Some of this was interesting, although I think we knew most of it already.
Fitness Myths Debunked
April 11, 2005
By Eston Dunn, MS, ACSM
Special For eFitness
If you work out regularly, chances are you've picked up some fitness information in the sauna, locker room or gym. Trouble is, not everything you hear is right. There's a lot of misinformation going around and you're probably getting more half-truths or lies than sound advice.
To clear up this matter, I've assembled some common fitness myths and the facts behind them. This will help you exercise right and prevent you from being misled the next time you hear them.
Just like old wives' tales that have been passed down through generations, so have there been myths about exercise that have been handed down through the years. As knowledge increases, truths about exercise are revealed which put those myths to rest. However, some of us are still uncertain about what is myth and what is fact.
Over the years, the results of many studies have disproved some common exercise misconceptions.
"After being avid about working out, if I should ever stop exercising, my muscle will turn to fat."
This is impossible! Muscle tissue and fat tissue are two entirely different types of tissue! The molecular structure of one is completely unlike the molecular structure of the other. So, if you stop exercising, your muscle will NOT turn into fat. Rather, it will simply atrophy and become smaller in size.
However, if you're burning fewer calories than you consume, there IS a chance that your body will store more fat, and you could gain weight.
"You can 'spot-reduce' body fat."
You can choose just one area, such as the abdomen, arms, or thighs, and do exercises that will reduce the fat in that particular area. This is a big misconception. You CANNOT lose fat in just one specific part of your body. Fat is lost only by burning more calories than you consume, and it is lost equally in all areas of your body.
Aerobic exercises are generally the best types of exercises for burning fat. You CAN do area-specific exercises to tone and strengthen the muscles in a certain area, however. These types of exercises help improve overall fitness. But, they don't have a direct impact on stored body fat.
"Strength training will make a woman too muscular and appear less feminine and more masculine."
First of all, bodybuilders, as a rule, are genetically predisposed for that sport. The female body typically does not produce enough testosterone necessary to build big, bulky muscles. Strength training will tone and strengthen the muscles in a woman's body.
In fact, as a woman ages, she loses muscle mass and bone density. Strength training will increase her bone density and muscle mass, and will help lower her chances of developing osteoporosis. However, she will probably never look like a female bodybuilder.
According to a study conducted by Miriam Nelson of the Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, to be a female bodybuilder, a woman would have to endure extreme training habits that most strength-training programs do not endorse.
"The only way to burn calories is through cardiovascular exercise."
While it is true that cardiovascular workouts (i.e. aerobic dance or jogging) provide the most efficient ways to burn calories, a person burns calories merely by existing. Also, the more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body will burn naturally. This is because muscle is an active tissue.
However, just because you develop more muscle mass doesn't mean that you should neglect your cardiovascular training. For best results, strive for a balanced workout regimen.
"High-impact aerobics are the only way to lose the fat off my butt and thighs."
Actually, the body burns fat more efficiently when you engage in low- to moderate-intensity activities over a longer period of time. High-impact aerobic workouts burn stored carbohydrate calories (muscle glycogen and blood glucose) rather than metabolizing fat for energy.
The body chooses to burn fat when the body is at rest. Although, the fat is burned at a not-so-high rate. Low- to moderate-intensity workouts (combined with resistance training which targets your butt and thighs, specifically) tend to be safer and an excellent method of achieving your goals, according to experts.
"Never drink liquids while exercising."
It was once thought that drinking liquids would bloat the body and affect the athlete's performance. But the opposite is true. Boxers, dancers, football players, and long-distance runners may lose as much as five pounds while performing. What's lost is mainly water and if this isn't replaced, you could suffer from dehydration and heat stroke, which can be fatal.
Prohibiting water on the practice field has no physiological basis. Withholding liquids during hot, humid weather makes an athlete susceptible to heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or the more serious and sometimes fatal heat stroke. Dehydration causes fatigue, which in itself, makes an athlete more vulnerable to injury.
To improve athletic performance, don't wait until you're thirsty before you drink. By that time, you may already be dehydrated. Instead, drink water before, during, and after exercising. Take about eight ounces of water every 20 minutes while exercising.
"Never drink cold water while exercising."
Contrary to popular belief, cold water won't cause cramps and is the best drink for exercisers since it's absorbed rapidly. In effect, it cools the body faster than lukewarm or hot beverages.
What you should avoid is coffee, alcohol or carbonated beverages. The first two may dehydrate you while the latter can make you feel full, preventing you from drinking enough fluids.
"No pain, no gain."
There are people who think it's normal to feel tired and sore after a workout. That's to be expected at the start of an exercise program, but it should pass in a week or two.
If not, it's the body's way of telling you that it's being abused or injured. You're probably not exercising right or you're pushing yourself too hard. Rest for a few days, apply ice to the sore areas, and change your routine. Remember, a good exercise program should leave you rested and invigorated, not gasping for breath or crying!
If you experience major muscle aches after a demanding aerobics class or a longer-than-usual run, you've pushed yourself too hard. Experts believe that delayed muscle soreness, in which pain peaks 24 to 48 hours after exercise, results from inflammation and microscopic tears in the elastic tissues that surround muscle fibers. To give muscles time to adapt, don't do much too soon. A good rule of thumb: Increase exercise time or difficulty about 5 percent a session.
"Excessive sweating while exercising means you're not fit."
If you're fit, you'll sweat more. Sweating is the body's way of cooling itself. This mechanism improves as you exercise regularly.
As you get in better shape, your body learns to cool itself more efficiently. Blood is shunted to the skin's surface more quickly via tiny blood vessels that dilate and radiate heat away from the body. At the same time, the sweat glands increase their output of a fluid-and-sodium mixture, which cools the body as it evaporates.
While fit people produce more sweat than sedentary folks, they lose less salt, because more of it is reabsorbed by the body's cells as it travels from the sweat glands to the skin's surface.
"You should exercise every day to stay healthy."
You don't have to exercise vigorously every day to stay fit since even minimal physical activity like gardening or housecleaning can work wonders on your body.
In fact, experts say you can cut your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other ailments by 60 percent just by working out three times a week for 20 minutes. In between this, do what you want.
Some beginners, in their zeal to make up for 20 years of neglecting their bodies, vow to exercise every day for the next 20 years. This is not a good idea. If you're trying to get fit, your workouts are only part of the equation. Rest is just as important.
"To build muscles, eat high-protein foods."
This myth appears to have originated with the ancient Olympic Games. Early athletes thought they could acquire great strength by eating the raw meat of lions, tigers or animals with great fighting skills.
While meat is a good source of protein, loading up on it won't make your muscles bulge since the latter actually contain 72 percent water and only 22 percent protein. Besides, most of us consume adequate amounts of protein from daily meals. Getting more from foods, powders or supplements won't turn you into Arnold Schwarzenegger and may even damage your kidneys and liver.
There is no scientific evidence supporting the popular belief that athletes require massive amounts of protein-rich foods or protein supplements. Surveys show that athletes often consume four to five times their actual requirements. Yet there is absolutely no health or performance benefit from high-protein eating.
To build more muscles, you have to lift weights or perform some kind of weight-bearing activity religiously. In short, you have to work out instead of relying on the promises of protein drinks and pills.
"Women who exercise will have trouble delivering babies."
Years ago, you won't find pregnant women at the gym or health club. Doctors then treated pregnancy as a disease and they were afraid that exercise would lead to birth defects or encourage a miscarriage.
Today, it's a different ballgame. More and more women are going to the gym. And if you happen to be pregnant, the right exercise can be good for your baby and will make childbirth easy.
Not only is moderate exercise safe for your baby, it's also been shown to have tremendous benefits for mom. Compared to unfit pregnant women, regular exercisers tend to have fewer aches and pains, more self-esteem, and more energy and stamina, especially in the third trimester. Regular exercisers also have more confidence -- and perhaps strength -- during labor, and they seem to tolerate the pain better.
Fitness Myths Debunked
April 11, 2005
By Eston Dunn, MS, ACSM
Special For eFitness
If you work out regularly, chances are you've picked up some fitness information in the sauna, locker room or gym. Trouble is, not everything you hear is right. There's a lot of misinformation going around and you're probably getting more half-truths or lies than sound advice.
To clear up this matter, I've assembled some common fitness myths and the facts behind them. This will help you exercise right and prevent you from being misled the next time you hear them.
Just like old wives' tales that have been passed down through generations, so have there been myths about exercise that have been handed down through the years. As knowledge increases, truths about exercise are revealed which put those myths to rest. However, some of us are still uncertain about what is myth and what is fact.
Over the years, the results of many studies have disproved some common exercise misconceptions.
"After being avid about working out, if I should ever stop exercising, my muscle will turn to fat."
This is impossible! Muscle tissue and fat tissue are two entirely different types of tissue! The molecular structure of one is completely unlike the molecular structure of the other. So, if you stop exercising, your muscle will NOT turn into fat. Rather, it will simply atrophy and become smaller in size.
However, if you're burning fewer calories than you consume, there IS a chance that your body will store more fat, and you could gain weight.
"You can 'spot-reduce' body fat."
You can choose just one area, such as the abdomen, arms, or thighs, and do exercises that will reduce the fat in that particular area. This is a big misconception. You CANNOT lose fat in just one specific part of your body. Fat is lost only by burning more calories than you consume, and it is lost equally in all areas of your body.
Aerobic exercises are generally the best types of exercises for burning fat. You CAN do area-specific exercises to tone and strengthen the muscles in a certain area, however. These types of exercises help improve overall fitness. But, they don't have a direct impact on stored body fat.
"Strength training will make a woman too muscular and appear less feminine and more masculine."
First of all, bodybuilders, as a rule, are genetically predisposed for that sport. The female body typically does not produce enough testosterone necessary to build big, bulky muscles. Strength training will tone and strengthen the muscles in a woman's body.
In fact, as a woman ages, she loses muscle mass and bone density. Strength training will increase her bone density and muscle mass, and will help lower her chances of developing osteoporosis. However, she will probably never look like a female bodybuilder.
According to a study conducted by Miriam Nelson of the Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, to be a female bodybuilder, a woman would have to endure extreme training habits that most strength-training programs do not endorse.
"The only way to burn calories is through cardiovascular exercise."
While it is true that cardiovascular workouts (i.e. aerobic dance or jogging) provide the most efficient ways to burn calories, a person burns calories merely by existing. Also, the more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body will burn naturally. This is because muscle is an active tissue.
However, just because you develop more muscle mass doesn't mean that you should neglect your cardiovascular training. For best results, strive for a balanced workout regimen.
"High-impact aerobics are the only way to lose the fat off my butt and thighs."
Actually, the body burns fat more efficiently when you engage in low- to moderate-intensity activities over a longer period of time. High-impact aerobic workouts burn stored carbohydrate calories (muscle glycogen and blood glucose) rather than metabolizing fat for energy.
The body chooses to burn fat when the body is at rest. Although, the fat is burned at a not-so-high rate. Low- to moderate-intensity workouts (combined with resistance training which targets your butt and thighs, specifically) tend to be safer and an excellent method of achieving your goals, according to experts.
"Never drink liquids while exercising."
It was once thought that drinking liquids would bloat the body and affect the athlete's performance. But the opposite is true. Boxers, dancers, football players, and long-distance runners may lose as much as five pounds while performing. What's lost is mainly water and if this isn't replaced, you could suffer from dehydration and heat stroke, which can be fatal.
Prohibiting water on the practice field has no physiological basis. Withholding liquids during hot, humid weather makes an athlete susceptible to heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or the more serious and sometimes fatal heat stroke. Dehydration causes fatigue, which in itself, makes an athlete more vulnerable to injury.
To improve athletic performance, don't wait until you're thirsty before you drink. By that time, you may already be dehydrated. Instead, drink water before, during, and after exercising. Take about eight ounces of water every 20 minutes while exercising.
"Never drink cold water while exercising."
Contrary to popular belief, cold water won't cause cramps and is the best drink for exercisers since it's absorbed rapidly. In effect, it cools the body faster than lukewarm or hot beverages.
What you should avoid is coffee, alcohol or carbonated beverages. The first two may dehydrate you while the latter can make you feel full, preventing you from drinking enough fluids.
"No pain, no gain."
There are people who think it's normal to feel tired and sore after a workout. That's to be expected at the start of an exercise program, but it should pass in a week or two.
If not, it's the body's way of telling you that it's being abused or injured. You're probably not exercising right or you're pushing yourself too hard. Rest for a few days, apply ice to the sore areas, and change your routine. Remember, a good exercise program should leave you rested and invigorated, not gasping for breath or crying!
If you experience major muscle aches after a demanding aerobics class or a longer-than-usual run, you've pushed yourself too hard. Experts believe that delayed muscle soreness, in which pain peaks 24 to 48 hours after exercise, results from inflammation and microscopic tears in the elastic tissues that surround muscle fibers. To give muscles time to adapt, don't do much too soon. A good rule of thumb: Increase exercise time or difficulty about 5 percent a session.
"Excessive sweating while exercising means you're not fit."
If you're fit, you'll sweat more. Sweating is the body's way of cooling itself. This mechanism improves as you exercise regularly.
As you get in better shape, your body learns to cool itself more efficiently. Blood is shunted to the skin's surface more quickly via tiny blood vessels that dilate and radiate heat away from the body. At the same time, the sweat glands increase their output of a fluid-and-sodium mixture, which cools the body as it evaporates.
While fit people produce more sweat than sedentary folks, they lose less salt, because more of it is reabsorbed by the body's cells as it travels from the sweat glands to the skin's surface.
"You should exercise every day to stay healthy."
You don't have to exercise vigorously every day to stay fit since even minimal physical activity like gardening or housecleaning can work wonders on your body.
In fact, experts say you can cut your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other ailments by 60 percent just by working out three times a week for 20 minutes. In between this, do what you want.
Some beginners, in their zeal to make up for 20 years of neglecting their bodies, vow to exercise every day for the next 20 years. This is not a good idea. If you're trying to get fit, your workouts are only part of the equation. Rest is just as important.
"To build muscles, eat high-protein foods."
This myth appears to have originated with the ancient Olympic Games. Early athletes thought they could acquire great strength by eating the raw meat of lions, tigers or animals with great fighting skills.
While meat is a good source of protein, loading up on it won't make your muscles bulge since the latter actually contain 72 percent water and only 22 percent protein. Besides, most of us consume adequate amounts of protein from daily meals. Getting more from foods, powders or supplements won't turn you into Arnold Schwarzenegger and may even damage your kidneys and liver.
There is no scientific evidence supporting the popular belief that athletes require massive amounts of protein-rich foods or protein supplements. Surveys show that athletes often consume four to five times their actual requirements. Yet there is absolutely no health or performance benefit from high-protein eating.
To build more muscles, you have to lift weights or perform some kind of weight-bearing activity religiously. In short, you have to work out instead of relying on the promises of protein drinks and pills.
"Women who exercise will have trouble delivering babies."
Years ago, you won't find pregnant women at the gym or health club. Doctors then treated pregnancy as a disease and they were afraid that exercise would lead to birth defects or encourage a miscarriage.
Today, it's a different ballgame. More and more women are going to the gym. And if you happen to be pregnant, the right exercise can be good for your baby and will make childbirth easy.
Not only is moderate exercise safe for your baby, it's also been shown to have tremendous benefits for mom. Compared to unfit pregnant women, regular exercisers tend to have fewer aches and pains, more self-esteem, and more energy and stamina, especially in the third trimester. Regular exercisers also have more confidence -- and perhaps strength -- during labor, and they seem to tolerate the pain better.
