If you are not getting any results after all that effort you have been putting out at the gym; then there is a high chance that you have succumbed to bad advice. We don’t blame you. It is an easy trap to fall into. Because the fitness world is full of half-truths and myths, some of them may be harmful to you while some of them may not be. But if I were you, I wouldn’t take that chance.
Here we reveal the ten biggest fitness myths:
#1 – Diet Does Not Matter If You Exercise Regularly.
This is a very common misconception among many. There is more to working out rather than just exercises. Improper diet will lead to inflammation, inadequate sleep, deteriorating skin, decreased mental performance and poor memory. Exercising regularly is of utmost importance, but don’t forget to fuel your body with a healthy diet as well.
#2 – The More You Work Out, The More Weight You Lose
High-intensity exercises for 30 to 60 minutes is all you need for a good workout session. You should focus on your intensity rather than the time you workout. You should also work at least five times a week to manage your weight. You can also read articles about motivation to work out to achieve your fitness goals quickly.
#3 – A Protein Bar Is A Good Substitute For A Meal
Protein bars, unless you make them yourself are highly processed. They can be taken between meals to curb your hunger. They have fewer calories as well. But, they can never substitute a meal because you need a lot of essential nutrients to fuel your workout.
#4 – Cardio Is More Important For Weight Loss
Cardio exercises are indeed good for your health, and you will burn calories while doing it. But, only 20 minutes of cardio is essential for you. Strength training is all about the form. If you do it with the right form, then it can be more beneficial than the regular cardio exercises for losing weight.
#5 – Carbs Are Bad
Carbs are what fuels your intense workouts. If you want to gain through your workouts, then you need carbs. If you take it out of your diet completely, it will not be beneficial in the long run.
It is also important to notice that your brain needs also need some amount of carbs for it to work properly.
#6 – Squats Are Bad For Your Knees
This is a very common misconception. Popular to contrary belief, squats are a good exercise for the knees and can help in battling knee pain. It even strengthens the muscles that protect the knee. While doing squats, we should always ensure that our form is correct all the time.
#7 – Caffeine Impacts Your Body In A Negative Way Only
This myth might have emerged because of the over-consumption of coffee and other caffeine related products. But the moderate use of caffeine will help in enhancing athletic performance of your body. Caffeine improves blood circulation. This will result in more oxygen getting into your body, allowing you to push that much harder. The myth that caffeine contributes to dehydration is also false.
#8 – Women Will Get Muscular If They Lift Weights
The difference in testosterone levels between men and women are significant and as a result, weightlifting has little chances of making women muscular. Instead, lifting weights will give women a more toned body with stronger bones.
#9 – Supplements Are Compulsory To Build Muscle
It is true that supplements can accelerate the process of building muscles. But you can get all the nutrients naturally if you choose the right diet. There are a lot of vegetables like kale, broccoli, spinach, etc. which are rich in proteins can help in muscle building.
#10 – Do Crunches For A 6 Pack
Everybody is born with abdominal muscles. You have to shed fat to make them visible. So doing the traditional crunches alone is not going to help you. Instead, this conventional exercise is one of the least efficient ones. If you seriously want to rip your abs try doing exercises like Swiss ball, roll out, bicycle crunch, cable rotation, Spiderman plank crunch, etc.
The best defense against setbacks is putting the right information into use. New studies are shedding light on these age-old myths and overturning many things that we believed as facts. Always research the exercises that you are going to do, thus not falling into the trap of half-truths and myths.
