet and that’s fine. But carbs in-and-of themselves do not make you fat.
Myth 3: You Can Change Your Body Overnight
No matter how well you eat and exercise there is a limit to how much weight you can lose (or how much muscle you can build) in a single day. There are no quick-fixes, hacks or magic pills which get around this. Great transformations take time. That said, right from the get-go regular exercise and healthy eating can boost your energy levels, physical health and mental wellness... which is pretty awesome!
Myth 4: You Can Tone A Muscle
You can build muscle or you can lose body fat. Period. A combination of these factors will create the effect people called toned. However, there is no such thing as toning a muscle!
Myth 5: You Need To Workout Everyday To See Results
Not true. In fact too much training can be counterproductive. Exercise is the stimulus, not the benefit. Adaptation to exercise is the benefit and this only happens when you give your body sufficient time to rest and recover between bouts of intense training. No recovery, no adaptation, no benefit.