Fitness myths

Vee

Vee

Cathlete
If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way.
- Bertrand Russell

I guess that explains:
- "No side-effects" weight loss pills.
- "Eat anything, dont exercise, and still lose weight" slimming centers (Do you have them in your country? We have places in India where they wrap people or vibrate them. We also have weight-loss massages. I was arguing with someone that they cant work until my sis said, "Of course they do. For the massuesse.")
- Gimmicky "5 minutes a day" at-home "exercise" contraptions.

I used to do endless trouble-spot reps and believe I'd spot reduce. Cant think of any other myths that I bought into now.
 
Great thread Vee!

The only thing I can think of that I bought into, was the low fat craze.
It took a long time for me to realize there are good fats/bad fats and how beneficial good fats are in a diet.
I can remember trying for zero fat in my diet. All that time, replacing the fat with processed sugar:eek::eek:
 
fit44 said:
Great thread Vee!

The only thing I can think of that I bought into, was the low fat craze.
It took a long time for me to realize there are good fats/bad fats and how beneficial good fats are in a diet.
I can remember trying for zero fat in my diet. All that time, replacing the fat with processed sugar:eek::eek:
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That was a big one, wasn't it? My step sister gained tons of weight on Susan Powter's plan.

Now, I know that Atkins will actually make people lose weight, but now that I'm taking advanced biology classes to become an RRA and I see how dangerous that diet is, it scares me!

Cynthia, I've read that you enjoy Tony Horton's workouts, do you think that his 10 Minute Trainer workouts can actually do anything? My instinct is that they would help only the most sedentary get over the initial hump of becoming active.
 
GMonkey said:
That was a big one, wasn't it? My step sister gained tons of weight on Susan Powter's plan.
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I'm lucky that I didn't gain a lot of weight! Genetics, exercise, and under eating kept me very thin. Even though I could maintain my scale weight, I was never happy with my body composition. Go figure:eek:

GMonkey said:
Cynthia, I've read that you enjoy Tony Horton's workouts, do you think that his 10 Minute Trainer workouts can actually do anything? My instinct is that they would help only the most sedentary get over the initial hump of becoming active.
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I don't know a lot about the 10 minute trainer. It never caught my interest because I prefer hour long workouts. There are mixed reviews on the Video Fitness Forum. If you search the forum, there are several thread discussing it. I know many complained they thought the price was too much for what was in the package.
Here's the link to the Video Fitness Forum:
http://forum.videofitness.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4
 
fit44 said:
Great thread Vee!

The only thing I can think of that I bought into, was the low fat craze.
It took a long time for me to realize there are good fats/bad fats and how beneficial good fats are in a diet.
I can remember trying for zero fat in my diet. All that time, replacing the fat with processed sugar:eek::eek:
Click to expand...

Me too Cynthia!! Susan Powter!! FATS WHAT MAKES YOU FAT!!! No, the whole bag of reduced fat oroes is what makes me fat!! But I will say she is the one who got me started workingout to begin with. I've come a long way!!

What about the thing Tony Horton has out about 10 minutes wo's? ...... 10 minutes? That's my warm up!! :rolleyes:
 
MAYNARDSMOM said:
What about the thing Tony Horton has out about 10 minutes wo's? ...... 10 minutes? That's my warm up!! :rolleyes:
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I think people use them to tack on another workout, use them for travel, or combine them for longer workouts. I think it's pricey and there are a lot of bodyweight, band exercise workouts for less.
 
While the Bowflex doesn't qualify as a gimmicky contraption, I do hate the commercials that insinuate that working out 3 times a week with it will help you look like the models in the commercials.

I can't remember, but does the commercial go even farther and claim it only requires 20 minutes too? Maybe I have that confused with another piece of equipment, but at any rate, you get my drift. There's just a little more than the Bowflex going on with those fitness models. Something along the lines of cardio and diet, though you'll never hear it mentioned.

I have nothing against the Bowflex itself, just the advertising. To be fair though, I'm not sure how one would advertise such a thing as accurately as possible. Not too many people want to hear, "You need to do this 3 times a week, alternating with an hour of cardio, and you have to cut all the crap out of your diet. And that's just for starters!"
 
Cynthia,

I have bought into fad diets too!

I spent less than a week on a modifed version of the UNYBP. The first thing I modifed was that I added more food. :) The second was to make it vegetarian. I woke up one morning and I wanted to cry and never stop. So I drank a big cup of coffee and ate some carbs. The remarkable thing is I DID lose weight in less than a week. Everyone noticed. Never gong back there again though.

I also did day 1 and day 2 of the GM diet once.

That is the sum, total of my entire history of dieting.
 
My favorite is the Ab Lounge. Whoever thought of that one is a marketing genius! You can exercise & lounge at the same time! Because really, being in good shape has nothing to do with hard work. :rolleyes:
 
Have you ever noticed that all three pound weights are pink?

What about the guy that advocates that you should not do cardio? I tried to read his book once and was so glad it was a library book. He suggested just weights and that was it.

Good idea for a post
Heather
 
That and every fitness, health and womens magazine that EVERY month has a NEW way to get your bikini body in 6 weeks!!!!!!!!! Every single one!!!! Now why would we need a new workout/diet every month if the 1st one worked!!
Wouldn't eveyone be doing THAT one????

I have found that most fitness facts are MYTHS. because the reality is you need to eat less and move more. Now building big muscles is not my forte so I can't comment on that. But every woman's weight magazine is full of ads for Hydroxycut!!!! If the magazine was truly worth it's weight, would it be advertising all these ridiculous "drugs" and supplements rather than focusing on actually lifting the weights?????

ellie
 
My new fave is the Ab circle swing thing they are advertising on TV. You kneel, and put your hands on the handle and swish your legs left to right in a half circle. One the woman I work with wants this. Thinks its gonna work.

In 3 mins a day, YES - just 3 mins, you can have flat, sexy abs. All this while sitting on the couch eating bon bons the other 23 hours and 57 mins of the day. For ONLY $200 plus shipping. And you can also lose like 60 lbs in 2 weeks with it. Yeesh!!!

Its all calories in, calories out, good food in, bad food out. And moving your body. If it there was a miracle cure, and it was all easy we'd all be thin.

Goodness forbid we all put a little effort into it.
Nan
 
spyrosmom said:
My new fave is the Ab circle swing thing they are advertising on TV. You kneel, and put your hands on the handle and swish your legs left to right in a half circle. One the woman I work with wants this. Thinks its gonna work.

In 3 mins a day, YES - just 3 mins, you can have flat, sexy abs. All this while sitting on the couch eating bon bons the other 23 hours and 57 mins of the day. For ONLY $200 plus shipping. And you can also lose like 60 lbs in 2 weeks with it. Yeesh!!!


Nan
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Nan don't forget when you are done you can use this as a coat rack. :D
 
GMonkey said:
I'll use them for high reps after I've done reps with higher weight. I also use them for cardio. I certainly wouldn't use them for uh...squats and lunges.
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I use my 3lbs for Squeeze workout. After a heavy shoulder day, 3lbs feels like 100 lbs! I love mixing workout styles. Barre type work can be as intense as heavy weighted squats. At least with heavy weights, you get in and get it over quick. Barre work burns like a mother!:eek:
 
Cathe uses 3s in one of her DVDs. I forget which one, and I can't remember if the exercise was for triceps or shoulders.

I needed my 3s in the beginning as my low range for triceps during UB Pyramid. I got quite a burn.

Ab Lounge... :D !!!!
 
LaughingWater said:
Cathe uses 3s in one of her DVDs. I forget which one, and I can't remember if the exercise was for triceps or shoulders.

I needed my 3s in the beginning as my low range for triceps during UB Pyramid. I got quite a burn.

Ab Lounge... :D !!!!
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Drill Max, sec. 6, rear delt exercises. ;) And I think Cathe sells 3 lb handweights, but they're green, not pink. They were in the gift bag at last year's RT. Love me some free stuff. :p

Sometimes I use the 3 lbs to add resistance for ab work.
 
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